Kraken Launches Wrapped Bitcoin Token kBTC on Ethereum and OP Mainnet

As a seasoned analyst with years of experience in the cryptocurrency market, I find Kraken’s introduction of kBTC to be an exciting development. Having closely observed the industry’s evolution, it’s clear that interoperability and utility are key to Bitcoin’s future success.


On October 17, Kraken launched Kraken Wrapped Bitcoin (kBTC), a fresh ERC-20 token designed to enhance Bitcoin’s functionality within decentralized applications (dApps) on platforms like Ethereum and OP Mainnet. Every kBTC token corresponds directly to one unit of Bitcoin, which is securely stored by Kraken. This setup enables users to interact with Bitcoin’s value in the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector while maintaining transparency through real-time verification of reserves on the blockchain.

Kraken’s kBTC aims to integrate Bitcoin’s value and security attributes into various blockchain networks, such as those based on Ethereum and others. Each kBTC token is kept safe at Kraken Financial, a financial institution chartered in Wyoming as a Special Purpose Depository Institution (SPDI). The kBTC contract has been thoroughly examined for security by the firm Trail of Bits.

Kraken points out that the kBTC token enables Bitcoin to be utilized across multiple networks due to its interoperability feature. To start, it’s intended to connect with Ethereum and OP Mainnet, but there are plans to extend compatibility to non-EVM blockchains in the long run. According to Kraken, this enhanced adaptability makes kBTC a useful asset for developers aiming to create dApps using Bitcoin or for investors seeking to engage with Bitcoin within on-chain settings.

Users can confirm for themselves that every kBTC token is completely collateralized with Bitcoin by examining the on-chain reserves held by Kraken.

Kraken’s introduction of kBTC is accompanied by collaborations with multiple platforms from the get-go, such as deBridge, Definitive, Gauntlet, ParaSwap, and Yearn. These partnerships aim to seamlessly integrate kBTC into their offerings. The collaborative efforts are believed to broaden the scope and usability of kBTC within various Decentralized Finance (DeFi) networks.

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2024-10-18 11:36