WBTC Launches on Hedera, Unlocking New BTCFi Opportunities for Bitcoin Holders

BitGo, BiT Global, and LayerZero collaborate to bring tokenized Bitcoin liquidity to the Hedera ecosystem

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hedera Foundation today announced that WBTC, the industry's leading tokenized form of Bitcoin, is now live on the institutional-grade Hedera network. The integration of WBTC on Hedera is made possible in collaboration with Hedera Council member BitGo alongside industry-leading teams BiT Global, and LayerZero, bringing canonical WBTC to Hedera's fast-growing decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.

Since 2019, WBTC has provided Bitcoin holders with access to the world of DeFi, enabling them to lend, trade, and provide liquidity while maintaining exposure to their BTC. Now, that capability arrives on Hedera powered by LayerZero's cross-chain infrastructure and integrated to Stargate for seamless movement, with all initial liquidity pools live on SaucerSwap.

"With the arrival of canonical WBTC on Hedera, available via Stargate Finance, the vast amount of idle Bitcoin liquidity can now participate in Hedera DeFi," said James Hodgkins, Chief Growth Officer at HBAR, Inc., a subsidiary of Hedera Foundation SEZC. "Thanks to the institutional-grade benefits of Hedera, BTC holders can participate in BTCFi without the fear of frontrunning or MEV, in turn enabling a best-in-class experience for these large capital allocators. This milestone is an attestation to Hedera's DeFi evolution - and that the world's most trusted Bitcoin standard recognizes the strength and growth potential of the network." 

"Bitcoin is one of the hardest assets in the world, and for it to reach its full potential, it needs to move freely. WBTC on Hedera, powered by LayerZero, marks a key milestone in making Bitcoin truly borderless." -- Simon Baksys, Vice President of Business Development, LayerZero.

"BitGo is pleased to deliver secure and transparent infrastructure supporting globally trusted digital assets," said Chen Fang, Chief Revenue Officer at BitGo. "As a member of the Hedera Council, we're excited to help expand the network, empowering institutions and clients to confidently deploy Bitcoin on a high-performance, sustainable network, with the assurance of auditable custody."

With over 126,000 BTC in custody, a $13B market cap, and 65% market share of tokenized Bitcoin on Ethereum, WBTC is the industry benchmark for Bitcoin utility across digital assets. Its deployment on Hedera introduces an entirely new class of liquidity to the network, creating opportunities for developers and users alike to access institutional-grade Bitcoin within Hedera's DeFi applications.

As BTCFi continues to mature, Hedera's institutional-grade network is a natural home for its next wave of growth - providing a best-in-class DeFi experience for Bitcoin holders through its consensus level benefits such as no-frontrunning, no MEV, and low, fixed, fees.

Each WBTC on Hedera is fully backed 1:1 with Bitcoin held in BiT Global's secure custody, ensuring that every wrapped token is transparently verifiable, providing the same level of assurance that has made WBTC the dominant Bitcoin representation across decentralized finance.

HBAR, Inc., a subsidiary of Hedera Foundation SEZC

HBAR, Inc. operates to support the Hedera Foundation. The Hedera Foundation's mission is to accelerate the development, impact, and adoption of the Hedera network by empowering innovators across tokenization, DeFi, AI, and sustainability and by providing funding, expertise, and ecosystem support to developers, startups, and enterprises. Together, they drive innovation, awareness, and sustainable growth across the Hedera ecosystem.

About LayerZero

LayerZero is where finance and the internet converge. It makes any token and application compatible with every type of blockchain. From protocols to institutions, organizations use LayerZero to build, issue, and scale digital assets and products. It connects 150+ blockchains, processes millions of messages a year, billions in value transfer, and powers 61% of all stablecoin flows. Trusted by PayPal USD, Ethena, the State of Wyoming, BitGo, and more, LayerZero has become the standard for building across blockchains.

About BitGo

BitGo is the digital asset infrastructure company, delivering custody, wallets, staking, trading, financing, and settlement services from regulated cold storage. Since our founding in 2013, BitGo has been focused on accelerating the transition of the financial system to a digital asset economy. With a global presence and multiple regulated entities, BitGo serves thousands of institutions, including many of the industry's top brands, exchanges, and platforms, and millions of investors.

About BiT Global

BiT Global provides secure digital asset custody services with a global focus. Our team combines experience from traditional finance, crypto technology, and IT infrastructure to navigate the evolving digital economy with precision. We deliver innovative, tailored solutions designed to protect and manage digital assets in a rapidly changing landscape.

Media contact: Peter Padovano, [email protected]

SOURCE Hedera Foundation