Bitcoin Staking Debuts on Ethereum Layer-2 Starknet With STRK Incentives

Starknet has integrated Bitcoin staking into its ecosystem, allowing users to validate transactions by delegating Bitcoin in exchange for rewards, paid in its native STRK token. This development presents a strategic shift for Bitcoin, which StarkWare co-founder Eli Ben-Sasson argues has been underutilized due to its hodling tendencies. The Starknet Foundation is incentivizing this new Bitcoin functionality by distributing 100 million STRK tokens. Ben-Sasson emphasized that Starknet could serve as both a financialization and execution layer for Bitcoin. While some Bitcoin maximalists may resist the use of alternative tokens like STRK, Starkware insists that staking on Starknet does not require relinquishing asset control. This move aligns Bitcoin's burgeoning role in decentralized finance (DeFi), showcasing Starknet's ambitions to expand Bitcoin's usability beyond traditional centralized exchanges. As of the recent assessment, STRK's market cap was reported at $498 million, reflecting a significant decline from its peak price of $4.41 just a year earlier.

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