PANews reported on February 18 that the Core Foundation, together with Maple Finance, BitGo, Copper and Hex Trust, jointly announced the launch of lstBTC, a liquid, yield-bearing Bitcoin token designed specifically for institutions. lstBTC allows institutions to earn income through the dual-staking mechanism of the Core blockchain without transferring Bitcoin custody, while maintaining security, compliance and liquidity.

The launch of lstBTC solves the trade-off between yield and security that institutional Bitcoin holders have long faced. By transforming Bitcoin into a productive asset, institutions can maximize capital efficiency without changing existing custody arrangements. Currently, more than 5,000 BTC and 165 million CORE have been staked on the Core blockchain, further enhancing Bitcoin's utility and network security.

lstBTC is now online, and institutional users can participate through trusted custody platforms such as BitGo, Copper or Hex Trust.