0xApeIn

Ape Mode In Optimex | Ops lead at Optimex

[Ash Crypto @AshCrypto]

BREAKING:

🇺🇲 $4.3 TRILLION JPMORGAN PLANNING TO OFFER CRYPTO BACKED LOANS WITH BITCOIN AND ETHEREUM AS COLLATERAL.

GIGA BULLISH!!!🚀

[Alex Becker 🍊🏆🥇 @ZssBecker]

I literally...and I mean literally...

Cannot think of any major banking institution, commerce or investing brand NOT going all in on defi.

Defi is about to EXPLODE.. And retail is 100% asleep. Not much longer.

[TungHoang @tunghoangbn]

Looking for the best rate on your $WBTC?

@optimex_xyz

[0xApeIn @ApeModeIn]

If you love your hard liquor straight—no mixers, just pure fire—you’ll love Optimex. Native Bitcoin DeFi, raw and uncut. No fluff, just pure power. 🍻⚡️ Taste the difference at https://t.co/9sQ57VAiGE

#Optimex #BitcoinDeFi #NativeBitcoin #NoMixers #BlockchainFinance

[MR SHIFT 🦁 @KevinWSHPod]

Why Holding Bitcoin Isn’t Enough Anymore: SatLayer and the Rise of Bitcoin DeFi

In the sixth episode of DROPS, the special series from When Shift Happens, @Lukex, founder of @satlayer, sits down with me to talk about what he believes is Bitcoin’s biggest transformation since inception.

Far from being just digital gold, Luke argues that Bitcoin is developing a new economic system, and the vast majority of holders are missing out.

Bitcoin, as Luke sees it, is no longer just something to HODL.

Thanks to recent protocol upgrades and a wave of infrastructure innovation, it's becoming programmable collateral, unlocking previously impossible financial use cases like staking, DeFi lending, and layered yield generation. While most people still treat Bitcoin as a passive store of value, Luke believes this mindset is fast becoming obsolete. “Just holding Bitcoin is no longer enough,” he says. “Now, it’s about what you can do with it.”

From Kickstarter to Bitcoin’s Economic Layer

Luke’s entry into the world of crypto didn’t start with tokens or trading. It began with a Kickstarter hardware project that raised over $3 million. That experience, which he describes as a “dry run for crypto,” gave him deep insight into community-building, product iteration, and responding to constant user pressure.

Later, he worked at McKinsey, where he honed the skill of rapid learning, something essential in a space as fast-moving and unpredictable as blockchain. These experiences eventually shaped his current venture, SatLayer, a protocol he describes as Bitcoin’s economic layer. Its goal is to make Bitcoin not only the best-performing asset in the world, but also the foundation for a fairer, more accessible financial system.

The Problem with Just Holding Bitcoin

A core theme Luke returns to throughout the conversation is the idea that Bitcoin’s security model becomes less sustainable over time. As block rewards continue to halve, miners must increasingly rely on transaction fees to remain financially viable. Without real usage, i.e., people doing things with Bitcoin, not just holding it, there won’t be enough fees to support the network. Luke argues that Bitcoin needs utility if it's to continue operating securely and meaningfully in the long term.

Learning from Ethereum’s Success

To illustrate what’s possible, Luke points to Ethereum, which he describes somewhat controversially as a “testnet for Bitcoin.” While this might sound like a jab, it’s actually an acknowledgement that Ethereum proved the viability of DeFi, staking, and programmable assets. Thanks to upgrades like Taproot and the emergence of Ordinals, many of those same innovations are now finally possible on Bitcoin. Luke sees this as an inflection point—an opportunity to transform the asset once known only as digital gold into programmable collateral.

Four Ways to Earn Yield on Bitcoin

Perhaps the most illuminating part of the discussion is Luke’s breakdown of how yield generation on Bitcoin now works. Using a stack of technologies such as liquid staking protocols like @Lombard_Finance or @SolvProtocol, the Babylon protocol ( @babylonlabs_io
), Bitcoin-friendly Layer 1s and Layer 2s, and SatLayer itself, holders can now earn multiple layers of yield on the same Bitcoin.

