The BTC Yield Dilemma

Bitcoin holders are at a crossroads: let BTC sit idle, or explore a growing set of on-chain “yield” strategies. But most of what’s out there isn’t yield at all. It’s point farming. It’s altcoin speculation. It’s hidden credit risk dressed up as DeFi.

What allocators actually want is simple: BTC-denominated yield, delivered with institutional safeguards.

That’s where Maple and Core’s BTC Yield product stands apart. Since launching, the Maple BTC Yield offering has quietly become the institutional standard—surpassing 800 BTC allocated and delivering 5.1% APY, paid natively in BTC. No points. No smart contract risk. Just Bitcoin, earning Bitcoin.

The difference comes down to structure. Compared to what? Let's consider the alternatives: 

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1. Babylon

• Structure: Bitcoin re-staking with Babylon points and synthetic rewards
• Risks:
  
  • No realized BTC yield — all incentives in points or tokens.
  • High principal risk: validator slashing, reliance on multisig governance.
• Bottom line: Potential upside, but highly speculative.

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2. BTC Lending (CEXs, desks, or DeFi protocols)

• Structure: Loan BTC to counterparties or institutions for <1% APY.
• Risks: 
  
  • Exposure to counterparty risk 
  • Re-hypothecation 
  • Market dislocation 
  • Risk-reward asymmetry
• Bottom line: Familiar, but risky. Historically, this has been the default route for BTC yield seekers — but interest rates remain negligible.

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3. Borrowing Against BTC

• Structure: Use BTC as collateral to borrow stables and earn yield elsewhere.
• Risks: 
  
  • Exposure to liquidation 
  • Rate/market volatility
  • Smart contract risks in some cases
• Bottom line: Active strategy with indirect yield. Realized BTC gains require leverage, risk and active management.

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Why Maple BTC Yield Is Different

Most BTC yield strategies fail allocators on one of two fronts: either the yield isn’t real (paid in tokens, points, or altcoins), or the structure introduces unnecessary risk—credit exposure, bridging, or validator slashing.

Maple BTC Yield is different. It delivers BTC-denominated yield through a non-wrapped, custody-first structure built for institutional scale. BTC remains in custody while paired with CORE tokens to participate in Core Network staking. Maple handles sourcing, hedging, and execution end-to-end, without ever moving BTC off-chain.

The result: 5.1% APY since launch, paid natively in BTC, while depositors maintain full visibility into assets held with qualified custodians Copper and BitGo.

While designed for capital preservation, the strategy is not without considerations—namely, CORE emission variability (actively hedged) and tranched liquidity via bi-monthly maturities. However, these trade-offs are intentional: Maple optimizes for sustainable performance, not short-term noise.

In a market crowded with complexity and compromised risk frameworks, Maple’s BTC Yield product offers something refreshingly simple: native yield, without compromise. By combining institutional custody, transparent execution, and a battle-tested staking model through Core Network, Maple is setting a new standard for BTC capital markets on-chain. For allocators seeking real yield in real BTC—this is the signal amid the noise.

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Ready to put idle BTC to work? 

Register Interest or Visit the Pool Page

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