Stacks works with established custody, validation, and security providers across the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Bitcoin Staking converts an idle BTC position into a yielding one, paid in BTC, without a transfer of custody at any point.
How Bitcoin Staking Works
Lock Bitcoin
On Bitcoin L1, under your own custody, paired with STX worth 5% of it.
Miners spend bitcoin
Miners spend bitcoin. Stacks miners commit BTC to compete for the right to produce blocks.
Bitcoin flows to Stakers
Paid out weekly, in BTC, with bonds paid before anyone else.
Bitcoin unlocks
Your Bitcoin unlocks. After six months, in full, under the same custody you locked it with.
Custody for Bitcoin Stacking
Bitcoin Staking requires a BTC wallet and a STX wallet. It is designed to integrate with the custody and signing infrastructure institutions already run.
PROVIDER
TYPE
SUPPORTED ASSETS
STX CUSTODY LIVE TODAY
Fireblocks
type
MPC wallet & signing infrastructure. SOC 2 Type II attested
BTC
STX
Fordefi
type
MPC wallet & signing infrastructure. SOC 2 Type II attested, integration announces, confirm live status
BTC
STX
Ledger + Leather
type
Self-custody Hardware signing, keys never leave the device
BTC
STX
Your BTC is time-locked under your own keys with a standard Bitcoin script (0P_CHECKLOCKTIMEVERIFY). It unlocks to you when the term ends.
The institutional Bitcoin yield gap
Bitcoin lacks native yield primitives suitable for institutional mandates.
Existing yield strategies introduce custody, rehypothecation, or execution risk
Institutions require defined risk priority and BTC-denominated returns.
Architecture & Security
Security partners
How it works
Bitcoin Staking is an upgrade to the Stacks Proof-of-Transfer consensus mechanism. Participation is structured through protocol bonds: a paired commitment of BTC on Bitcoin L1 and STX on Stacks, locked together for one 6-month bonding period.
Dual-asset lock. BTC is locked under the participant's own keys via a standard Bitcoin timelock (OP_CHECKLOCKTIMEVERIFY). STX is locked on Stacks for the same period.
Weekly BTC payouts. Yield is paid in BTC and distributed weekly throughout the bonding period.
Optional early exit. Participants may unlock BTC before period end, forfeiting remaining yield. Paired STX remains locked for the full term.
Risk and yield mechanics
Source of yield. BTC is spent by Stacks miners competing for STX block rewards and transaction fees, and is then distributed to eligible staking participants. This is the same mechanism that has distributed more than 4,200 BTC since January 2021.
Waterfall distribution. Active protocol bonds are paid the target yield rate first. Excess miner revenue is then shared between STX-only stakers and a reserve fund.
No slashing. Full BTC and STX commitments are returned at timelock expiry regardless of participant behavior, miner behavior, reserve fund availability, or network conditions.
Risk borne by participants. STX price exposure during the bonding period, proportional to the required pairing ratio
Security partners
How to participate
Bitcoin Staking requires a BTC wallet and a STX wallet. Enrollment opens 10 September 2026, and the term runs six months.
Step 1
Get approved
Talk to our institutional team. Once your entity clears review, the Stacks Endowment approves your BTC and STX addresses for the period.
STEP 02
Connect your wallets
Use the BTC and STX wallets you already run: Fireblocks, Fordefi, or self-custody with Ledger and Leather.
STEP 03
Commit before the period opens
You lock BTC on Bitcoin L1, paired with STX worth 5% of it. Capacity for the period is fixed and allocated to approved participants.
Step 1
Earn weekly, unlock at term end
BTC is paid to you every week for six months. Then the timelock expires and your bitcoin is spendable in full.
Compliance & Regulatory Context
STX completed a Reg A+ qualification process in the United States
Designed to integrate with qualified custodians.
Bootstrap launch operates as a managed whitelist under Stacks Endowment oversight.
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