While there are numerous protocols offering solutions for Bitcoin DeFi (BTCFi), none are designed to address the security, trustlessness and usability demands quite like BOB’s Hybrid Chain.
In this guide, you'll find everything you need to quickly grasp the essentials of BOB, as well as being directed to useful resources so you can confidently start your Bitcoin DeFi journey.
1. Quick summary of BOB
BOB is building the Gateway to Bitcoin DeFi, unlocking real utility for the world’s most important asset. By fusing Bitcoin’s unmatched security with Ethereum’s versatility, BOB creates the premier destination for Bitcoin liquidity, applications, and institutions - the easiest and safest way to earn with your Bitcoin.
BOB’s Hybrid Chain uniquely combines ZK proofs and BTC staking to create native bridges to both Ethereum and Bitcoin. BOB’s multichain gateway lets users swap Bitcoin into any asset or deposit directly into DeFi across 11+ chains, powered by BTC intents.
Watch the intro video about BOB:
Introducing BOB - The Gateway to Bitcoin DeFi
2. Bitcoin DeFi opportunity
Bitcoin DeFi has massive growth potential. Currently, only 0.3% of Bitcoin's market cap is used in true BTCFi, compared to Ethereum's 30%. That’s a 100x opportunity equivalent to approximately $700B at today’s Bitcoin prices, just waiting to be unlocked - and that’s exactly what BOB is designed to do.
3. BOB’s mission
BOB's mission is simple - unlock Bitcoin’s full productive potential. Today that means building the Gateway to Bitcoin DeFi, tomorrow it means reimagining banking itself on Bitcoin rails. Users and institutions want access to sustainable returns on their holdings. Projects and apps want liquidity in the best possible asset. BOB has been designed to do just this:
- On BOB: The most secure, scalable, and trusted Bitcoin DeFi layer - powered by top-tier dapps, institutions, native BTC bridging (BitVM), and Bitcoin finality.
- Across Chains: Seamless access to BTC yield and DeFi opportunities anywhere via a single unified BOB Gateway.
- Coming Next: Banking on Bitcoin - turning BTC rails and markets into everyday financial products with mass market appeal and accessibility.
Further reading:
The vision for BOB: Your Money, Powered By Bitcoin
4. The Hybrid Chain model
BOB’s Hybrid model combines Bitcoin’s unmatched security with Ethereum’s innovative DeFi ecosystem. It achieves this through four core features:
- EVM Simplicity - Built on the OP stack with a native ETH bridge and the DeFi dapps you know and love.
- Hybrid ZK Proofs - Native ETH bridge and rollup security via hybrid ZK fault proofs for the best balance between speed and cost.
- Real Bitcoin Finality - All apps, assets and transactions will be secured by billions in staked Bitcoin.
- Native BTC Bridge - BitVM delivers native BTC onto BOB while retaining strong Bitcoin security - no custodians, no wrappers in sight.
Further reading:
5. 1-click Bitcoin DeFi
BOB Earn is your gateway to Bitcoin DeFi, enabling 1-click access to Bitcoin staking and curated vault strategies directly from native BTC. Instead of navigating complex bridges and protocols, users can deploy their Bitcoin into Liquid Staking Tokens like uniBTC and xSolvBTC, or enter sophisticated yield strategies - all with a single transaction.
Once obtained, these LSTs can also be used across BOB's DeFi ecosystem for lending, providing liquidity, or other opportunities. This seamless onboarding is powered by BOB Gateway's Bitcoin intents system, which handles all the routing and conversions behind the scenes, making Bitcoin DeFi accessible to everyone.
Further reading:
1-click BTC DeFi with BOB Earn (Blog)
6. Bitcoin Staking
As a Bitcoin Secured Network (BSN), BOB will achieve Bitcoin finality where all transactions and assets will be secured by billions of dollars of staked BTC. The Liquid Staking Tokens (LSTs) obtained by staking on BOB Earn create a powerful flywheel effect - the more LSTs deployed in DeFi, the more transaction fees generated, which increases yields and attracts even more Bitcoin to the platform.
Further reading:
What is a Bitcoin Secured Network (BSN)?
