Bitcoin Use Cases on Starknet Are Getting Real
May was wild for Bitcoin innovation on Starknet. The biggest highlight? Asset Runes.
These are Bitcoin-native assets that give users 1:1 exposure to Ethereum tokens, right from the Bitcoin chain. The rollout kicked off with USDC, making it the first stablecoin natively available on Bitcoin. You can already trade it and provide liquidity on DotSwap.
And there’s more coming — ETH, STRK, RWAs, NFTs…
Even better? Bitcoin Runes are now bridgeable and tradable on Starknet. That means the Runes crowd can now experience smooth UX and play around with DeFi tools on our dApps portal.
Right now, only the top 5 Runes are bridgeable, but more will follow as demand grows.
You can already trade DOG, the top Bitcoin Rune, on:
- Remus
- Layer Akira
- AVNU
And yep, DOG can also be used as a gas token on Starknet via AVNU’s paymaster.
You can see the full lineup of Runes available on Starknet in this dashboard.
Also, StarkWare dropped a cool new tool called Broly—an open-source, trust-minimized Bitcoin inscription tool you can use straight from a Starknet crypto wallet. It’s still a proof of concept, but shows what’s possible for devs who want to build creative new stuff.
So what’s coming up next?
- Starknet will integrate with Xverse, the top Bitcoin wallet. That means easy switching between Bitcoin and Starknet.
- LBTC (Bitcoin LST) is coming to Starknet via Lombard.
- Thanks to Lightning and Square, Braavos users will soon be able to make real-world Bitcoin payments at terminals all over the U.S.
S-two: The Fastest Prover Ever Is Live
Say hello to S-two—the world’s fastest prover. It’s 100x faster than the current one and is set to roll out across Starknet in about a few months.
This upgrade means cheaper and faster proofs for all Starknet-based chains. It even opens the door for client-side proving on everyday devices. Paradex is jumping in first, using it to offer privacy-preserving trades.
Across all benchmarks, S-two wins. Period.
Starknet Becomes the First Real Stage 1 ZK Rollup
Starknet just became the first rollup to hit full Stage 1 status.
Let’s break it down:
- Stage 0: Centralized, but Ethereum can verify system state.
- Stage 1: No central operators, real smart contracts, real proofs, diverse security council. You can exit the system without needing permission.
- Stage 2: Basically Ethereum-level decentralization. A 30-day exit window for users in case of bad upgrades. The council only steps in under on-chain proven emergencies.
Next big goals:
- Hit Stage 2
- Roll out Staking Phases 2 and 3
- Final Phase 4 lands in early 2026, fully decentralizing the sequencer and prover
Starknet Ecosystem Updates
Extended DEX Is Migrating from StarkEx to Starknet L2
Big June news: Extended is (hopefully) launching on Starknet on July 2025.
This Perp DEX is no joke—it already delivers a Hyperliquid-style experience:
- up to 100x leverage
- Markets for crypto, gold, EUR, Brent, S&P 500, Nasdaq
- LP community vault yielding APR in USDC
- A live XP campaign (Season 1)
And soon, all of this will run directly on Starknet.
Social Login & EVM Wallets
Cartridge just rolled out social login. You can now set up a Starknet wallet using your Discord account. More login options are coming.
Also, you can now use MetaMask, Rabby, Phantom, and other EVM wallets to access Starknet via Cartridge Controller.
Bonus: Rosettanet, a project aiming to bring full EVM wallet compatibility to Starknet, is expected to go live by July.
Opus Staking Just Got a Yield Upgrade
Opus has integrated U.S. Treasury yields (T-Bills) into its staking system. That’s a first on Starknet.
Here’s how it works:
- Provide liquidity in the CASH/USDC pool on Ekubo
- Stake your LP token on Opus
- With it, you can earn::
- 75% of protocol revenue
- Extra yield from T-Bills
- swap fees from the USDC/CASH pool
All powered by CASH—the only native stablecoin on Starknet.
Spend Starknet Assets IRL… for Free
Argent just launched its new Lite Card:
- Free to use
- Self-custodial
- 0.5% cashback
- Spend USDC held on Starknet anywhere Mastercard is accepted
Also, Cavos is working on a virtual card to let you do the same.
3 New Games Just Dropped
Starknet’s gaming ecosystem is booming with 3 new games live on Mainnet::
- Eternum: Onchain Civilization-style game with AI agents and a $50K prize pool
- Pistols: 1v1 onchain dueling game
- Crimson Fate: Fully onchain rogue-like
The gaming ecosystem is becoming too vast to track? Cartridge Arcade has your back—it’s the hub for all Dojo-powered games. Find games, player profiles, leaderboards, and more.
Starknet Appchains: Full Steam Ahead
Three new projects are building with Starknet’s SN Stack:
- StarkPay: Private payments
- Forge Agent: AI agent marketplace
- Eara: RWA trading infrastructure for Europe
They’re part of the Karnot accelerator, which recently hit 7,000 TPS on Ethereum with SN Stack. And yes—it’s designed to go even bigger.
Paradex, Starknet’s first live appchain, also tweaked its tokenomics:
- Paradigm’s 13.4% allocation now unlocks on a linear, performance-based schedule
- 85% of the codebase has been audited by Cairo Audit
Alpha Zone: New Launches in May
Here’s what went live on Mainnet:
- Eternum S1
- Stormbit (99% LTV, no liquidation lending)
- Pistols
- Forge Yields
- Copperx
- Wolf Nation
- Curvy
- Crimson Fate
- OnChainGM (say “gm” onchain for 0.5 STRK)
And on Testnet:
- defi.space: Arena for AI agents
- Trivex: Perp DEX + analytics
Also spotted a new builder:
- Uncap: Bitcoin-backed stablecoin inspired by Liquity
In summary, June marked a period of comprehensive advancement for the Starknet ecosystem. The network significantly deepened its integration with Bitcoin by making assets like Runes and USDC natively tradable and bridgeable on Starknet. Core infrastructure saw a major leap forward with the introduction of S-two, a prover promising to be 100x faster, which will lead to cheaper and quicker transactions. This technological progress was complemented by a critical milestone in network maturity, as Starknet became the first to achieve Stage 1 ZK-Rollup status, signaling a concrete move towards greater decentralization. This foundation spurred a wave of growth across the ecosystem, including the migration of established DEXs, a surge in new on-chain games, and the launch of innovative financial products and wallet features that simplify everything from staking to real-world spending.
Disclaimer:
This blog post was written by 0xLyskey, a community member. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author.
This content is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or any other form of advice. Readers are solely responsible for their own decisions and are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified professional before making any financial commitments. Stay safe and do your own research.
