Bitcoin News Today: Starknet TVL Soars 98.9% on BTCFi Surge

Ready to Earn? The Best Way to Stake, Borrow, Lend and Spend Bitcoin

Bitcoin's role in financial markets is evolving rapidly, with platforms and protocols introducing new tools for investors and users to earn yields, borrow assets, and spend digital currency in the real world. From staking protocols to neobanking solutions, the ecosystem is becoming increasingly robust and accessible. The latest developments span exchanges, DeFi platforms, institutional-grade strategies, and regulatory advancements shaping the landscape in early 2026.

KuCoin, a top global exchange, has demonstrated resilience in 2025 amid market volatility. Its trading volume exceeded $1.25 trillion in the first 11 months of the year, with spot activity growing nearly fourfold compared to 2023. This steady expansion reflects a growing user base and improved liquidity, even during market shocks like those in October 2025 (according to Coindesk data).

Meanwhile, projects like GeeFi and Bitmine are gaining traction in the DeFi and crypto investment spaces. GeeFi's presale surpassed $1.6 million, with over 26 million tokens sold. The platform's focus on user-friendly tools, including staking and referral incentives, has drawn significant attention from early adopters. Bitmine, on the other hand, has grown into the world's largest Ethereum treasury, holding 4.066 million ETH, and is preparing for a major staking initiative set to launch in 2026.

A New Era of BTCFi and Onchain Yield

Starknet has emerged as a major player in the Bitcoin finance (BTCFi) space, with total value locked (TVL) growing 98.9% in the last six months to $310 million. The ecosystem now supports advanced strategies like looping and carry trades, enabling users to amplify returns through leveraged cycles and rate arbitrage. Protocols such as Vesu and Uncap offer lending and borrowing options, turning Bitcoin from a passive asset into a productive one (according to Messari research).

The platform's TVL growth is fueled by bridged BTC and DeFi incentives. For example, users can deposit WBTC on Starknet and borrow stablecoins like USDC, maintaining custody of their Bitcoin while accessing liquidity. As STRK staking yields decline, capital is shifting toward lending protocols that offer real-world returns. This trend is expected to continue as the 100 million STRK incentive program, active through March 2026, encourages further adoption

(according to Messari analysis).

Bridging DeFi and Real-World Spending

Beyond yield generation, Starknet is also advancing real-world utility through its neobanking initiatives. Ready, a leading wallet on the network, has rebranded as a crypto-native neobank. The platform now offers fiat onramps, a self-custodial debit card, and integration with Google Pay, enabling users to spend their crypto assets seamlessly. For example, users can convert fiat to stablecoins via Ready's vIBAN feature and use the funds directly in their Starknet wallet without involving traditional financial institutions (according to Messari reports).

This model not only enhances accessibility but also preserves self-custody, a core principle of DeFi. Ready's card allows users to spend STRK or stablecoins for everyday purchases, with transactions settled via smart contracts. By closing the loop between earning and spending, Starknet is laying the foundation for a fully onchain financial system (according to Messari insights).

Expanding Infrastructure and Institutional Adoption

The momentum in BTCFi is supported by growing infrastructure and institutional-grade solutions. Mantle Network, for instance, has partnered with Bybit and CIAN to launch the Bybit Mantle Vault, a structured yield product for stablecoins. The product leverages Mantle's low-cost execution environment and Bybit's global user base, enabling seamless CeFi-to-DeFi capital flow (according to PR Newswire).

Meanwhile, Tether is moving into the end-user space with its AI-powered, self-custodial wallet. The wallet, built on Tether's Wallet Development Kit (WDK) and QVAC AI system, supports Bitcoin, USDT, and other stablecoins while emphasizing privacy and security. This marks a strategic shift for Tether, which has historically focused on backend services rather than direct user engagement (according to CoinCentral).

What This Means for Investors

As BTCFi and DeFi infrastructure mature, investors have more tools than ever to manage their digital assets. From high-yield staking protocols to structured lending and borrowing platforms, the space is becoming more accessible and efficient. However, risks remain, including regulatory uncertainty, market volatility, and execution risks for new projects.

Despite these challenges, the growth of self-custodial tools and institutional-grade yield strategies is reshaping how users interact with Bitcoin. Platforms that bridge the gap between DeFi and traditional finance, like Ready and Bybit Mantle Vault, are likely to see continued adoption as they simplify access and enhance utility for everyday users (according to Messari research).