Echo Protocol Launches TGE, Secures 65% of Bridged BTC Assets on Aptos

Echo Protocol, the leading decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol on the Aptos blockchain, has launched its Token Generation Event (TGE) on July 2, 2025. This event underscores Echo's dominance as the top DeFi protocol on Aptos, with the largest total value locked (TVL) and a significant role in the growth of Bitcoin DeFi (BTCfi) on the network. The TGE follows a period of remarkable growth and community engagement, bolstered by Echo's participation in the Aptos Foundation’s LFM program, which provides strategic mentorship and ecosystem-wide support for Aptos-native projects.

Echo Protocol has minted over $285 million in aBTC, securing 65% of all bridged BTC assets on Aptos. This positions Echo as a pivotal player in the BTCfi sector, enabling users to unlock yield opportunities on their Bitcoin holdings through aBTC—a cross-chain liquid Bitcoin token backed 1:1 by BTC. The protocol has also surpassed an all-time high of $878 million in TVL, driven by incentive campaigns, integrations with leading DeFi projects, and high user engagement. To date, Echo has facilitated over 1 million user transactions and 60,000 daily active users.

Jonathan Phay, Co-Founder of Echo Protocol, highlighted the significance of the TGE, stating, "The launch of the ECHO token marks a major milestone in our mission to bring BTCfi to life. With this TGE, we are unlocking a new phase of growth for our ecosystem and creating real opportunities for users, builders, and the broader Aptos community." The TGE introduces the $ECHO utility token, which will support new staking and governance mechanisms, allowing users to participate in the protocol's decision-making processes and earn rewards.

Echo's rapid evolution has been supported by the Aptos Foundation’s LFM program, which offers strategic mentorship, marketing resources, and ecosystem-wide support. Ash Pampati, Head of Ecosystem at Aptos Foundation, noted, "Echo Protocol has been instrumental in making BTC a productive, on-chain asset within the Aptos ecosystem. This is a major milestone—not just for Echo, but for BTCfi adoption on Aptos as a whole. Supporting Echo through its participation in LFM has been a key part of our mission to help Aptos-native projects scale and succeed."

Following the TGE, ECHO tokens will be available to users via Binance, Gate, and Kucoin. Echo plans to continue driving BTC liquidity and composability across the ecosystem, with new products and integrations aimed at expanding BTCfi use cases. Echo Protocol is backed by leading investors such as Aptos, Maelstrom, and Selini, and is rapidly becoming the go-to layer for BTC capital efficiency in the modular DeFi stack.