Starknet launches strkBTC, shielded wrapped Bitcoin

Starknet launched strkBTC on May 12, 2026. The token is a wrapped Bitcoin that runs on Starknet, the validity rollup developed by StarkWare, and uses the STRK20 token standard.

Under STRK20, users can choose public transfers, which are visible on-chain, or shielded transfers, where a zero-knowledge STARK proof verifies the transaction without revealing sender, receiver or amount. The network permits toggling between modes for each transfer.

A five-member federation controls minting and burning for strkBTC. The federation includes NEAR Protocol, which operates the bridge that moves native Bitcoin into the wrapped token and back. Creation or redemption of strkBTC requires multiple federation members to cooperate rather than a single custodian.

Shielded transfers support selective disclosure: cryptographic attestations produced by STARK proofs can be shared with specific parties, such as auditors or regulators, while keeping transaction details hidden from the broader public. Starknet says selective disclosure can let protocols verify conditions like a borrower’s solvency without seeing collateral amounts or wallet history.

Starknet uses STARK zero-knowledge proofs to batch transactions off-chain and post validity proofs to Ethereum. STARK proofs do not rely on trusted setup ceremonies or elliptic curve assumptions; proponents argue those properties improve resistance to potential future quantum attacks. The strkBTC roadmap includes measures aimed at post-quantum security.

Starknet positions strkBTC to offer privacy for use cases such as private lending, anonymous trading and staking yields on Bitcoin held in DeFi. Users can mint, use and redeem strkBTC through the federation-controlled bridge on Starknet’s Layer 2 network.