Chainlink Moves Coinbase’s cbBTC To Monad In Major DeFi Expansion

Chainlink now enables Coinbase’s cbBTC to move from Base to Monad using its Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol. This allows Bitcoin-backed liquidity to enter the Monad DeFi ecosystem with a standardized security model.

Monad confirmed that Chainlink CCIP is now live for bridging Coinbase Wrapped BTC from Base to Monad. cbBTC holders can transfer their tokens directly into Monad-based applications. Early adopters include Curvance and Neverland, which are launching cbBTC markets on Monad.

What Does The Chainlink CCIP Integration Enable?

The integration allows cbBTC, a 1:1 Bitcoin-backed token issued by Coinbase, to move securely across blockchains. Coinbase selected Chainlink CCIP last year as its exclusive bridging infrastructure for wrapped asset expansion.

cbBTC was launched in September 2024 on Ethereum and Base. It is backed 1:1 by BTC held in custody and is minted or redeemed against Bitcoin deposits on Coinbase.

With CCIP, cbBTC can now move from Base into Monad. This expands its use cases beyond Ethereum-compatible networks.

Key capabilities include:

• Direct bridging from Base to Monad
• Cross-chain token transfers using the CCT standard
• Security backed by decentralized validation layers
• Support for Bitcoin-denominated DeFi markets

Chainlink states its infrastructure has enabled more than $28 trillion in onchain transaction value. CCIP is designed to maintain consistent 1:1 backing when assets move across networks.

William Reilly, head of strategic initiatives at Chainlink Labs, said cross-chain infrastructure must scale as Bitcoin-backed assets grow into the tens of billions.

How Does This Impact The Monad DeFi Ecosystem?

Monad is an EVM-compatible layer-1 blockchain designed for high-frequency trading and financial applications. It claims throughput of up to 10,000 transactions per second with sub-second finality.

By bringing cbBTC to Monad, developers can build Bitcoin-based markets on a high-throughput chain.

New Bitcoin-Based DeFi Use Cases

The integration supports:

• BTC-denominated lending and borrowing
• Spot markets with deeper Bitcoin liquidity
• Derivatives and structured products
• Vaults and routing systems using BTC as a unit of account

Bitcoin does not natively generate yield because it uses proof-of-work. Unlike proof-of-stake networks such as Ethereum or Solana, Bitcoin holders cannot stake BTC for rewards.

This has led to new financial structures aimed at generating Bitcoin yield. In May 2024, Solv Protocol highlighted growing demand for yield strategies such as delta-neutral trading. Coinbase later launched a Bitcoin Yield Fund targeting 4% to 8% annual net returns for eligible institutional investors outside the United States. Kraken also introduced a Bitcoin staking product through Babylon Labs.

Bringing cbBTC to Monad adds another venue where Bitcoin-backed liquidity can be deployed into lending and trading strategies.

“Through Chainlink CCIP, Monad developers can now bring Bitcoin-backed liquidity into fast, composable applications while maintaining cross-chain security as the ecosystem scales,” Keone Hon, co-founder and general manager of the Monad Foundation, said.

Johann Eid of Chainlink Labs noted that Coinbase’s use of CCIP signals confidence in the protocol’s cross-chain security model.

Why Cross-Chain Security Matters

Bridges have historically been a weak point in crypto infrastructure. Many major exploits have targeted cross-chain systems.

Chainlink CCIP uses multiple layers of decentralized validation to reduce these risks. It aims to provide consistent messaging and token transfer standards across networks.

Coinbase is using the Cross-Chain Token standard to manage wrapped asset expansion. This standard ensures that tokens like cbBTC maintain supply integrity when moved between chains.

Wrapped Bitcoin itself continues to expand. In November, WBTC integrated with the Hedera network, supported by BitGo and LayerZero. This reflects growing demand for Bitcoin liquidity across multiple smart contract ecosystems.

Chainlink is Live on Canton

Chainlink’s infrastructure is also live on the Canton Network, a public blockchain built for regulated financial institutions.

Canton, developed by Digital Asset, focuses on privacy, compliance, and high transaction volumes. Since May 2024, it has reportedly processed about $350 billion in daily US Treasury repo transactions and supports over $8 trillion in onchain real-world assets.

Chainlink Labs serves as a Canton Super Validator.

What Chainlink Products Are Live On Canton?

• Data Streams for real-time market pricing
• SmartData NAV and AUM feeds for fund valuation
• Proof of Reserve for asset backing verification

These tools support lending, settlement, and risk management in institutional markets.

Conclusion

Chainlink now enables cbBTC to move from Base to Monad through CCIP. This gives Monad developers access to Bitcoin-backed liquidity within a high-throughput EVM environment. The integration supports BTC-denominated lending, trading, and structured products while maintaining cross-chain security standards backed by decentralized validation. Coinbase, Chainlink, and Monad are aligning infrastructure to scale Bitcoin-backed assets across networks.

Resources 

1. Blog article by Monad: Chainlink Enables Bridging of Coinbase's cbBTC to the Monad DeFi Ecosystem

2. Chainlink on X: Posts (March, 2026)

3. Press release by Chainlink and Canton Network: Chainlink Now Live on Canton, Accelerating Institutional-Grade Tokenization at Scale