Bitcoin Staking - The Ultimate Guide To Making Yield on Your BTC
7. Native BTC on BOB, powered by BitVM
BitVM is revolutionary bridging technology that will soon enable trust-minimized BTC transfers from Bitcoin directly to BOB. Unlike traditional Bitcoin bridges that rely on custodians or multisig groups, BitVM ensures your Bitcoin stays safe as long as just one participant remains honest. This means BTC on BOB is just BTC - no wrappers or middlemen, and similar to how ETH on Optimism is still ETH.
As co-authors of the award winning BitVM2 design and founders of bitvm/acc (an institutional alliance advancing BitVM adoption), BOB is uniquely positioned to deliver this technology. The BitVM bridge is currently live on testnet and set to launch on mainnet in early 2026.
Further reading:
BOB Enables Native Bitcoin DeFi in BitVM Testnet Launch Backed by Institutional and DeFi Leaders
8. Multichain Bitcoin yield
Beyond powering BOB Earn's 1-click strategies, BOB Gateway also enables access to Bitcoin yield opportunities across 11+ major chains including Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, BNB Chain, and Unichain. Users can seamlessly deploy their native Bitcoin to earn yield on any connected chain with just a single transaction - whether that's staking, lending, or liquidity provision.
Through Bitcoin intents and LayerZero integration, BOB Gateway handles the conversion between native BTC and wrapped BTC (wBTC.OFT), while the Gateway SDK extends this capability to over 15,000 dapps. This makes BOB the universal gateway for accessing Bitcoin yield opportunities wherever they exist, not just on BOB itself.
Further reading:
BOB launches 1-Click native BTC ↔ wBTC.OFT transfers across 11 major chains (Blog)
9. Current Bitcoin yield opportunities on BOB
Current Bitcoin DeFi strategies available on BOB include the following vault products and liquid staking strategies - all accessible with one-click through BOB Earn:
BTC+: Institutional-grade vault targeting 6% APY through diversified strategies across 20+ chains
SolvBTC.JUP: Hedged liquidity provision vault offering 7.5% APY via Jupiter on Solana
Bedrock-Babylon: Stake BTC into Babylon via Bedrock and receive liquid staking token uniBTC
Solv-Babylon: Stake BTC into Babylon via Solv Protocol and receive liquid staking token xSolvBTC
More yield opportunities will shortly be added to BOB Earn.
10. Why BOB token
The BOB token will have three primary functions within BOB's Hybrid Chain ecosystem:
- Securing BOB's core processes through staking
- Enabling decentralized governance
- Protocol utility
By staking, BOB token holders will directly contribute to network security through Hybrid Nodes. Through governance, both staked and unstaked tokens can be used to vote on major network upgrades, treasury management, and proposals related to the Hybrid Chain, BitVM bridge, and BOB Gateway. For protocol utility, BOB token holders may receive priority access to new BOB features and discounts on services across the ecosystem.
This all contributes to community driven growth and evolution of BOB's ecosystem.
Further reading:
11. Staking BOB
With staking live from day 1, BOB tokenholders can already stake and delegate to Hybrid Nodes to earn rewards while securing BOB's core infrastructure - including Bitcoin finality providers, BitVM bridge operators, block builders, and Gateway solvers.
Early stakers can earn immediate token bonuses of up to 250% by timelocking up their tokens.
- 25% for 3 month lock up
- 50% for 6 month lock up
- 250% for 18 month lock up
Additionally, stakers can receive up to 60% APR during the first 60 days, and up to 15% APR thereafter - with the maximum rate achieved by delegating to both Hybrid Nodes and governance delegates.
Further reading:
12. Token launch FAQs
If you have questions regarding the BOB token launch, we’ve compiled a digestible FAQ covering token distribution, airdrop eligibility, staking details, tokenomics, and more.
13. Get connected
Stay informed, ask questions, and join the BOB community by going to the following social channels:
Website, Twitter, Discord, Telegram, Newsletter
Start earning with BOB
Ready to explore Bitcoin DeFi? Use BOB Earn to seamlessly deploy your Bitcoin into an array of DeFi strategies, and with just one click.
