Ethereum Layer 2 solution Starknet is setting the stage to integrate Bitcoin and Ethereum on a single layer, aiming to enhance Bitcoin’s scalability and utility. In its March 11 Bitcoin roadmap, the Starknet Foundation detailed its ambition to establish Starknet as Bitcoin’s execution layer, significantly increasing transaction speeds and reducing costs.
Currently, Bitcoin processes around 13 transactions per second. Starknet aims to scale this to thousands, cutting down block times and gas fees to improve the overall user experience. The foundation emphasized that while Bitcoin is often considered “digital gold,” many users seek to utilize it for more than just a store of value or simple transactions.
“Most Bitcoin today sits static in wallets and exchanges, constrained by the limitations of the network’s original design: a lack of scalability and an inability to natively support applications beyond simple buying, selling, and transferring,” the Starknet Foundation stated.
A key part of this initiative is Starknet’s collaboration with Bitcoin Web3 wallet Xverse. Xverse founder and CEO Ken Liao highlighted that the partnership, slated for integration in Q2 2025, will mark Bitcoin’s “DeFi take-off moment.” He stressed that wallets should be more than just storage solutions, enabling users to seamlessly access Bitcoin’s expanding utility within decentralized finance (DeFi).
To further accelerate Bitcoin’s DeFi adoption, Starknet is launching “BTCFi Season,” a program designed to provide Bitcoin users with various opportunities to engage in DeFi activities. This initiative underscores Starknet’s commitment to security, user experience, and broader Web3 adoption.
By uniting Bitcoin and Ethereum on a single layer, Starknet aims to maintain decentralization and trustlessness while providing a robust infrastructure for Bitcoin’s evolving ecosystem. The foundation envisions serving one billion Bitcoin users and facilitating the mainstream adoption of Web3 technologies.
