crypto.news
For the first time, Solana users can grow their Bitcoin holdings without bridging or trading. Zeus Network’s btcSOL turns staked $SOL into a passive Bitcoin minting machine, without middlemen or complex steps.
According to a press release shared with crypto.news on July 15, Zeus Network will launch btcSOL on July 17, allowing Solana ($SOL) stakers to earn Bitcoin rewards in the form of zBTC, a Solana-native, non-custodial version of $BTC pegged 1:1 to the original. Yield can be earned by locking up $SOL or liquid staking tokens.
The move signals a deeper shift in how Bitcoin integrates with high-speed blockchains like Solana. While wrapped $BTC (WBTC) and centralized alternatives have dominated cross-chain Bitcoin activity, Zeus Network is betting on a decentralized approach, one where users accumulate real $BTC without relying on third-party custodians.
How btcSOL bridges Bitcoin and Solana without compromise
At its core, btcSOL functions as a yield converter that rewards staking $SOL or liquid staking tokens automatically with Bitcoin-denominated returns. Here’s how it works: when users stake $SOL via btcSOL, Zeus Network deploys that capital into automated yield strategies and converts the earnings into zBTC, which users receive daily.
Unlike wrapped $BTC solutions that depend on centralized custodians, zBTC maintains a 1:1 peg through decentralized mechanisms, allowing redemption to native Bitcoin without KYC. For the first two weeks, whitelisted participants will earn double zBTC rewards, a tactical move that Zeus said is designed to bootstrap liquidity while testing demand.
“btcSOL gives anyone with $SOL a way to steadily build a Bitcoin position, no bridges, no trading, no extra steps,” said Justin Wang, Founder and CEO of Zeus Network. “This is a key piece of our vision to unlock a native Bitcoin economy on Solana, where $BTC is easy to earn, use, and move across applications.”
Zeus Network’s push for native Bitcoin rewards on Solana isn’t just about convenience. It’s a strategic bid to reduce reliance on custodial bridges like WBTC. While WBTC dominates Ethereum’s Bitcoin ecosystem, its centralized minting process has long been a point of contention in DeFi. zBTC, by contrast, operates permissionlessly, aligning with Solana’s ethos of speed and self-custody.
To incentivize early adoption, Zeus has capped btcSOL at 75,000 slots and tied the launch to a basketball-themed campaign, complete with a 200% rewards multiplier and a Lakers ticket raffle.