BtcTerminal
2 min readMar 31, 2024

Minting Magic: Runes Terminal x Mintlayer Make BTC DeFi Reality

Bitcoin’s place as the de facto reserve currency and bellwether for the entire crypto space is assured. We are talking about network effects here people, and BTC’s network effect will never be usurped, its sacrosanct centrality to blockchain guaranteed.

It’s sound money, that’s the point. Nothing, not even Ethereum, can ever compete with Bitcoin’s widespread adoption. DeFi on Bitcoin is the ideal next step. Fungible, discrete tokens powered by the security and consensus of the biggest and best network. The advent of the Runes at 840,000 is the largest tech advancement towards that goal to date. RunesTerminal knows this, Mintlayer knows this. We decided to team up.

Runes Terminal is delighted to partner with Mintlayer to advance the thesis of Bitcoin as the perfect focal point for DeFi. Their UTXO-based blockchain already integrates tightly to how Runes work. As a sidechain, the Mintlayer allows for DeFi activity including atomic swaps and borrowing/lending denominated in BTC. Their DEX for Atomic Swaps will enable native Bitcoin for use in DeFi without the need for wrapped tokens.

Mintlayer is a sidechain that boosts utility on Bitcoin, and with Runes poised to unleash the greatest wave of innovation Bitcoin has ever seen, using the UTXO tech basis that Mintlayer already knows so well, their partnership is invaluable. RuneScan, RunesMint and RunesPad will let everyone get involved in this fresh new era for Bitcoin. Mintlayer will help them take advantage.

Let’s make the best better together.