CoreDAO Launches Self-Custodial Bitcoin Staking, Letting Holders Earn Yield Without Giving Up Control

One of Bitcoin’s latest developments sees the launch of CoreDAO’s new self-custodial Bitcoin staking platform. Announced at the Bitcoin 2025 conference, this system lets Bitcoin holders earn up to 5% yield on their BTC without handing over their private keys or moving their coins to a third party. It’s a major shift from older platforms, where users had to give up control to earn any kind of return.

Bitcoin is becoming a regular part of daily life for more people and businesses than ever before. You can now pay with Bitcoin at big online stores, book travel, and even buy coffee in some places. Digital assets are making payments smoother in areas like online gaming, too.

For example, crypto casinos are using Bitcoin and other digital coins to streamline how players deposit and withdraw money, making the whole process faster and more private. According to iGaming expert Hira Ahmed, crypto’s role in this industry has revolutionized it by fostering perks like immediate payouts and more generous bonus offerings for players.

All of this is still thanks to the primary cryptocurrency itself—Bitcoin. Keeping up with its continued evolution, CoreDAO’s approach uses a “timelock” feature built into Bitcoin. When you stake your BTC, it stays in your own wallet and can’t be moved for a set period, but you never lose ownership. Security is a top focus—CoreDAO’s network is protected by about 75% of Bitcoin’s total mining power, which is one of the highest levels of security in the industry.

As mentioned by CoreDAO’s Rich Rines, this setup removes the risk that comes with trusting centralized lenders, which have failed in the past and cost users their savings.

The platform also offers a dual staking model. Users can stake both BTC and Core tokens to boost their rewards. For those who want to do more, CoreDAO’s sidechain is compatible with Ethereum’s technology, opening up over 150 decentralized finance (DeFi) apps.

This means users can lend, trade, or provide liquidity with their staked Bitcoin, all while keeping their coins secure. There’s also a liquid staking token coming soon, which will let people use their staked BTC for other strategies without waiting for the lockup to end.

CoreDAO isn’t just for everyday users. Institutions are getting involved, too. The project recently partnered with Maple Finance, a major name in decentralized finance, to make it easier for big investors to join in. Maple already manages over 2,000 BTC, and this partnership is expected to bring even more capital into CoreDAO’s growing ecosystem. Venture capital is also backing the project, with Core Ventures investing over $1 million in new Bitcoin-focused apps built on Core.

So far, CoreDAO has already secured over 6,000 BTC (worth more than $500 million) and has more than 100,000 daily users. This shows strong interest from both individual and institutional investors who want to earn yield without giving up control of their Bitcoin. The platform’s focus on security, transparency, and user control is setting a new standard for how digital assets can be used.

As Bitcoin adoption continues to spread, platforms like CoreDAO are showing what’s possible when you combine strong security with real utility. Earning yield on your Bitcoin without losing control could become the new normal, opening doors for even more innovation in the crypto space. For a closer look at how Bitcoin is being adopted in payments and finance, see this recent report on the future of digital currency adoption or read about how CoreDAO’s technology works in detail.

The growing interest in Bitcoin staking is also helping to drive new developments in the broader crypto ecosystem. With more people looking for ways to put their assets to work safely, CoreDAO’s model could inspire even more projects focused on self-custody and user empowerment. As more users and institutions get comfortable with these tools, the range of financial opportunities available to Bitcoin holders is likely to keep expanding.