BitGo Announces Bitcoin Staking with Stacks for Institutional Clients in Qualified Custody

BitGo (NYSE: BTGO) has announced Bitcoin Staking with Stacks for eligible institutional clients of BitGo Bank & Trust, National Association. Through the integration, eligible clients can stake BTC directly from their BitGo accounts and earn rewards paid in BTC, while their Bitcoin stays on the Bitcoin network in BitGo’s qualified custody for the length of the bond.

For eligible clients, Bitcoin Staking is available inside the same custody environment that already holds their BTC, with no new provider to onboard and no Bitcoin leaving the base layer.

Why Custody Matters for Bitcoin Staking

Most institutional Bitcoin sits with qualified custodians, held under the operational and compliance controls that investment committees require. Earning Bitcoin on Bitcoin has typically meant moving it out of custody to a lender or counterparty, a step most institutions won’t take with their core holdings. Bitcoin Staking with Stacks keeps BTC on the Bitcoin network, without lending it out, bridging it or wrapping it. Through the BitGo integration, eligible institutional clients can participate while their Bitcoin remains in BitGo Bank & Trust’s qualified custody.

How Bitcoin Staking Works

Each Bitcoin Staking position pairs BTC with STX at 5% of the staked BTC’s value. STX serves as the staking capacity allocation asset that secures the BTC position’s claim on rewards, which makes it the asset that enables Bitcoin to become productive on Stacks.

Positions are bonded for about six months and pay rewards in BTC. The BTC stays timelocked on the Bitcoin network using standard Bitcoin script for the length of the bond. Principal is returned at maturity, and the protocol does not include slashing.

‍Where the Rewards Come From

Bitcoin Staking rewards are paid out by Stacks miners, who spend BTC on the Bitcoin network to mine Stacks blocks. That BTC flows to participants in each bond, so the rewards do not depend on lending out or rehypothecating the staker’s Bitcoin. Each bonding period has a target rate that is set before the period opens and applies for the full term. The contract is designed to deliver that target, though the realized rate can vary due to the timing of miner reward distributions.

BitGo and Stacks Since 2021

BitGo first integrated Stacks in 2021, bringing institutional custody to the network. In 2024 it became one of the earliest sBTC signers and was among the first to support the Nakamoto upgrade. In August 2026 it added institutional custody and integrated minting of sBTC itself. Bitcoin Staking moves the relationship from holding Bitcoin assets on Stacks to putting BTC itself to work.

What’s Next

Institutions can learn more and register for upcoming bonding periods at stacks.co/institutional-bitcoin-staking.