Bitcoin is set to enter decentralized lending markets in a new way as Aave and Babylon outline a plan for native BTC collateral. The collaboration introduces trustless Bitcoin vaults to Aave V4, removing the need for custodians or wrapped assets.
It marks a structural shift for onchain credit markets as institutional BTC lending demand expands. Early testing begins in Q1 2026 before Aave governance reviews the rollout.
Aave V4 uses a modular Hub and Spoke model that supports dedicated collateral markets. Babylon plans to build a Bitcoin-focused Spoke that allows users to supply native BTC directly into Aave.
The company shared on social media that no wrapping or custody layers are involved, with Bitcoin remaining on its base chain. Aave will verify collateral positions through cryptographic proofs rather than external custodians.
The model runs on Babylon’s Bitcoin Vault, which locks BTC on the Bitcoin network and produces collateral data recognized inside Aave.
Babylon’s blog explains that the design bypasses long-standing trust barriers that have slowed Bitcoin’s use in DeFi lending. This structure targets high-volume activity and aims to scale lending without intermediaries. It also brings Bitcoin’s settlement guarantees into Aave’s risk framework.
Institutional lending in 2025 has already grown, according to Babylon’s figures. The team notes that more than one billion dollars in BTC-backed loans were issued this year.
Most activity still comes through centralized venues or wrapped assets, limiting access to non-custodial markets. The integration seeks to shift that balance by supporting direct Bitcoin collateral.
Babylon and Aave Labs will collaborate on architecture decisions and risk evaluation.
The teams plan to begin testing the BTC Spoke in early 2026, according to Babylon’s announcement. Governance approval will determine the final launch, with April 2026 targeted for activation. The companies intend to build a scalable path for Bitcoin holders to borrow assets while retaining onchain control.
Babylon says more than six billion dollars in native BTC is already active through its trustless staking system.
Vault support brings that model to the wider market, touching Bitcoin’s multi-trillion-dollar liquidity pool. Institutions that work with large collateral positions gain a non-custodial option for lending strategies. Babylon frames this as a step toward positioning Bitcoin as a settlement layer for multi-chain finance.
Aave’s social posts emphasize how V4’s architecture enables new markets to launch cleanly. The partnership shows how modular structures can support new collateral types without wrapped conversions.
It also reflects growing interest from borrowers seeking BTC-backed credit without leaving the Bitcoin base layer. The teams expect lending volume to increase as these mechanisms mature.
The post Aave V4 to Bring Native Bitcoin Collateral Through Babylon’s Trustless Vaults appeared first on Blockonomi.

Highlights: US prosecutors requested a 12-year prison sentence for Do Kwon after the Terra collapse. Terraform’s $40 billion downfall caused huge losses and sparked a long downturn in crypto markets. Do Kwon will face sentencing on December 11 and must give up $19 million in earnings. US prosecutors have asked a judge to give Do Kwon, Terraform Labs co-founder, a 12-year prison sentence for his role in the remarkable $40 billion collapse of the Terra and Luna tokens. The request also seeks to finalize taking away Kwon’s criminal earnings. The court filing came in New York’s Southern District on Thursday. This is about four months after Kwon admitted guilt on two charges: wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud. Prosecutors said Kwon caused more losses than Samuel Bankman-Fried, Alexander Mashinsky, and Karl Sebastian Greenwood combined. U.S. prosecutors have asked a New York federal judge to sentence Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon to 12 years in prison, calling his role in the 2022 TerraUSD collapse a “colossal” fraud that triggered broader crypto-market failures, including the downfall of FTX. Sentencing is… — Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) December 5, 2025 Terraform Collapse Shakes Crypto Market Authorities explained that Terraform’s collapse affected the entire crypto market. They said it helped trigger what is now called the ‘Crypto Winter.’ The filing stressed that Kwon’s conduct harmed many investors and the broader crypto world. On Thursday, prosecutors said Kwon must give up just over $19 million. They added that they will not ask for any additional restitution. They said: “The cost and time associated with calculating each investor-victim’s loss, determining whether the victim has already been compensated through the pending bankruptcy, and then paying out a percentage of the victim’s losses, will delay payment and diminish the amount of money ultimately paid to victims.” Authorities will sentence Do Kwon on December 11. They charged him in March 2023 with multiple crimes, including securities fraud, market manipulation, money laundering, and wire fraud. All connections are tied to his role at Terraform. After Terra fell in 2022, authorities lost track of Kwon until they arrested him in Montenegro on unrelated charges and sent him to the U.S. Do Kwon’s Legal Case and Sentencing In April last year, a jury ruled that both Terraform and Kwon committed civil fraud. They found the company and its co-founder misled investors about how the business operated and its finances. Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, submitted the sentencing request in November. TERRA STATEMENT: “We are very disappointed with the verdict, which we do not believe is supported by the evidence. We continue to maintain that the SEC does not have the legal authority to bring this case at all, and we are carefully weighing our options and next steps.” — Zack Guzmán (@zGuz) April 5, 2024 The news of Kwon’s sentencing caused Terraform’s token, LUNA, to jump over 40% in one day, from $0.07 to $0.10. Still, this rise remains small compared to its all-time high of more than $19, which the ecosystem reached before collapsing in May 2022. In a November court filing, Do Kwon’s lawyers asked for a maximum five-year sentence. They argued for a shorter term partly because he could face up to 40 years in prison in South Korea, where prosecutors are also pursuing a case against him. The legal team added that even if Kwon serves time in the U.S., he would not be released freely. He would be moved from prison to an immigration detention center and then sent to Seoul to face pretrial detention for his South Korea charges. eToro Platform Best Crypto Exchange Over 90 top cryptos to trade Regulated by top-tier entities User-friendly trading app 30+ million users 9.9 Visit eToro eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment, and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong.

