Skip to main content

coreBTC Overview

What is coreBTC?​

Core-native wrapped bitcoin (coreBTC) serves as a synthetic representation of Bitcoin on the Core blockchain, designed to integrate Bitcoin into the decentralized finance (DeFi) landscape of Core. By locking Bitcoin and issuing an equivalent amount of coreBTC, it upholds a 1:1 value correlation, enabling Bitcoin holders to engage securely in DeFi activities without directly using their Bitcoin holdings.

Importance in the Core Ecosystem​

coreBTC is central to developing a vibrant Bitcoin DeFi (BTCfi) ecosystem within Core. It unlocks the significant value stored in Bitcoin by making it usable in smart contracts and other blockchain-based financial services, potentially involving nearly $1 trillion worth of Bitcoin. This facilitates greater liquidity and usability of Bitcoin, enhancing its overall ecosystem.

Advantages of coreBTC​

  • Enhanced Liquidity and Usability: coreBTC enables Bitcoin holders to participate in the DeFi ecosystem on the Core blockchain, providing liquidity and increased utility for their Bitcoin holdings.

  • Decentralization and Security: Unlike traditional wrapped Bitcoin solutions, coreBTC uses a decentralized network of Lockers, so that the process maintains the foundational blockchain principles of decentralization and security.

  • Decentralized Operations: The coreBTC system allows Bitcoin to be locked and wrapped without relying on a central authority, maintaining the decentralization that is central to blockchain technology.

  • 1:1 Bitcoin Backing: Each coreBTC is backed one-to-one by actual Bitcoin, which is locked and secured by Lockers who provide significant collateral to guarantee the security of the locked Bitcoin.

  • Maintains Bitcoin’s Integrity: By not requiring Bitcoin holders to transfer their actual bitcoins to a different blockchain or alter them in any significant way, coreBTC preserves the integrity and value of the original Bitcoin holdings.

  • Long-term Incentives: The design of the coreBTC system includes long-term incentives for all participants, including Lockers and Relayers, designed for the sustainability and stability of the service.

  • Collateralized and Insured: The collateral requirements for Lockers act as an insurance mechanism that protects against fraudulent activities and uphold the fidelity of the wrapping process.

  • Integration with Core DeFi: coreBTC can be seamlessly used within Core’s DeFi applications, such as lending, borrowing, and trading, similar to how other stablecoins and synthetic assets are used in DeFi platforms.

  • Support for Bitcoin's Value Proposition: coreBTC leverages Bitcoin's reputation and market strength, enhancing its functionality while continuing to support its value proposition as a store of value.

  • Scalability: By providing a mechanism for Bitcoin to be used on Core, coreBTC helps scale the usability of Bitcoin without requiring changes to its underlying protocol, preserving its original attributes while expanding its use cases.

Why Opt for coreBTC?​

Opting for coreBTC offers several compelling benefits, making it an attractive choice for Bitcoin holders and users in the Core ecosystem. Here’s a bulleted list outlining why one might choose coreBTC:

  • Seamless DeFi Integration: coreBTC allows Bitcoin holders to seamlessly engage with DeFi applications on the Core blockchain, expanding the utility of their Bitcoin without converting it into other cryptocurrencies.

  • Preservation of Bitcoin’s Properties: By using coreBTC, users can enjoy the benefits of Bitcoin’s fundamental characteristics—such as its robust security and scarcity—while participating in a diverse range of blockchain activities.

  • Decentralized and Secure: The decentralized nature of the coreBTC issuance and management system is designed so that users are not reliant on any single central party, maintaining the decentralization ethos of blockchain technology.

  • Enhanced Liquidity: coreBTC provides Bitcoin holders with increased liquidity options, allowing them to leverage their holdings in various financial transactions and smart contracts within the Core ecosystem.

  • No Custody Risk: Users retain full control over their Bitcoin until they decide to lock it up for coreBTC, reducing the custody risk typically associated with handing over assets to a third party.

  • Fiat Peg Avoidance: Unlike stablecoins pegged to fiat currencies, coreBTC is pegged directly to Bitcoin, avoiding issues related to fiat currency volatility and inflation.

  • Reward Opportunities: Users can earn additional rewards in CORE tokens by participating in the staking and security of the Core blockchain, thereby increasing their potential investment returns.

  • Future-Proof Investment: As Core continues to develop and expand its offerings, holding coreBTC could provide strategic advantages in accessing new services and features as they become available on the platform.

Choosing coreBTC allows users to leverage the security and value of Bitcoin within a dynamic and growing DeFi ecosystem, aligning traditional Bitcoin investment with modern blockchain technology opportunities.

How coreBTC Works​

  • Minting Process: Users send Bitcoin to a Locker's address. Once confirmed, Relayers submit the transaction proof to the coreBTC smart contract, which mints an equivalent amount of coreBTC.
  • Redemption Process: Users can burn their coreBTC to retrieve their locked Bitcoin. The coreBTC smart contract verifies the burn and instructs the Locker to send the equivalent Bitcoin to the user’s specified address.

Conclusion​

coreBTC is an important component of the Core ecosystem, enhancing the utility of Bitcoin by enabling its active participation in DeFi while adhering to the principles of decentralization and security. Through its intricate system of Lockers, Relayers, and smart contracts, coreBTC enables Bitcoin to be safely used and transacted within the Core ecosystem, broadening its appeal and functional utility.