The Defiant - DeFi Podcast StarkWare Bets on Becoming Bitcoin's Execution Layer, Not on Attracting Corporate Chains
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Oct 1, 2025 
Eli Ben-Sasson, co-founder and CEO of StarkWare, shares his expertise in zero-knowledge proofs and blockchain scalability. He discusses how StarkNet is innovating Bitcoin staking with a $100M incentive program. Eli elaborates on StarkNet’s role as Bitcoin's execution layer and its potential for creating an 'integrity web' that connects identity and value flow. He also highlights the groundbreaking ability to verify Bitcoin headers in milliseconds and the importance of decentralization in transforming finance.
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How WBTC Staking Generates STRK Rewards
- Staked wBTC yields STRK via validator participation or delegation to institutional operators.
- Delegation offers simpler, custodial-minimal access to validator rewards for retail and institutions.
Existing DeFi Stack Enables Bitcoin Financialization
- StarkNet already hosts mature DeFi primitives (AMMs, lending, perps) and native account abstraction.
- Those building blocks make Bitcoin financialization on StarkNet practical and UX-friendly.
Phased Rollout: Institutions Then Retail
- BTC-FI launches in phases: institutional whales first, then retail via a one-click multi-chain portal.
- The portal will let users move wrapped BTC from other chains into StarkNet with minimal friction.