Zeus Network Unveils Solana-to-Bitcoin Bridge with ZPL-Powered zBTC Tokens for Q3 2024 Launch

Zeus Network, a Solana-based platform, is set to launch its Zeus Program Library (ZPL) in the third quarter of 2024, introducing a Solana-to-Bitcoin cross-chain bridge. This initiative aims to connect the two ecosystems, allowing Bitcoin holders to access the Solana DeFi ecosystem via ZPL-powered zBTC tokens. The ZPL-Assets will enable various activities on Solana, including DeFi, GameFi, SocialFi, and more, which were previously challenging on the Bitcoin blockchain. Through ZPL and the bridging protocol Apollo, users can deposit their Bitcoin and receive ZPL-wrapped zBTC tokens in return, facilitating engagement with decentralised exchanges, NFT marketplaces, borrowing, lending, gaming, and SocialFi within the Solana ecosystem. Furthermore, developers plan to expand ZPL-supported assets on Solana to include Bitcoin Runes and Ordinals, with tasks such as enabling Bitcoin staking on the Apollo mainnet also on the Q3 roadmap. The Zeus Network, backed by Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko and Stacks co-founder Muneeb Ali, recently secured an $8 million funding round at a $100 million valuation. The Bitcoin Runes protocol, introduced in April, allows the tokenization of real-world assets on the Bitcoin blockchain, while Bitcoin Ordinals enables unique asset tracking and transfer by assigning a unique number to each satoshi. This development reflects the growing interest and innovation in the Bitcoin decentralised application ecosystem, with projects like Orders Exchange integrating with Bitcoin Runes to enable token issuance and constructing a Bitcoin asset bridge with MicroVisionChain for BRC-20 token swaps.