The Aptos blockchain has welcomed a new wrapped Bitcoin asset as OKX launches xBTC – a 1:1 Bitcoin-backed token designed to bridge BTC liquidity into its growing decentralized finance ecosystem. This strategic move comes as Bitcoin maintains its $111,000 price level , with developers seeking new utility for the dominant cryptocurrency.
Starting May 22, users can mint and redeem xBTC directly through OKX’s platform without fees, then deploy the asset across Aptos-native DeFi protocols. The integration positions Aptos as a serious contender in the Bitcoin DeFi (BTCfi) space, which has seen explosive growth across multiple blockchain networks in 2025.
Aptos Foundation reports its ecosystem now holds over $1 billion in total value locked (TVL), with wrapped Bitcoin assets accounting for nearly 35% of that figure. The network’s existing BTCfi protocols like Echo Protocol’s aBTC already command $270 million in TVL alone .
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OKX’s Strategic Play in Cross-Chain Finance
The Seychelles-based exchange giant has positioned xBTC as a cornerstone of its multi-chain expansion strategy. OKX Chief Innovation Officer Jason Lau emphasized their vision to “expand BTC’s utility across on-chain ecosystems” through secure, institution-grade wrapped assets .
Key features of xBTC include:
- Monthly Proof-of-Reserve audits published for transparency
- Cold storage of collateral through OKX custodial services
- Direct minting/redeeming on Aptos without intermediary wrappers
Aptos Emerges as Bitcoin DeFi Hub
Built using Move programming language, Aptos has attracted $1.5 billion in stablecoin liquidity that xBTC holders can now access. The network’s 30,000+ TPS capacity and sub-second finality make it particularly suited for high-frequency DeFi operations .
Aptos Foundation’s Head of Ecosystem Ash Pampati noted: “Being one of the first blockchains to support xBTC validates our network’s performance and security architecture. This integration creates new liquidity channels between traditional and decentralized finance markets” .
Bitcoin’s Evolving Role in DeFi
The xBTC launch coincides with Bitcoin’s renewed institutional interest, as evidenced by OKX reporting 42% growth in BTC collateralized products year-to-date. Market analysts suggest wrapped Bitcoin assets could capture 15-20% of BTC’s circulating supply by 2026.
Current BTCfi landscape on Aptos:
| Asset | Protocol | TVL |
|---|---|---|
| xBTC | OKX | $TBD |
| aBTC | Echo Protocol | $270M |
| sBTC | Stakestone | $90M |
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The xBTC integration significantly enhances Aptos’ position in the competitive layer-1 landscape while providing Bitcoin holders new yield opportunities. As DeFi continues absorbing Bitcoin liquidity, infrastructure projects offering secure bridging solutions like OKX’s xBTC are poised to capture substantial market share.
- xBTC
- A wrapped Bitcoin token 1:1 collateralized by BTC reserves held in OKX custody, enabling Bitcoin use in non-native blockchain ecosystems.
- TVL (Total Value Locked)
- A metric measuring the total assets deposited in a DeFi protocol or blockchain ecosystem, often used to gauge network activity and adoption.
- Proof of Reserves
- An auditing method where custodians publicly verify they hold sufficient collateral to back all issued tokens.
- BTCfi
- Decentralized financial applications and services built around Bitcoin or Bitcoin-backed assets.
