Bitcoin Finance broke into the mainstream this year. The ability to earn, borrow, and spend Bitcoin without leaving the asset or surrendering custody resonated with users in a way the industry has waited for. Confidence grew, participation expanded, and Bitcoin Finance became part of everyday financial conversations.

The mission remains simple. Bitcoin in, more Bitcoin out. This year proved that users want it and the market is ready.

A Landmark Year for Bitcoin Finance and Consumer Adoption

As inflation remained top of mind for households everywhere, more people began questioning the long-term security of cash-based savings. The public shifted from viewing Bitcoin as only a long-term store of value to viewing it as a working asset that powers payments, credit, and returns. First-time users joined through consumer-friendly interfaces and stayed for the control that Bitcoin Finance offers.

A major catalyst for this shift was the introduction of yield-bearing Bitcoin primitives, including stBTC, which demonstrated that Bitcoin can generate native, on-chain yield without compromising custody or introducing opaque risk. For many users, this marked their first experience earning Bitcoin from Bitcoin itself.

Businesses also accelerated adoption. Merchants and platforms including Shopify storefronts using Strike, travel platforms like CheapAir, and global payment providers such as Stripe expanding crypto settlement infrastructure integrated Bitcoin as a faster, lower cost alternative to legacy rails. In many cases, Bitcoin powered backend settlement while checkout flows remained unchanged. The experience stayed familiar for customers, but the economics improved for both sides through lower fees, faster settlement, and reduced chargeback risk.

Botanix Wins That Defined the Year

This was the year Botanix entered full operation as a live, public network.

Key achievements include:

• Successful mainnet launch that introduced Bitcoin-native savings, yield, and transaction capabilities to users around the world

• Launch of stBTC, establishing a yield-bearing Bitcoin standard that enables users to earn Bitcoin while maintaining alignment with self-custody principles

• Over 20M transactions processed to date, signaling strong demand and sustained user engagement

• Strong early participation in Bitcoin-native yield products, validating market appetite for transparent and non-custodial returns

• Expansion of partners building on the network, creating more ways for users to earn, spend, and interact with Bitcoin Finance

• Positive lift in brand awareness, with Botanix positioned as a leader focused on practical and accessible Bitcoin Finance

These milestones generated real momentum and illustrated clear product-market fit across both payments and savings.

Ecosystem Growth Across Users, Developers, and Partners

Botanix evolved into a platform that supports builders, consumers, and financial applications focused on real utility. Developers shipped products that serve savings, payments, and credit, including applications that extend the functionality of stBTC across lending, liquidity, and trading use cases.

Ecosystem participation from teams like Dolomite and GMX reflected growing demand for Bitcoin-native collateral and yield exposure. Chainlink contributed to expanding the reliability and transparency of data and execution for applications built within the Botanix ecosystem.

Users embraced the simplicity of interacting with Bitcoin Finance through consumer-friendly dashboards and mobile experiences. Partners expanded distribution, creating new touchpoints for onboarding and engagement. Trust in the network strengthened as the experience stayed consistent, predictable, and secure.

What Is Ahead in 2026

The next chapter focuses on scale and accessibility. Botanix will prioritize:

• More consumer-facing applications built on Bitcoin Finance

• Broader distribution and utility for stBTC across savings, payments, and credit

• Deeper integrations with global platforms and financial partners

• Continued focus on user experience from onboarding to yield and payments

• Growth of developer programs that expand Bitcoin-native financial use cases

• Maintaining transparency and self-custody as core principles

Millions have now experienced the value of Bitcoin Finance. Millions more have not. The opportunity ahead is to reach them and deliver financial tools that protect, empower, and reward.

Control of money should belong to the individual. Bitcoin Finance makes that possible. Botanix provides the path.