Announced on May 27 via the project’s official X account, this innovation aims to bridge the gap between Bitcoin’s robust security and the diverse asset offerings typically found on Ethereum and other smart contract platforms.
1/ Introducing a brand new offering for Bitcoiners: Asset Runes.
Bitcoin-native assets giving you 1:1 exposure to real tokens, starting with USDC, and soon expanding to more tokens, NFTs, and RWAs.
Minted natively on Bitcoin, redeemable 1:1 on Starknet, with full reserves ???? pic.twitter.com/GGyq8cY05f
— Starknet ???????? (@Starknet) May 27, 2025
Building on this foundation, Asset Runes are fully backed by reserves, enabling users to redeem them at a 1:1 ratio. Currently, USD Coin (USDC) is the first supported token, with additional assets—including Starknet’s STRK, Ethereum (ETH), and Tether (USDT)—expected to follow. This expansion will significantly broaden the spectrum of available tokens within the Bitcoin ecosystem.
To support this functionality, Starknet employs a trust-minimized Bitcoin–Starknet bridge, secured by contributors such as Xverse and UTXO Management. This decentralized infrastructure enables two-way communication between Bitcoin and Starknet, effectively removing the need for centralized custodians. As a result, Bitcoin holders can now engage in Ethereum-style activities such as decentralized trading and DeFi applications, all while preserving Bitcoin’s core principles of security and decentralization.
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This launch represents a milestone in enhancing Bitcoin’s adaptability. Historically, Bitcoin has focused on being a secure, decentralized store of value, but lacked support for external tokens. With Asset Runes, users can now interact with stablecoins and Ethereum-based assets directly from Bitcoin, unlocking new financial possibilities while remaining on-chain.
Further strengthening its position within the Bitcoin ecosystem, Starknet announced on May 14 a partnership with Lombard Finance to integrate LBTC, a leading liquid staking token for Bitcoin. This collaboration complements the Asset Runes launch by adding another layer of DeFi functionality tailored to Bitcoin users.
In parallel, the Starknet Foundation revealed a bold scalability roadmap on March 11, aiming to boost Bitcoin’s throughput from 13 transactions per second to thousands. This initiative underscores Starknet’s broader mission: to resolve Bitcoin’s programmability limitations and bring scalable, decentralized finance to the world’s most secure blockchain.
What Asset Runes look like in 2026
Asset Runes original idea was to allow Bitcoin users to access tokenized assets such as USDC without abandoning Bitcoin. By 2026, the strategy is to bring BTC into DeFi, add privacy, build Bitcoin-native bridges, support Bitcoin staking and eventually create infrastructure capable of settling across both Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Starknet’s next test will therefore be whether its growing collection of Bitcoin products can turn its Bitcoin execution-layer ambition into sustained usage.
Starknet says its current phase includes Bitcoin integrations, Bitcoin wallets, BTCFi, BTC staking and the Asset Runes bridge. The next phase is designed to introduce a Bitcoin bridge based on a federated model and BitVM, while later development aims for full settlement on both Bitcoin and Ethereum.
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