OKX Drops xBTC on Aptos – Fee-Free Wrapped Bitcoin Storms DeFi

Bitcoin just got a fast pass into DeFi. OKX’s new xBTC—a 1:1 wrapped Bitcoin—lands on Aptos with zero gas fees, letting traders pivot into decentralized finance without the usual friction.

No more fee bleed. The move slashes barriers for Bitcoin holders eyeing yield farms or swaps, bypassing Ethereum’s notorious congestion tax. Aptos’ scalable infrastructure absorbs the demand surge—at least in theory.

Another day, another wrapper. Traders win (for now), while purists grumble about dilution. Meanwhile, Wall Street still can’t decide if crypto’s a commodity or a Ponzi scheme—so business as usual.

Backed 1:1 by BTC held in OKX custody, xBTC allows users to access bitcoin liquidity within the Aptos ecosystem without paying minting or redemption fees.

Starting May 22, users can mint xBTC directly on OKX and transfer it across the Aptos blockchain for use in decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, including trading, lending, and Web3 strategies.

According to Jason Lau, Chief Innovation Officer at OKX, this integration is part of the company’s broader vision to expand BTC’s utility across on-chain ecosystems.

“By bringing xBTC to Aptos, we are keen to see Bitcoin holders put their BTC to work in fast, low-cost DeFi applications,” he said.

The move positions Aptos as one of the first high-performance LAYER 1 blockchains to natively support xBTC, paving the way for wider adoption of Bitcoin-backed DeFi products.

Empowering DeFi Innovation on Aptos

The launch of xBTC reflects Aptos’ commitment to unlocking new liquidity pathways and expanding real-world financial use cases for digital assets.

“Bitcoin is the linchpin between traditional and decentralized finance markets,” said Ash Pampati, head of ecosystem at the Aptos Foundation, adding that Aptos’ support for xBTC showcases its scalability and developer-friendly architecture.

A launch campaign in collaboration with Aries Markets, Hyperion, and Echo Protocol will further drive awareness and user engagement. These integrations are designed to build momentum for deeper use of xBTC across Aptos-native DeFi platforms, providing developers with the tools and confidence to innovate.

Increasing Liquidity and Utility for BTC Holders

While Bitcoin has long been the dominant crypto asset, its role in DeFi has been limited due to a lack of native smart contract support. With xBTC, Aptos users can now deploy BTC capital across a growing DeFi ecosystem that already boasts over $1 billion in total value locked (TVL).

Echo Protocol’s aBTC has already attracted nearly $270 million in TVL, indicating strong demand for Wrapped Bitcoin solutions.

xBTC stands out for its transparency, leveraging OKX’s public proof-of-reserves platform to provide verifiable backing for each wrapped token.

This launch strengthens cross-chain interoperability and positions both OKX and Aptos at the forefront of bringing Bitcoin utility to decentralized finance.