Stacks reports 735 BTC in Bitcoin Staking across Q3 2026

Stacks: Stacks is a Bitcoin layer-2 blockchain protocol that enables smart contracts, decentralized applications, and Bitcoin-native finance using Bitcoin as the settlement layer. It recently activated the PoX-5 hard fork, introducing protocol bonds that pair BTC with STX as staking capacity for yield generation. The news centers on Stacks launching mainnet Bitcoin Staking with institutional participation and ecosystem growth in Q3 2026. Bitflow: Bitflow serves as the leading decentralized exchange on Stacks, providing liquidity and trading infrastructure for Bitcoin assets and ecosystem tokens. It has seen trading activity increase alongside Bitcoin Staking adoption, including support for sBTC pairs and market-making tools. Bitflow underpins on-chain liquidity and volume growth in the expanding Bitcoin DeFi stack on Stacks. 21shares: 21shares is the world's largest issuer of crypto exchange-traded products, offering institutional access to digital assets through regulated vehicles. It bonded BTC directly from its treasury holdings in the Genesis Bond on Stacks, earning BTC-denominated yield via Bitcoin Staking. This positions 21shares as one of the first major ETP issuers participating in Stacks' Bitcoin-native finance infrastructure. Stacking DAO: Stacking DAO functions as the liquid staking layer on Stacks and the issuer of stBTC, the first Bitcoin liquid staking token on the network. It launched stBTC shortly before the Genesis Bond, enabling holders to earn auto-compounding yield while keeping BTC liquid for use in apps. The protocol accounted for the majority of BTC in early bonding periods, driving scalable participation in Bitcoin Staking. HashKey Cloud: HashKey Cloud serves as the institutional staking and cloud services arm of the Hong Kong-listed HashKey Group. It bonded BTC on a self-custodial basis in the first Stacks bond and joined the sBTC signer set during the quarter. Its participation strengthens institutional custody and signer support for Bitcoin Staking on the network. Nakamoto Inc.: Nakamoto Inc. is a NASDAQ-listed company (NAKA) focused on Bitcoin infrastructure and asset management through its subsidiaries. Its subsidiary UTXO Management participated as an early institutional bonder in the Genesis Bond for Bitcoin Staking on Stacks. This involvement highlights Nakamoto Inc.'s role in bringing institutional Bitcoin capital into the Stacks ecosystem. Zest Protocol: Zest Protocol operates as Stacks' primary Bitcoin lending market, enabling BTC holders to earn yield and access liquidity through decentralized borrowing and lending. It has integrated stBTC for vaults and collateral use, supporting deployments of staked Bitcoin across the ecosystem. Zest plays a central role in making bonded and liquid staked BTC productive in Bitcoin-native finance. Sypher Capital: Sypher Capital manages the Sypher Bitcoin Yield Fund, focusing on Bitcoin yield-generating opportunities. It participated in the Genesis Bond through liquid staking via Stacking DAO rather than direct bonding. This approach allows the fund to access Bitcoin Staking yield while integrating with DeFi applications on Stacks. UTXO Management: UTXO Management is the Bitcoin-native asset management subsidiary of Nakamoto Inc., specializing in Bitcoin-focused investment strategies. It transitioned from testnet roles to a live position by bonding BTC in the Genesis Bond for yield on Stacks. This marks its active entry into Bitcoin Staking and the broader Stacks ecosystem. Liquid Staking Utility: Liquid staking tokens such as stBTC allow staked Bitcoin to remain usable in DeFi applications, enabling seamless deployment into lending, trading, and yield strategies across the Stacks ecosystem. Bitcoin Staking Innovation: Bitcoin Staking introduces protocol-level bonding that pairs timelocked BTC on Bitcoin with STX on Stacks to generate yield while creating demand for STX as staking capacity. Institutional Infrastructure: Custody providers and institutional platforms are expanding integrations to support Bitcoin Staking, facilitating self-custodial and pooled access for both institutions and retail holders.