Stacks and WalletConnect expand access to Bitcoin DeFi through STX Stacking

November 5, 2025 ------ WalletConnect and the Stacks Foundation today announced an expansion of support for the Stacks (STX) ecosystem, unlocking more Bitcoin-native yield opportunities for users and institutions worldwide, and significantly enhancing accessibility. This strategic integration provides a secure, modular access channel to the Stacks Layer via WalletConnect, which is already widely used across the DeFi infrastructure.

This integration comes at a time when interest in building applications on Bitcoin is surging—according to data from Electric Capital, Stacks is now among the top five fastest-growing ecosystems for developers globally. With WalletConnect, access to and integration of STX Stacking has become unprecedentedly simple and efficient.

Key benefits available to users include:

• Multiple access methods for STX Stacking

• Secure and reliable integration based on WalletConnect

• Enhanced interoperability and accessibility within the Stacks ecosystem

WalletConnect CEO Jess Houlgrave stated:

"Bitcoin is evolving from a mere holding asset into an ecosystem that generates yield. Through this integration, STX holders can directly earn yield with the help of Hex Trust and WalletConnect. This is a crucial step towards a future of 'seamless earning, connecting, and building on Bitcoin.' With WalletConnect, we make Stacking incredibly simple. This is what the 'available on-chain experience' should look like—open by default, powered by stable and reliable infrastructure."

Mitchell Cuevas, Executive Director of the Stacks Foundation, added:

"The support from WalletConnect makes access and integration of Stacking more convenient. Any application already connected to WalletConnect can directly provide users with Stacking yield without needing additional interfaces or infrastructure. Such pragmatic integrations will drive the next wave of adoption for Bitcoin DeFi. This marks a new era of maturity and interoperability for Bitcoin applications."

Digital asset financial institution Hex Trust will be one of the first institutions to adopt this new architecture, providing Bitcoin-based yield services to institutional clients through WalletConnect + Stacks.

This integration also aligns with the growing institutional interest in Bitcoin Layer 2 solutions:

• The total value locked (TVL) in the Bitcoin Layer 2 ecosystem skyrocketed from $300 million in 2024 to over $4 billion in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 1,500%.

• Stacks ranks among the top five in net developer growth globally.

• In 2025, the trustless Bitcoin-backed asset sBTC will release over $600 million in BTC liquidity, driving institutional participation and accelerating the development of Bitcoin DeFi.

As Stacks realizes its vision of "making Bitcoin more productive," and with advanced developer tools provided by WalletConnect, the expansion of STX Stacking will enable millions of users and institutions to directly access Bitcoin-based DeFi, enhancing overall accessibility and yield potential across the network.

About WalletConnect

Founded in 2018, WalletConnect is the foundational communication layer connecting the financial internet, providing secure, encrypted cross-ecosystem connections between wallets and applications. It currently covers multiple blockchains including Ethereum, Solana, and Bitcoin, and is widely adopted by traditional enterprises, custodians, institutional investors, and on-chain applications and wallets.

About Stacks

Stacks is a leading Bitcoin Layer 2 (L2) that ranks first in developer activity, user engagement, and market capitalization, aiming to unlock over $10 trillion of Bitcoin's dormant capital, making BTC a programmable and efficient asset.

Stacks allows smart contracts and decentralized applications to run on a secure Bitcoin base layer. With the Nakamoto upgrade officially activated in October 2024, Stacks achieved near-instant transaction confirmation speeds comparable to mainstream L2s while retaining the security and irreversibility of Bitcoin L1.

Launched in December 2024, sBTC enables developers and users to utilize native BTC in smart contracts, DeFi, and other Bitcoin-secured applications, and to pay Gas fees in BTC.

The community-driven roadmap for 2025 and beyond focuses on: expanding sBTC capacity, driving major network upgrades, integrating new DeFi and stablecoin projects, and continuously optimizing development tools, security, and ecosystem growth.

For more information, please visit stacks.co.