tBTC Launches on Starknet Mainnet: DeFi-Enabled Bitcoin

The tBTC x Starknet Opportunity

While we've successfully deployed tBTC across multiple ecosystems, Starknet presents a unique proposition: zero-knowledge proofs that compress thousands of transactions into one.

The result?

ZK-enabled Bitcoin on Starknet: ultra-low-cost transactions secured by trust-minimized cryptography.

For context: Users currently pay on average $1.49 on Bitcoin mainnet. On Ethereum, moving tBTC costs $2-$10 in normal conditions, spiking to $50+ during congestion. On Starknet, these transaction costs average around $0.01

Why Starknet, and Why Now?

Three factors drove this integration:

Technical Alignment

Starknet's STARK proofs share our philosophy: math over trust. Their cryptographic approach to scaling mirrors our approach to custody. It means relying on mathematical proofs and algorithms, not trusted third parties, to guarantee security, correctness, and system behavior.

Ecosystem Readiness

With $547M TVL and 11,000 daily users, Starknet has reached critical mass. More importantly, tBTC's launch partners, such as Ekubo, control a significant portion of the trading volume on Starknet, and Vesu (coming soon) has emerged as the preferred lending protocol for tBTC on Starknet. The infrastructure exists. It just needed better Bitcoin liquidity and its capacity to be used in the Starknet Defi ecosystem.

Cost Revolution

In times of high congestion, we've seen users pay hundreds of dollars in fees for complex DeFi operations. On Starknet, those same operations cost a fraction of the transaction fees on the Bitcoin mainnet. This isn't an incremental improvement. It's a paradigm shift in what's possible with Bitcoin.

Launch Partners: Opportunities to Explore

With the launch of tBTC on Starknet, Threshold Network is building the foundation for a Bitcoin-Ethereum economy within a scalable, zero-knowledge environment. tBTC is integrating with Starknet’s most prominent protocols to bring trust-minimized Bitcoin liquidity to trading, borrowing, and more.

• Live on Launch: DEX Trading on Ekubo - Native Starknet DEXs enable deep, efficient trading of tBTC against select pairs. Users can deploy assets with minimal slippage and explore high-frequency strategies at significantly lower costs.
• Coming Soon: tBTC Lending on Vesu - Soon, users will be able to borrow against their tBTC positions without relinquishing custody. This integration mirrors the success of tBTC on Ethereum, where over 25% of the supply is locked in Aave.

What excites us: The architecture on tBTC on Starknet enables experiments impossible on monolithic lending protocols or on slow and costly chains. Think tBTC backed stablecoin minting, yield splitting, and automated strategies.

Real World Impact

Let's talk about what becomes possible:

The Arbitrage Game Changes

Our community of traders identifies price discrepancies across various networks. At $1.49 per Bitcoin transaction, small arbitrage opportunities aren't profitable. On Starknet at $0.01, even tiny price differences become viable. Expect tBTC price parity to tighten significantly.

Applications We Couldn't Build Before

Developer communities have proposed Bitcoin-powered gaming, streaming payments, and automated strategies. Those projects will now have more potential to become a reality.

Technical Architecture

For builders in our community, here's what makes Starknet special:

Zero-Knowledge Advantages

tBTC is also aiming to tap into purpose-built ZK that enables complex math operations at minimal cost, native account abstraction where every wallet is smart, and provable computation to verify execution happened correctly.

Direct Minting

We've implemented native minting on Starknet via the Threshold UI. Deposit Bitcoin and receive tBTC on Starknet. The system generates a Starknet-specific deposit address linked to your wallet.

Bridge from Ethereum L1 to Starknet

Users can bridge existing tBTC from Ethereum L1 to Starknet via the official StarkGate bridge, offering even more flexibility for Bitcoin holders to participate in Starknet DeFi.

Security Model

Starknet inherits Ethereum’s security via STARK proofs settled on-chain. For the Threshold community, this means secure, low-cost tBTC transactions, fully aligned with our trust-minimized ethos.

Launch Week Action Items

For Bitcoin and tBTC Holders:

• Direct Minting from BTC to tBTC (Starknet): https://dashboard.threshold.network/tBTC/mint
• Bridge tBTC from Ethereum L1  to Starknet: https://starkgate.starknet.io/ethereum/bridge?mode=deposit
• Go to Ekubo for high-efficiency DEX deep liquidity pools for tBTC pairs

For the Curious:

• Read the full article feature of this launch on BeInCrypto: https://beincrypto.com/threshold-labs-btc-starknet/
• Participate in upcoming campaigns between Threshold and Starknet communities. A Galxe campaign will run for 3 weeks, from June 12 to July 3, 2025.
• Stay on the lookout for liquidity incentives on select Starknet protocols and Threshold Partner or Affiliate Apps.

What the Future Holds: Threshold x Starknet

This launch represents months of work by our core team and Starknet contributors. Special recognition to our signers who upgraded the infrastructure to support Starknet's unique requirements.

What excites us most isn’t just slashing Bitcoin transaction costs from $1.49 to $0.01 with tBTC on Starknet. It’s the explosion of creativity our Threshold community will unleash now that Bitcoin DeFi is truly practical. 

The infrastructure is live. The partners are ready.

Let's see what happens when we unlock Bitcoin's full potential.

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Investing in cryptocurrency and digital assets involves a high degree of risk. Always conduct your own research and consult with a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions.