Citrea has launched its mainnet, introducing a Bitcoin-native application layer built for on-chain trading, lending and settlement.
Summary
- Citrea went live on January 27 with a ZK rollup designed to support Bitcoin-native applications
- The network introduces cBTC and ctUSD for minimized BTC usage and stablecoin liquidity
- Citrea launched with more than 30 Bitcoin-secured applications upon its mainnet debut
Bitcoin ZK rollup Citrea has launched its mainnet, opening the door for lending, trading and settlement directly on the Bitcoin network.
The launch was announced on January 27, marking a step toward expanding Bitcoin’s use beyond long-term holdings to on-chain financial activities.
Bringing applications directly to Bitcoin
Citrea positions itself as an application layer built specifically for Bitcoin (BTC) capital markets. Layer 1 is designed to keep liquidity anchored to Bitcoin while enabling programmable applications secured by the network itself.
At launch, the network will introduce cBTC, a Bitcoin-backed asset that can be used in decentralized applications, and ctUSD, a native stablecoin intended to support on-chain liquidity.
According to Citrea, cBTC uses zero-knowledge proofs and BitVM-based authentication to reduce dependence on custodians or multisignature trust institutions. Any attempted fraudulent activity can be challenged on the Bitcoin mainnet, provided there is at least one honest participant present. This model aims to provide a higher level of security than previous Bitcoin bridge designs.
In addition to these assets, Citrea’s mainnet debuts with more than 30 Bitcoin-secured applications, including decentralized exchanges, liquidity tools and early-stage lending, and privacy-focused services. Additional applications and structured yield products are expected to be rolled out in the coming weeks.
Stable coin liquidity and early ecosystem growth
To support trading and settlement, Citrea has introduced ctUSD, a Bitcoin-native stablecoin issued by MoonPay and built on M0’s open stablecoin infrastructure. The stablecoin is accessible in the United States (excluding New York) and more than 160 other countries, and is designed with institutional compliance in mind.
In addition, Citrea has introduced a user dashboard that allows users to manage assets across the ecosystem, track activity, and explore applications. User actions on live applications are recorded from day one, with plans to expand dashboard features as more tools come online.
Looking ahead, Citrea says the focus is on growing Bitcoin-denominated financial activities, while boosting incentives for miners through greater network usage. The team describes the mainnet launch as an early step in making Bitcoin a more active financial platform, rather than just a store of value.
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