Institutional adoption is crucial for scaling the Bitcoin economy

That's why the Stacks Foundation is collaborating with Fordefi—trusted by 100+ companies and records $8B+ in monthly transactions

By now supporting sBTC & SIP10 assets, institutions can seamlessly tap into Bitcoin DeFi on Stacks

Enhancing resilience and decentralization in the Stacks ecosystem is a top priority.

As the leader in Bitcoin-secured physical infrastructure, Ankr's addition to the Signer network will strengthen Stacks connection with Bitcoin mainnet.

Nearly 930 sBTC Deployed 🟧

We're closing in on the initial 1,000 BTC cap with already ≈930 BTC moved over to the leading Bitcoin L2, 72 hours after launch.

⭐️ DeFi Llama Lists sBTC. (link)
⭐️ Leather Wallet introduces Leather Earn, a new interface for sBTC Rewards.
⭐️ Leather also sponsors sBTC transactions, no STX needed to move your BTC to the L2. (link)
⭐️ Stacks AI Agent swaps L2 asset (STX) for L1 asset ($DOG) via Bitflow. (link)

The last month has been huge for Stacks development:

• sBTC launch:
1000 sBTC minted in 3 days and flowing into DeFi to unlock Bitcoin yield

• Nakamoto upgrade live:
Improved security with 100% Bitcoin finality and faster block times

The time to build on Bitcoin is now.

What's new in the Stacks DeFi ecosystem since sBTC launch?

• Zest Protocol allows sBTC deposits, enabling to earn yield on sBTC capital and borrow other assets against it

• Velar, ALEX & Bitflow DEXs have launched sBTC-STX trading pools

What's happening in the Stacks ecosystem?

• Travala the number 1 crypto travel booking portal, integrates sBTC

• The upcoming Bitcoin lending protocol Granite has opened a early access whitelist

• Leather mobile is almost here, and they started a waitlist

This year we witnessed:

• sBTC and Nakamoto upgrade going live, bringing fast block and BTC liquidity

• Many DeFi app launches and TVL rise 3x in STX terms

• Increasing institutional adoption, highlighted by Grayscale STX Trust

2025 will be the year of Bitcoin L2s growth

Stacks was ranked among the 10 fastest-growing dev ecosystems by Electric Capital in 2024.

In 2025, the aim is to accelerate this trend with:

• The Buidl Battle Bitcoin builders tournament
• LearnWeb3 sBTC courses & bounties
• Bitcoin accelerators backing sBTC startups

Want to showcase your Stacks protocol in front of more VCs?

Buidl Battle—the largest Bitcoin builders' startup hackathon ever—will feature Bitcoin-focused VCs and accelerators.

Happening Feb 26-27, this event is your chance to accelerate your building journey.

Register to the BuidlBattle ➡️ https://buidlbattle.com

Many leading Stacks DeFi protocols, including Velar, Hermetica, and Bitflow, have announced the completion of raises.

With sBTC and fast blocks now live, the stage is set for fast growth and groundbreaking innovation

StackingDAO is now the largest DeFi protocol on Stacks, but it was kickstarted with a Critical Bounty.

Bounties help start new ideas and give builders the support needed to create what the ecosystem needs.

Which DeFi apps are currently missing that should receive a bounty?

Hermetica, Bitflow, Zest, and other Stacks protocols have announced funding rounds last year.

Backed by early bounty funding to continue innovating on Stacks, they've grown into powerhouses.

Here’s what’s coming next year to help new protocols launch and grow. 🧵 ⬇️

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:share:7282479315001233408/

Kiln, Figment, and other enterprise-grade Signers lead the market in locked staking capital, setting the standard for institutional excellence.

Ongoing efforts across the ecosystem are focused on further decentralizing Signers to strengthen the resilience of Stacks.

With sBTC reaching its cap in just 3 days, it's clear that both retail and institutional investors are eager to put their BTC to work.

The next sBTC cap will open the door for even more users to participate in the growing Bitcoin economy.

The Stacks ecosystem has seen a great rise in developer activity last year.

It has been ranked the 7 fastest-growing crypto developer community according to Electric Capital.

Here's a glimpse into the fruitful efforts happening in 2025. 🧵 ⬇️

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/stacks-stx_the-growing-developer-community-on-stacks-activity-7284607651940851713-MhAf?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

What has been happening on the Stacks DeFi ecosystem lately?

• Arkadiko Finance launched sBTC vaults to mint USDA

• Bitflow & ALEX DEXs have enabled Native BTC - STX swaps

• Granite protocol will soon launch for the first tester cohort

The Buidl Battle hackathon is heating up, with top VCs as judges and leading accelerators in attendance!

Are you a developer working on a Bitcoin-focused protocol? This is your chance to showcase your skills and take your project to the next level.

📅 Hackathon dates: March 3rd - 21st, 2025
🔗 Register now: buidlbattle.com

Don't miss out!

In 2024, Stacks ecosystem startups like Hermetica and Bitflow secured millions in funding to advance development on Stacks.

This year, the focus is on welcoming more innovative apps to the ecosystem and further growing the Bitcoin economy

Don't miss the SIP Weekly Call today at 11 PM ET! 📆

Get the latest updates on the SIP landscape and dive into what’s coming next for Stacks. 🔥

Set a reminder now to join the Community innovation call. ⬇️

https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1djGXrNpQkXxZ

sBTC is now live, facilitating the unlock of around $2Tn in Bitcoin liquidity into apps and DeFi.

Partnerships are being made to pave the way for sBTC adoption and unlock new use cases.

Here are a few examples of sBTC adoption to watch for. 🧵⬇️

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/stacks-stx_partnerships-paving-the-way-for-sbtc-adoption-activity-7287136838476029952-abUl?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop