Bitway recently launched its Booster program. Starting December 22, users who hold 165 Binance Alpha Points are eligible to participate and have the chance to share in a total airdrop of 300 million BTW tokens.
This project, incubated and supported by former Binance Labs (now YZi Labs), is building a Bitcoin-native Layer 1 lending and financial platform aimed at solving the liquidity challenge of Bitcoin as a "dormant asset."
01 Project Launch: A Rising Star Empowered by the Binance Ecosystem
Bitway didn’t appear out of nowhere. Its founding story and the background of its core team provide a solid foundation of credibility. The project was established by a team with Binance Labs experience, aiming to deliver secure lending solutions to Bitcoin’s trillion-dollar market.
More importantly, in 2025, Bitway was selected for the EASY Residency—the flagship global incubation program of YZi Labs under Binance—and received strategic investment.
This endorsement is significant. YZi Labs manages over $10 billion in assets worldwide, with an investment portfolio spanning more than 300 projects across 25 countries. Backing from YZi Labs means Bitway’s technology and business model have been vetted by top-tier venture capital.
The team’s credentials are equally impressive. Co-founder and CTO Dave Hrycyszyn is a seasoned technology expert in crypto, and previously co-founded Chainspace, which was acquired by Facebook.
02 Core Vision: Building Bitcoin’s "On-Chain Bank"
Bitway’s positioning is clear: it’s more than just a lending protocol. The project is committed to becoming a comprehensive "on-chain bank" infrastructure built around Bitcoin.
Its mission is to unlock Bitcoin’s untapped potential in global commerce, primarily by enabling users to directly use native, unwrapped BTC as collateral for loans—eliminating the need for cross-chain bridges or custodians.
This targets a major market pain point. Most DeFi lending protocols currently require users to wrap Bitcoin into wBTC, tBTC, or other cross-chain versions, introducing additional trust and operational risks. Bitway leverages innovative cryptographic solutions to enable non-custodial collateralization directly on Bitcoin’s Layer 1 network.
03 Technical Architecture and Product Suite
Bitway’s technical approach centers on securely holding Bitcoin off-chain while triggering financial contracts on another chain. Its product suite reflects a comprehensive strategy.
- Core Technology: The project utilizes Threshold Signatures and DLCs (Discrete Log Contracts) to manage Bitcoin collateral. In simple terms, BTC is locked in a multi-signature address jointly controlled by users and the protocol, while lending contracts are executed on a high-performance, Cosmos SDK-based dedicated chain—Bitway Chain.
- Flagship Product: The first product launched is Bitway Finance, a decentralized on-chain credit marketplace and the world’s first non-custodial lending protocol supporting native Bitcoin collateral.
- Payment Network: Beyond lending, Bitway has introduced the BTCT token, designed to build a gas-free payment and settlement network compatible with native Bitcoin addresses, expanding Bitcoin’s use in small, high-frequency payment scenarios.
04 Tokenomics and Current Progress
Currently, Bitway’s native token, BTW, has not been publicly issued and is in the pre-TGE phase. On December 22, 2025, Binance Wallet launched the Booster program for BTW, serving as a major community warm-up and initial token distribution.
The program will distribute a total of 300 million BTW tokens in phases, with 50 million allocated in the first phase. The participation threshold is set at 165 Binance Alpha Points.
A crucial detail: BTW tokens obtained through the Booster program are subject to a lock-up period, with specific terms set by the project team. This indicates the team’s intention to encourage long-term ecosystem growth rather than short-term speculation.
According to public information, Bitway has raised approximately $1.5 million to date.
05 Market Opportunities and Potential Challenges
Looking ahead to the end of 2025, Bitway’s chosen sector is full of opportunities but faces clear challenges.
The main opportunity lies in capturing the broader trend of "Bitcoin financialization." As Bitcoin ETFs become mainstream and institutional holdings grow, the demand for ways to generate yield from Bitcoin without selling it is increasing.
If Bitway can securely and efficiently enable native BTC collateralized lending, it could unlock liquidity for trillions in dormant assets.
However, the challenges are substantial. Technical security is the primary risk. Any solution involving large-scale Bitcoin management via multi-signature or complex scripting is a prime target for hackers. Additionally, market acceptance remains uncertain, as Bitcoin holders are known for their emphasis on security. Convincing them to deposit BTC into a new protocol will require time and a high degree of trust.
Moreover, competition is fierce. Whether it’s payment solutions like Lightning Network or other Layer 2 projects aiming to bring DeFi to Bitcoin, many are vying for the same market.
Outlook
As of December 23, 2025, Bitway’s BTW token is still in the pre-issuance and lock-up phase and has not yet been traded on any public markets (including Gate).
Its value will first be tested by early core users participating in the Binance Wallet Booster program. As Bitcoin consolidates around $88,000 and the market seeks new narratives, infrastructure projects like Bitway—focused on activating Bitcoin’s native financial potential—are drawing increasing attention from those seeking alpha.
