Zest Protocol is a decentralized lending and liquidity protocol built specifically for Bitcoin. It enables BTC holders to put their assets to productive use by earning Bitcoin-denominated yields or borrowing against them without selling.

Core Positioning
– Bitcoin-Native DeFi Infrastructure: Users can deposit BTC (or assets like sBTC) to earn yield (up to 5% APY paid in BTC) or use BTC as collateral for overcollateralized loans, unlocking liquidity while retaining ownership of their Bitcoin.
– Technical Foundation: Fully on-chain and open-source smart contracts, primarily deployed on Stacks (Bitcoin Layer 2), written in Clarity. The protocol currently operates the Stacks Market (supporting STX, sBTC, stSTX, USDC, etc.), with native BTC market launching soon.

Key Features
– Yield & Lending Ecosystem: Liquidity providers earn BTC yields through professionally managed pools. Borrowers can access stablecoins or other assets against Bitcoin collateral, fostering efficient capital flow within the Bitcoin economy.
– Security & Trust Minimization: No intermediaries; emphasis on transparency, with completed security audits.
– Current Status: Leading DeFi protocol on Stacks. Historical peaks included $100M+ in deposits and approximately $10M in borrowing volume. Stacks Market v2 is live, with native BTC support forthcoming.

Background & Backing
– Funding: Raised $3.5M seed round led by Draper Associates (Tim Draper), with participation from Binance Labs and other prominent investors.
– Governance & Token: Native utility and governance token $ZEST launched and is now trading on major exchanges including Binance Alpha, KuCoin, Gate.io, and others (as of May 2026).