Blockworks
2025-01-16 18:00:00

Risky business? Transparency in BTC-backed derivatives

This is a segment from the 0xResearch newsletter. To read full editions, subscribe . The rise of “ Bitcoin DeFi ” on new networks looking to scale Bitcoin has primarily come through bitcoin-backed derivatives like SolvBTC.BBN and LBTC. These derivatives receive staking rewards from Babylon, offering new avenues for liquidity and yield generation. However, concerns about the transparency of these platforms, particularly regarding the management of bitcoin reserves, have sparked debate within the Bitcoin community. A recent article by the co-founder of Nubit, known online as Hans, raised alarms about the potential for unbacked reserves and the inflation of total value locked (TVL) in platforms like Solv. These concerns highlight broader risks in the bitcoin-backed derivatives space, especially as market volatility persists. SolvBTC is minted by depositing either BTC or flavors of wrapped bitcoin so that solvBTC tokens mirror the value of the BTC held in reserves 1:1. But after that, solvBTC can be moved freely across chains and apps, making it challenging to track TVL. That led to allegations of double-counting solvBTC issuance. Solv co-founder Ryan Chow called the claims “a smear campaign, coordinated and orchestrated” by Solv’s competitors. SolvBTC.BBN suffers from a liquidity discount which deepened to 7% last week following a hack of the protocol’s X account. Solv has pledged to reimburse user funds lost as a result of the hack. Despite these clarifications, the core issue remains that Solv, like other bitcoin-backed derivatives platforms, introduces additional layers of trust. While some transparency improvements are being made, the underlying reliance on centralized mechanisms to mint and manage bitcoin-backed derivatives adds risk for users. As @0xTindorr pointed out in an X thread defending Solv, any bitcoin liquid staking tokens (LSTs) inherently carry additional risk. As the bitcoin-backed derivatives market continues to expand, ensuring these platforms are genuinely backed by reserves and thus remaining transparent will be crucial to maintaining trust and mitigating risks. Users must remain cautious, understanding that the promise of liquidity and yield often comes with hidden risks, especially when the backing of assets is unclear. Solv Protocol’s native token, SOLV, is set to list Thursday on Binance with a total supply of 9.66 billion and an initial circulating supply of approximately 1.48 billion at time of listing. The token’s launch, which followed a points campaign, adds a new layer to the growing ecosystem of bitcoin-backed derivatives. It will be revealing to monitor performance in this space in light of the potential risks associated with Solv’s expanding offerings. Other bitcoin derivative issuers, including Lombard and Bedrock, have been using points programs to entice deposits, often a prelude to launching a token. Start your day with top crypto insights from David Canellis and Katherine Ross. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter . Explore the growing intersection between crypto, macroeconomics, policy and finance with Ben Strack, Casey Wagner and Felix Jauvin. Subscribe to the Forward Guidance newsletter . Get alpha directly in your inbox with the 0xResearch newsletter — market highlights, charts, degen trade ideas, governance updates, and more. The Lightspeed newsletter is all things Solana, in your inbox, every day. Subscribe to daily Solana news from Jack Kubinec and Jeff Albus.

Crypto 뉴스 레터 받기
면책 조항 읽기 : 본 웹 사이트, 하이퍼 링크 사이트, 관련 응용 프로그램, 포럼, 블로그, 소셜 미디어 계정 및 기타 플랫폼 (이하 "사이트")에 제공된 모든 콘텐츠는 제 3 자 출처에서 구입 한 일반적인 정보 용입니다. 우리는 정확성과 업데이트 성을 포함하여 우리의 콘텐츠와 관련하여 어떠한 종류의 보증도하지 않습니다. 우리가 제공하는 컨텐츠의 어떤 부분도 금융 조언, 법률 자문 또는 기타 용도에 대한 귀하의 특정 신뢰를위한 다른 형태의 조언을 구성하지 않습니다. 당사 콘텐츠의 사용 또는 의존은 전적으로 귀하의 책임과 재량에 달려 있습니다. 당신은 그들에게 의존하기 전에 우리 자신의 연구를 수행하고, 검토하고, 분석하고, 검증해야합니다. 거래는 큰 손실로 이어질 수있는 매우 위험한 활동이므로 결정을 내리기 전에 재무 고문에게 문의하십시오. 본 사이트의 어떠한 콘텐츠도 모집 또는 제공을 목적으로하지 않습니다.