- The update enables Bitcoin holders to participate in Starknet’s consensus.
- The L2 reduced the unstaking period to 7 days to increase flexibility for stakers.
- STRK gained more than 2% following the announcement.
Cryptocurrencies traded cautiously on Monday as markets braced for this week’s interest-rate decision, which is expected to shape market direction in the coming sessions.
Bitcoin is approaching $116,000, while Ethereum’s stability above $4,600 is fueling altcoin-season conversations.
Meanwhile, the Ethereum-based Layer 2 Starknet has finally launched Bitcoin staking.
The team briefly paused the staking platform to complete the deployment before the official rollout scheduled for the following hours.
The announcement read:
BTC staking integration has begun! The staking protocol is paused for a few hours while we implement this significant update.
The BTC staking integration has started!
The staking protocol is now paused for a few hours while we implement this massive update.
As a reminder, this upgrade will enable Bitcoiners to participate in Starknet’s consensus, with the following parameters:
– BTC staking power…— Starknet (@Starknet) September 15, 2025
With this move, the Ethereum Layer 2 allows Bitcoin holders to take part in Starknet’s consensus for the first time.
Starknet focuses on ZK rollups and scalability, and BTC staking integration demonstrates its commitment to decentralization and cross-chain collaboration.
The native token STRK turned bullish after the announcement.
The digital token rose from a low of $0.1299 to an intraday high of $0.139.
That represented a gain of more than 7%, signaling renewed interest in the Starknet ecosystem.
Starknet integrates BTC staking
The announcement specified that BTC will account for 25% of Starknet’s consensus power, while STRK will represent 75%.
That split aims to preserve balance while attracting a broader staking base.
The staking protocol will accept multiple wrapped BTC variants, including WBTC, tBTC, SolvBTC and LBTC.
The community can vote to add more options in the future through governance proposals.
That means the staking model can evolve as Starknet’s BTC staking network grows.
The team temporarily halted the staking protocol to integrate the upgrade.
Unstaking period reduced to 7 days
The upgrade brings several user-facing improvements.
One of the most significant changes is the reduction of the unstaking period from 21 days to seven days for both STRK and BTC stakers.
The shortened exit time is important for participants who value responsiveness in a fast-moving crypto market.
Users can react more quickly to price swings thanks to a shorter lockup period.
That flexibility is likely to create fresh opportunities to generate returns and, in turn, boost Starknet liquidity.
More flexible unstaking addresses a key friction point for stakers.
As a result, Starknet can expect higher total value locked (TVL) in the coming periods.
What this means for Starknet and DeFi
Launching BTC staking could make Starknet a more attractive destination for cross-chain decentralized finance (DeFi) projects.
Specifically, the L2 aims to tap into Bitcoin’s large liquidity pool and route it into dApps built within the STRK ecosystem.
DeFi developers could leverage BTC liquidity to build innovative lending platforms, yield strategies and derivatives markets.
While many responses were positive, one X user criticized Starknet’s update as harmful to STRK holders.
They argued the BTC staking rollout dilutes STRK’s value: “So STRK becomes inflation fuel; minted to pay developers and now to reward wrapped BTC stakers? Where is real value left for STRK holders?”
Starknet, however, positions the integration as a way to democratize DeFi by unlocking Bitcoin’s deep liquidity for the ecosystem.