Bitcoin Faces $70K Struggle; Can It Overcome Pessimism?

The post Botanix launches stBTC to deliver Bitcoin-native yield appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Botanix Labs has launched stBTC, a liquid staking token designed to turn Bitcoin into a yield-bearing asset by redistributing network gas fees directly to users. The protocol will begin yield accrual later this week, with its Genesis Vault scheduled to open on Sept. 25, capped at 50 BTC. The initiative marks one of the first attempts to generate Bitcoin-native yield without relying on inflationary token models or centralized custodians. stBTC works by allowing users to deposit Bitcoin into Botanix’s permissionless smart contract, receiving stBTC tokens that represent their share of the staking vault. As transactions occur, 50% of Botanix network gas fees, paid in BTC, flow back to stBTC holders. Over time, the value of stBTC increases relative to BTC, enabling users to redeem their original deposit plus yield. Botanix estimates early returns could reach 20–50% annually before stabilizing around 6–8%, a level similar to Ethereum staking but fully denominated in Bitcoin. Botanix says that security audits have been completed by Spearbit and Sigma Prime, and the protocol is built on the EIP-4626 vault standard, which also underpins Ethereum-based staking products. The company’s Spiderchain architecture, operated by 16 independent entities including Galaxy, Alchemy, and Fireblocks, secures the network. If adoption grows, Botanix argues the system could make Bitcoin a productive, composable asset for decentralized finance, while reinforcing network consensus. This is a developing story. This article was generated with the assistance of AI and reviewed by editor Jeffrey Albus before publication. Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters: Source: https://blockworks.co/news/botanix-launches-stbtc

PANews reported on September 18 that according to The Block, CME Group plans to launch Solana (SOL) and Ripple (XRP) futures options on October 13, pending regulatory review. CME said on Wednesday that the new contracts will cover standard and micro options on SOL and XRP futures, with daily, monthly, and quarterly expiration dates. The new options are intended to give institutional investors and active traders greater flexibility in managing their risk exposure to the two cryptocurrencies. Giovanni Vicioso, CME's global head of cryptocurrency products, said the plan to launch options is due to the "significant growth and increasing liquidity" of the exchange's SOL and XRP futures.

Web3 infrastructure platforms are growing rapidly as decentralised applications require reliable backend services for data indexing, node hosting, storage, and