• The cBTC wrapped Bitcoin token goes live on Cardano allowing users easy access to DeFi protocols on the blockchain.
• DeFi activity on the Cardano blockchain has jumped nearly 200% in 20203 alone, as per the latest Messari report.

The cBTC token, which represents wrapped Bitcoin, is now active on the Cardano testnet. This move aims to draw Bitcoin (BTC) holders to the emerging Cardano decentralized finance (DeFi) network.

With the anetaBTC protocol, users can create cBTC tokens and utilize them for activities like funding, trading, or supplying liquidity within Cardano’s test network. These wrapped tokens mirror Bitcoin’s value at a 1:1 ratio but operate on the Cardano blockchain.

As we know that most of blockchain networks lack interoperability. In such a scenario, the wrapped tokens make it easy to transfer value across blockchains. Thus, it would allow different users to access different DeFi protocols without the native tokens for the protocol.

In its recent announcement, the anetaBTC protocol noted: “Thanks to our community for being with us every step of the way. BTC is now available to help bolster Cardano DeFi. The work has just begun, the next steps will be announced soon”.

Cardano’s native crypto ADA has been hovering around $0.29. However, as we reported, the whale accumulation of ADA has been going very strong.

State of DeFi on the Cardano Blockchain Network

Several improvements in decentralized finance (DeFi) have contributed to the growth of these protocols on Cardano since the beginning of 2023. A recent report by Messari, released on August 4, 2023, reveals that Cardano’s Total Value Locked (TVL) has experienced a remarkable increase of 198.6% year-to-date (YTD) as of June 30, 2023. This surge in TVL is attributed to the expansion of Cardano’s ecosystem and the introduction of its decentralized finance (DeFi) products.

During the second quarter, Minswap emerged as the most utilized decentralized application (dApp) on Cardano. It processed 1 million transactions per month in both May and June, marking a significant 167.5% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) rise.

This performance allowed Minswap to surpass the leading NFT marketplace jpg.store in terms of dApp transactions. “Minswap remains the liquidity king of Cardano DeFi, ending Q2 with a TVL of $48.8 million and 32.2% dominance,” the report read.

Additionally, Messari noted that Cardano has been showing promising signs of further development on within the Cardano ecosystem. It noted:

New infrastructure such as stablecoins, programming languages, and wallets are helping Cardano developers create more sophisticated applications with improved UXs (user experience). During Q2, Cardano’s ecosystem grew 49% QoQ in DApp transactions and 10% QoQ in TVL (USD). More importantly, the ecosystem diversified with newer protocols contributing significantly to various activity metrics.

Advanced multichain solutions like Hydra Head and the Milkomeda C1 sidechain are progressing and preparing to accommodate potential increases in activity, whether originating from decentralized finance (DeFi) or gaming. Ongoing progress on different sidechains and layer twos (L2s) reflects Cardano’s forward-looking multichain strategy, even as usage on the foundational layer continues to expand.