Instead of simply letting Bitcoin sit idle, it can be deployed into systems that offer meaningful financial returns, each with its own logic and incentives. According to Luke, this kind of layered yield isn’t just smart but necessary, in an era where funds and institutions are under pressure to outperform Bitcoin, not just hold it.

The Risks Behind the Rewards

Earning yield isn’t without its risks. Luke openly discusses the dangers of slashing, custody, and the volatility introduced by staking protocols. Still, he believes the trade-off is worth it for many.

“Some of your Bitcoin can stay in cold storage, untouched. But another portion can go to work, earning,” he says, describing a portfolio strategy that balances long-term security with present-day utility. “Without some form of risk, it’s just free money again. And that’s not sustainable.”

Bitcoin as the Backbone of a New Financial System

The larger vision for SatLayer goes beyond just yield. Luke imagines a future where Bitcoin isn’t just a store of value, but the foundational rail for large-scale economic activity. That means Bitcoin-backed stablecoins, undercollateralised lending with Bitcoin as the base, and global settlements between institutions and even nations using Bitcoin’s network. He notes that countries like Russia and China are already using Bitcoin for trade settlement, signalling a shift in Bitcoin’s geopolitical relevance.

Why Now Is the Moment

Several key developments have created the conditions for this transformation. Taproot introduced the programmability needed for smart contract-like behaviour on Bitcoin. Ordinals brought new cultural and technical energy. Institutional actors are pushing for more advanced use cases. And DeFi itself is in search of fresh primitives.

Luke believes this convergence marks the beginning of a major wave of growth. “Less than one percent of all Bitcoin is used in DeFi today. That’s a 10 to 20x opportunity,” he explains.

The Bigger Picture

As the episode draws to a close, Luke leaves the audience with two powerful ideas. First, the yield potential on Bitcoin is not hypothetical, it’s already here. Second, as the financial world continues to evolve, Bitcoin is poised to play a much more dynamic role. For those who have only seen Bitcoin as a means to store value, this conversation offers a radically expanded vision.

“We are in a period of significant change in the world… SatLayer is a kind of key foundation and an economic layer for Bitcoin so we can rebuild the financial system to be better, more accessible, and more fair on top of the best asset in the world.”

Luke is not just a founder building in the space. He’s a systems thinker, inviting us to reimagine what Bitcoin can become. If the last decade was about proving Bitcoin’s staying power, the next may be about proving its usefulness. And if Luke’s vision plays out, SatLayer will be at the center of that transformation.

👉If you enjoyed this summary, head over to YouTube or your favorite podcast app for the full episode and more insights that didn’t make it in here.

[Optimex @optimexfi]

The orange coin just went multichain.

Optimex x @KyberNetwork brings native cross-chain swaps, no wrappers, no bridges - pure DeFi, the way it should be.

👉 Trade now https://t.co/cndxzJGq5Q

[0xApeIn @ApeModeIn]

@SteimetzKinji @MessariCrypto Would love to get your thoughts on @optimex_xyz

[Crypto News Hunters 🎯 @CryptoNewsHntrs]

📊 LATEST: DEX Volume Surged to $474.1B in May - 2nd Highest Ever!

🔥 BNB Chain led the pack with a record-breaking $178.2B, fueled by airdrops & trading contests.

DeFi momentum is far from slowing down. 🌐🚀

#Crypto #DeFi #DEX #BNBChain #Web3 #CryptoNews #Investing

[Carl Moon 🌙 @TheMoonCarl]

Debts are rising alongside greed and euphoria in the stock market. The signs of a financial crisis are growing.

I believe we will see a big financial meltdown in the coming months, and Bitcoin is the Noah’s Ark in the economic flood that is coming.

Get in the boat.

[vVv @vvvdotnet]

Join us tomorrow for the NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE podcast.

"Making Bitcoin Free Again"

Guests: @dkhung_me, @ApeModeIn

➩ Set your reminders https://t.co/WZUfPAxNMD

[Optimex @optimexfi]

Optimex x OKX Wallet 🟠

We’re now integrated with @wallet - the non-custodial, multi-chain gateway trusted by 53M+ users.

Swap Bitcoin (and more) natively on-chain with OKX Wallet - the way DeFi was meant to be.