At Thesis, we’ve made it our mission to build the BitcoinFi stack, a comprehensive suite of tools that make Bitcoin feel natural. We believe that Bitcoin should be easy to use, accessible to everyone, and capable of doing much more than just storing value. It’s time to reimagine what Bitcoin can do—and how it can power everyday life for everyone, everywhere.
Bitcoin has profoundly altered our understanding of money, control, security, and transparency. It's given everyone an alternative to traditional financial systems—banks, the payments industry, the stock market—and all their limitations. It offers a hedge against inflation and a solution to centralized banking. But despite all this, Bitcoin hasn't yet reached the tipping point of transforming our daily lives. This is where BitcoinFi comes into play, and Thesis is leading the charge.
#What is BitcoinFi?
“BitcoinFi” is a broader vision of how Bitcoin can interact with and transform traditional and decentralized finance. Imagine the reliability and security of Bitcoin combined with the yield-generating potential of DeFi platforms like Ethereum while also seamlessly crossing over into the traditional financial system. BitcoinFi integrates Bitcoin into both ecosystems, expanding Bitcoin's utility far beyond its current limits.
In two key ways, BitcoinFi enhances Bitcoin’s value proposition:
- Expanding Utility: BitcoinFi transforms Bitcoin from a static store of value into a dynamic financial asset, creating new onchain yield opportunities, decentralized applications, and cost-effective financial services.
- Fueling Adoption: As BitcoinFi unlocks new dimensions of utility, it catalyzes a powerful feedback loop. The expanded functionality attracts a broader user base, which in turn entices more developers to build. This self-reinforcing cycle will exponentially grow Bitcoin’s adoption.
What makes BitcoinFi special is its ability to bridge two worlds. On one hand, wrapped Bitcoin provides access to the greater DeFi realm, allowing Bitcoin to be used in lending, borrowing, and yield generation. On the other hand, it enables Bitcoin to integrate with TradFi, making Bitcoin as useful for buying a home or running payroll as it is for earning DeFi rewards. This dual functionality is what merits its own term—BitcoinFi is so much more than just DeFi.
You shouldn't need a degree in finance or be a millionaire to use Bitcoin. Bitcoin is for everybody and for doing everyday things. In short, Bitcoin should be Supernormal. Supernormal is boring in a good way. It's plug and play. It's easy to use. It's when something is so familiar that it becomes naturally integrated into your life.
Our BitcoinFi stack consists of four main components, each playing a crucial role in realizing our vision:
- Fold: The gateway to everyday Bitcoin use
- tBTC: The bridge enabling interoperability across blockchain ecosystems
- Mezo: The BitcoinFi playground where Bitcoin dApps live
- Taho: The sovereign wallet tying the entire ecosystem together
- Acre: Liquid Staked Bitcoin on Mezo
#Fold: Bringing Bitcoin into Everyday Life
The first layer of the Thesis BitcoinFi stack is Fold, which tackles one of Bitcoin's biggest challenges—spending it in everyday transactions. Despite its role as the future of money, Bitcoin remains difficult to use for routine purchases. This is where Fold comes in, making Bitcoin spendable at major retailers like Starbucks, Uber, and Whole Foods.
Fold is designed to be accessible for everyone, from seasoned Bitcoin holders to newcomers who are just getting started with cryptocurrency. Much like modern digital banks such as Chime and Monzo, Fold offers a streamlined, mobile-first experience that makes managing your finances easy. But Fold takes it a step further—by making Bitcoin the foundation of its services. Fold allows you to pay for essential expenses, like rent, your mortgage, or bills, all through the app. Each time you make a payment, Fold rewards you by offering Bitcoin back, allowing you to accumulate more BTC as you go about your everyday financial tasks. This onramp to the BitcoinFi stack provides a simple and intuitive entry point.
Fold bridges the gap between traditional banking services and the exciting world of Bitcoin, providing users with a seamless way to interact with Bitcoin while still covering the practicalities of daily life. It paves the way for BitcoinFi by allowing users to interact with their Bitcoin as a spendable asset, giving them the ability to transition easily into more complex financial activities within the broader BitcoinFi ecosystem.
