Velar Launches Dot BTC Name Grant Program to Unite Stacks Community
Panama City, Panama, January 30th, 2025, Chainwire
Bitcoin decentralized exchange protocol Velar has announced the launch of the BTC Name Grant Program, an initiative designed to advance digital identity standardization on Stacks. The initiative will accelerate adoption of the “.btc” digital identity standard for the Bitcoin ecosystem, reducing manual errors and simplifying onchain interactions.
The BTC Name Grant Program created by Velar will be implemented in collaboration with around a dozen partners that are committed to strengthening Bitcoin adoption. More than 6,000 STX in funding has already been secured from such partners as Stacks, Ryder and Arkadiko. The initiative allows users to purchase .BTC names through approved platforms, such as BNS ONE and BNS.Market, with STX reimbursements facilitated through Velar’s dedicated portal velar.com/returntobtc.
The BTC program builds on Velar’s track record of catalyzing community-driven movements, as embodied by the success of its Return to Ape campaign, which supported users in acquiring Megapont NFTs. Set to launch on January 30, the .BTC program is a major step towards creating a unified digital identity standard within the Stacks ecosystem.
Velar CMO Peter Watson said: “It’s truly inspiring to see all the protocols and tokens across the Stacks ecosystem come together for this initiative. This unity speaks volumes about our shared commitment to supporting and uplifting the entire community.”
Philip de Smedt, Co-founder of StackingDAO added: “The Stacks community is rediscovering a shared identity to unite around, beginning with the Return to Megapont Apes NFT initiative and now the ‘Return to .BTC.’ This wouldn’t be possible without the participation of the whole ecosystem including leading Stacks protocols.”
Snazzy of BNS One, whose platform is used for registering, renewing, and managing .BTC digital identities, said: “We’re thrilled to be partnered with Velar as part of the Velar Grants initiative, to help onboard thousands of new users for registration of their .btc names. BNS is often one of the first interactions new users have when entering the Stacks ecosystem, and the work that Velar is doing to accelerate the adoption of Stacks is truly remarkable.”
Hadan, Head of Growth at ALEX Lab Foundation said: “ALEX is proud to stand with fellow Stacks protocols and projects in support of the ‘Return to .BTC’ initiative. From reigniting the spirit of Megapont Apes to rallying around .BTC, it’s clear that united our ecosystem is unstoppable. Collaboration fuels innovation, and together, we’re building an extraordinary future powered by Bitcoin. All roads on Bitcoin lead to Stacks.”
Louise Ivan, CEO & Co-Founder at Ryder added: “Everything comes back to Bitcoin. Excited to see the Stacks community rally behind initiatives to make Bitcoin more fun, exciting and give the builder culture it needs.”
The first-of-its-kind initiative represents the first such program to be hosted on Stacks’ Bitcoin Layer 2. Stacks and Ryder lead the contributions with 1,000 STX each, followed by Velar, Bitflow, StackingDAO, ALEX, Arkadiko, Hermetica, and Leather Wallet, each committing 500 STX. Zero Authority, Flat Earth, Leo, and ROO have also joined the initiative, contributing 250 STX each. Technical support for the program is provided by BNS ONE and BNS.Market, ensuring seamless execution and accessibility for participants.
The BTC Name Grant Program aligns with a shared commitment among leading Stacks projects to advancing ecosystem infrastructure and making it more accessible to new and existing users alike. By incentivizing the adoption of .BTC names, Velar aims to lay the groundwork for a more integrated and accessible Stacks ecosystem.
About Velar
Velar is building the user interface to access the most secure blockchain ever created. Velar enables anyone to effortlessly trade their favorite Bitcoin-based tokens with just a few clicks via a user-friendly interface. Velar is laying the groundwork for a new era of Bitcoin-powered financial innovation while unlocking untapped liquidity and empowering users to take control of their digital assets.
Learn more: https://velar.com/