Stacks Bitcoin staking bonds 735 BTC

What happened

Bitcoin holders are testing a new way to earn a return on their coins without selling them. According to Crypto Briefing, Stacks, a network that runs applications on top of Bitcoin, said in its Q3 2026 ecosystem update, published on 15 October, that about 735 BTC has been bonded through its Bitcoin Staking programme across the first two bonding periods on mainnet. "Bitcoin" was among Google's daily trending searches in Poland this week, and the top story linked to the trend was about Stacks and its staking model.

The details: two bonds, mostly liquid

The first round, the Genesis Bond, opened on 10 September and drew 230 BTC, Crypto Briefing reported. Participants named in that round include the digital asset manager 21Shares, HashKey Cloud and UTXO Management. The second round opened around 10 October with a capacity of roughly 500 BTC and attracted about 505 BTC, so it was effectively full.

Most of Bond 2 came through liquid staking. Around 483 BTC was staked via Stacking DAO, which issues a token called stBTC. According to Benzinga, that token earns BTC rewards while the underlying position stays bonded, and it can be used in other financial applications on Stacks. A third round is expected in November, according to Crypto Briefing and a CoinDesk report carried by Pluang.

How the model works

Stacks uses a mechanism called Proof of Transfer. Instead of using energy the way Bitcoin miners do, Stacks miners commit BTC to take part in the network, and that BTC funds the reward pool. Under a protocol bond, holders lock BTC on the Bitcoin base layer together with STX, the Stacks token, and receive rewards in BTC rather than in a new token. Crypto Briefing put the projected yield at around 3% a year, paid weekly, and noted that the current version of the mechanism, PoX-5, took effect on 30 July 2026.

Custody firms are part of the design. Crypto Briefing named Fireblocks, Fordefi and Anchorage Digital as integrations, and Benzinga reported that Stacks expects new institutions and larger allocations in later bonds as more custody providers go live.

Market reaction and the risks

CoinDesk, in a report carried by Pluang on 13 October, said STX had risen more than 50% over four weeks, linking the move to the staking model and to the next bonding period, because STX has to be locked alongside BTC. Two days later the picture was choppier. A CoinMarketCap market summary dated 15 October said STX fell with the wider crypto market after US inflation data, with liquidations of leveraged positions adding to the move. Anyone following the bitcoin price or crypto news that week saw both sides of the story.

The yield is not risk-free. Coverage of the design notes that the reward pool depends on miners committing BTC, and every native bond also needs an STX position, so participants take on exposure to a second, more volatile token. A projected rate is an estimate, not a promise.

Why it matters for payments and savings

The rounds show where part of the crypto market is heading: large holders, including asset managers named by Crypto Briefing, want income from Bitcoin without selling it, and they want to use custody providers that institutions already rely on. Rewards paid in the same asset, and a liquid token that stays usable while the bond runs, are the two features the reports highlight.

What to watch next

The next markers are the size and uptake of Bond 3 in November, whether new custody providers complete their integrations, and whether the real yield stays close to the projection. How tax and financial authorities treat staking rewards also differs from country to country.

What it means for ODIX Pay users

ODIX Pay does not offer bitcoin staking. If you follow stablecoin news and hold dollar-pegged tokens, ODIX Earn places USDC or USDT in third-party yield strategies with no lock-up period; returns vary and are not guaranteed. You can also buy USDT or USDC with a bank card in the app. Availability depends on your country, and fees are shown in the app before you confirm.