#tBTC: Enabling Cross-Chain Interoperability for Bitcoin
Once users have explored Fold’s retail utility and are hodling, the next step in the BitcoinFi journey is tBTC. Built by Thesis and secured by the Threshold Network, tBTC is a trust-minimized bridge that brings Bitcoin liquidity into other onchain ecosystems, such as Ethereum, Solana, and Optimism. For years, Bitcoin holders faced a choice: keep their BTC locked on Bitcoin’s base layer or wrap it into WBTC and expose it to centralized custodianship on Ethereum. tBTC changes that by offering a decentralized, audited bridge that maintains Bitcoin’s core values of security and decentralization.
tBTC allows Bitcoin holders to participate in the broader DeFi ecosystem without relinquishing control of their assets. It enables users to lend, borrow, trade, and stake Bitcoin across different platforms, all while ensuring that their BTC remains trustlessly bridged. Over the past four years, tBTC has securely bridged over 11,000+ BTC, making it a trusted solution for Bitcoin liquidity.
In recent months, tBTC has gained significant traction with major DeFi platforms like Aave, which passed a governance vote to offer tBTC as an alternative to WBTC. As the development of Bitcoin L2s accelerates, tBTC is poised to play an even more crucial role. It offers a secure, production-ready, and well-audited Bitcoin bridge that can significantly speed up development for teams working on Bitcoin-related projects.
#Mezo: The BitcoinFi Playground
With Fold providing the on-ramp and tBTC enabling cross-chain interactions, Mezo emerges as the beating heart of the BitcoinFi ecosystem–a Bitcoin sidechain that serves as the primary platform for BitcoinFi applications. Mezo is Bitcoin’s first Economic Layer, designed to align with the long-term interests of Bitcoin holders while providing a secure environment to earn, game, and build a community all within Bitcoin.
Financial freedom means having access to your money anytime, for anything. However, the traditional financial system doesn't work like that in practice. Try applying for a loan over the weekend or sending money immediately to a friend who needs help—chances are, you’ll hit roadblocks.
The beauty of Mezo's approach is its focus on essential functionality. Rather than overwhelming users with a plethora of complex features, it concentrates on providing tools that genuinely enhance our ability to use Bitcoin in meaningful ways.
Thesis has been working on Bitcoin for years and built the expertise, partnerships, and vision to make Mezo a reality. We’re focusing on how Bitcoin can lead the future. We believe that in time, Mezo will enable users to do all the things they do with their bank today—only better.
#Acre’s stBTC: Liquid Staked Bitcoin on Mezo
Operating in conjecture with Mezo is Acre’s stBTC, a liquid-staked version of Bitcoin that can be minted directly on Mezo. stBTC solves the issue of how to participate in DeFi and still maintain exposure to Bitcoin’s value.
With stBTC, users can deposit tBTC or WBTC into the Mezo portal and mint liquid-staked Bitcoin. This allows users to unlock liquidity without selling their Bitcoin. stBTC can then be used in a range of BitcoinFi applications—from providing liquidity in DEXs to staking for additional yield or using it as collateral in lending protocols. All of this is done without having to part with your original Bitcoin, making stBTC a powerful tool for capital efficiency.
For example, a user can deposit five wBTC into Mezo, mint stBTC, and use that stBTC to acquire more tBTC or provide liquidity on Curve, all while earning rewards and maintaining their original Bitcoin position. This is Bitcoin liquidity unlocked in its most powerful form.
#Taho: Your Sovereign Portal to BitcoinFi
The final layer of the Thesis BitcoinFi stack is Taho, a community-owned Web3 wallet designed to give users secure access to the entire BitcoinFi ecosystem. Onchain activity lives and dies with wallets. That’s why Taho was built: to defend the true principles of crypto by offering a community-owned, transparent, and self-sovereign wallet that puts control back in the hands of its users. Unlike wallets run by centeralized figures, who can introduce hidden fees, track your data, or limit your access, Taho operates with full transparency, allowing users to safeguard their assets and their privacy.
Taho is the gateway to all things BitcoinFi. Whether you’re using Fold to spend Bitcoin, minting stBTC on Mezo, or interacting with tBTC on Ethereum, Taho offers seamless integration with the BitcoinFi ecosystem while safeguarding your assets and preserving your privacy.
#Conclusion: The Future of Bitcoin is BitcoinFi
Thesis has made it a priority to build the BitcoinFi stack, transforming Bitcoin from a passive store of value into a dynamic, productive asset that powers the global decentralized economy. With Fold for real-world spending, tBTC for cross-chain liquidity, Mezo for yield-generating applications, Acre's stBTC for capital efficiency, and Taho for community-owned wallet access, the Thesis BitcoinFi stack offers a comprehensive solution for Bitcoin holders looking to maximize the utility of their BTC.
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Are you a builder in the BitcoinFi ecosystem? The BitcoinFi Accelerator is a premier program designed for early-stage builders developing apps on Bitcoin or EVM-compatible networks that drive Bitcoin’s growth as a global asset. If you’re ready to take your project to the next level, apply to the Accelerator here and be part of the future of BitcoinFi.
