TL;DR
Starknet has officially integrated Bitcoin staking into its Layer 2 network, enabling BTC holders to participate in its consensus mechanism.
The update reduces the unstaking period from 21 days to seven, offering more flexibility and faster response to market changes.
STRK token reacted positively, climbing over 7% intraday, reflecting increased interest in Starknet’s ecosystem and the potential growth of cross-chain DeFi applications leveraging Bitcoin liquidity.
Starknet, the Ethereum-based Layer 2 known for its ZK rollups and scalability solutions, has officially launched Bitcoin staking. The platform temporarily paused staking to implement the upgrade, allowing BTC holders to take part in Starknet’s consensus for the first time.
Following the announcement, STRK price surged from $0.1299 to an intraday peak of $0.139, representing a gain of more than 7%. The integration demonstrates the L2’s commitment to decentralisation and cross-chain collaboration. Early feedback suggests that institutional and retail participants alike are exploring the staking opportunity, potentially driving more strategic partnerships within the ecosystem.
BTC Will Hold Significant Influence In Consensus
The protocol establishes that Bitcoin will account for 25% of Starknet’s consensus power, while STRK retains 75%, ensuring balance and attracting new participants. Several BTC wrappers will be supported initially, including WBTC, tBTC, SolvBTC, and LBTC, with governance proposals allowing the community to add more in the future.
This flexible model is designed to evolve as Starknet’s BTC staking ecosystem expands. Analysts highlight that this integration could also encourage innovative products that combine BTC and STRK liquidity for enhanced yield farming and collateralization options.
Unstaking Period Reduced To Seven Days
One of the most impactful improvements is the reduction of the unstaking period from 21 to seven days for both STRK and BTC stakers. This shorter lock time allows users to respond quickly to market fluctuations, enhancing flexibility and potentially increasing liquidity.
By making staking more adaptable, Starknet hopes to attract more participants and boost its total value locked (TVL) within the network. The new design also allows developers to integrate staking directly into decentralized applications, expanding opportunities for automated strategies and advanced financial instruments.
Implications For Cross-Chain DeFi Expansion
The BTC staking integration positions Starknet as a promising platform for cross-chain DeFi projects. Developers can leverage Bitcoin’s substantial liquidity to create new lending platforms, yield strategies, and derivatives markets within the STRK ecosystem.
While most feedback has been positive, some critics argue that using STRK to reward BTC stakers could dilute value for native token holders. Nonetheless, the move reinforces Starknet’s strategy to expand DeFi opportunities and integrate Bitcoin liquidity into Ethereum’s Layer 2 landscape.
