Your Bitcoin can do more

Bitcoin remains the cornerstone of the crypto market, yet a staggering 98% of it sits idle in wallets or on exchanges. For most holders, BTC is a passive store of value rather than an active asset. While major centralized exchanges offer some yield programs, the returns are often negligible—frequently falling between 0% and 0.5% APY.

This is why I’m bringing to your attention today Ready (formerly Argent) – a crypto wallet and card provider with a self-custodial setup. Let’s dive into how this wallet stacks up against the usual centralized options and how you can use it to put your Bitcoin to work.

The Yield Gap: Why 0.5% Isn’t Enough

In the current landscape, most platforms treat Bitcoin primarily as collateral. This results in stagnant rewards for the average holder. Ready offers an alternative that can provide up to six times the yield found on major exchanges by leveraging decentralized finance (DeFi) on Starknet.

How to Make more from your dormant Bitcoin

1. Bitcoin Staking (~3% APY)

One of the most direct ways to put BTC to work is through staking. By staking Bitcoin on Starknet via the Ready app, users can earn approximately 3% APY. And side note here: Ready is indeed, a self-custodial wallet and debit card provider which I have been using for a while without any issues.

What is Bitcoin staking?

Bitcoin staking is a way to earn sustainable yield on your Bitcoin while helping secure and decentralise Starknet.

On Starknet, Bitcoin has been added to the staking mechanism. That means you can stake your Bitcoin with a validator (like Ready), and that validator will use it as part of the consensus process. In return, you earn staking rewards.

How it works: You deposit and stake your BTC directly within the interface of the Ready App.
The Benefit: You maintain price exposure to Bitcoin while earning rewards for contributing to network security.
Payouts: Since Ready is integrated within the Starknet ecosystem, rewards are distributed in STRK tokens at the end of each block, which can be swapped back into BTC seamlessly within the app.

2. Automated Lending (~2% APY)

For those looking for a “set and forget” strategy, Ready’s lending protocol offers roughly 2% APY.

Auto-Compounding: The platform recently introduced auto-compounding, meaning your lending rewards are automatically reinvested. This removes the need for manual claiming and maximizes capital efficiency over time.

3. Liquidity Without Liquidation: Borrowing USDC

Selling Bitcoin to access cash can be a difficult decision for long-term “HODLers.” Ready allows users to deposit BTC as collateral to borrow USDC, providing liquidity without forcing a sale.

Strategic Growth: Many users utilize this to swap borrowed USDC back into more BTC, effectively increasing their position.
Flexibility: It allows you to keep your market exposure while accessing spendable capital for other needs or investments.

4. The Ready Card: Bridging Crypto and Real-World Spending

The capital unlocked by borrowing against your BTC can be used globally. The Ready Card (Mastercard) allows you to spend your crypto however you choose with a debit card accepted all over the world. I am currently in South America and I’ve been using mine on a daily basis.

So, to my point from the start of this article: Your Bitcoin is capable of more than just sitting in a wallet.
By moving away from the low-yield environment of centralized exchanges and utilizing self-custodial DeFi tools, you can earn sustainable rewards, compound your growth, and maintain full control over your assets.

Check out Ready Wallet and their crypto card here.

For other crypto debit and credit cards, check out my complete guide here.

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