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Bitcoin gets native DeFi: OP_NET launched on mainnet

The OP_NET protocol has launched on the Bitcoin network — it adds smart contracts and DeFi directly into the mainnet, without bridges or wrapped tokens. Users can now run applications, trade, and work with liquidity using only BTC and paying fees in it as well

At launch, basic features are already available: the MotoSwap DEX, issuance of OP-20 standard tokens, and permissionless contract deployment. The authors call the model "slow DeFi" — due to Bitcoin's 10-minute blocks, capital moves more slowly, but in return stays inside the ecosystem longer. Plans include the launch of stablecoins (OP-20S) in Q2 2026