Founders Fund-backed Bitcoin platform Citrea features a secure Bitcoin application platform, unlocking institutional and global access to Bitcoin-denominated markets.
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands, January 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CitreaThe Bitcoin application platform backed by Founders Fund and Galaxy Ventures, announced the launch of its mainnet, enabling capital market activity directly on the Bitcoin network. Citrea has also launched ctUSD, its US dollar-denominated stablecoin issued by lunar payment and driven by M0designed to align with upcoming GENIUS Act guidelines. Together, Citrea mainnet and ctUSD provide an institutional-grade USD liquidity and settlement layer for Bitcoin-based financial activity..
Despite Bitcoin’s market capitalization of approximately $1.3 trillion, on-chain data shows that more than 61 percent of BTChasn’t moved in over a year, highlighting the scale of capital that remains economically idle due to a lack of native application infrastructure.
“Bitcoin is the world’s largest digital asset, but its role in financial markets has been largely limited. As demand for exposure to Bitcoin grows, much of that activity remains off-chain, relying on intermediaries,” he said. Orkun Kilic, Co-Founder and CEO of Chainway Labs, the construction company Citrea. “By bringing Bitcoin-secured financial applications to the chain, Citrea’s mainnet enables capital to be deployed, managed, and settled directly within native Bitcoin markets. Native settlement through ctUSD provides the bridge to fiat systems, supporting use cases such as BTC-backed lending and institutional credit.”
Citrea developed its lending infrastructure in collaboration with major DeFi participants, including Morpho and Ultra performance by advantage capital. Citrea’s native offerings will leverage the on- and off-chain strategies of leading digital asset institutions such as Keyrock to offer safe and transparent BTC returns.
“Citrea is addressing a huge market opportunity by helping make Bitcoin truly programmable, a feature the asset has historically lacked in a scalable way.“ saying Bridget Harris, Founders Fund Associate. “By creating developer-centric, user-oriented products that leverage the security of Bitcoin, Citrea fundamentally scales the Bitcoin economy as a whole.”
“Citrea enables deeper, native engagement with BTC by bringing capital markets, stablecoin liquidity, and application infrastructure directly to Bitcoin,” he said Will Nuelle, General Partner at Galaxy Ventures. “By making Bitcoin a more active financial asset, Citrea strengthens its role within global financial systems and expands the ways in which institutions and users can securely build on the network.”
Citrea’s approach has significant implications for long-term demand, incentives for miners, and how institutions interact with Bitcoin. Citrea enables institutions to pursue more capital-efficient strategies with greater control and flexibility than off-chain venues. As block subsidies decline over time, Citrea aligns network security with actual economic use.
Citrea mainnet and ctUSD are now live. Get more information at citrea.xyz
About Citrea
Citrea is the application layer of Bitcoin, allowing institutions and users to access the Bitcoin capital markets. The platform aims to expand the financial utility of Bitcoin while remaining anchored to the network’s security model. Citrea has the backing of investors such as Founders Fund, Galaxy, Maven 11, Delphi Digital, Erik Voorhees, Balaji Srinivasan, and more.
SOURCE Citrea
