How to get RBTC on Rootstock

Bridge BTC into Bitcoin’s DeFi Layer and put it to work on LayerBank

What is Rootstock (and RBTC)?

Rootstock is Bitcoin’s DeFi layer: a smart-contract chain secured by Bitcoin (merge-mined) with a 1:1 BTC-pegged asset called RBTC (used for gas and DeFi). In short: BTC in, RBTC out—so you can swap, lend, borrow, and loop with Bitcoin collateral.

The canonical two-way peg is PowPeg; it converts BTC↔RBTC under Bitcoin-level security.

Three ways to get RBTC

Option A — Arbitrum → (swap) → Rootstock ✅ Often cheapest

On Arbitrum, swap WBTC → RBTC using Oku (Uniswap v3 UI).
- Oku pool: RBTC/WBTC
- Tokens:
  - WBTC (Arbitrum): 0x2f2a2543B76A4166549F7aAB2e75Bef0aefC5B0f
  - RBTC (Arbitrum OFT): 0x441Fcb23dFe8289cf572126FEDCf450974ADc891
Bridge RBTC → Rootstock via Stargate (LayerZero).
- Stargate bridge: Arbitrum→Rootstock, RBTC
You’ll receive RBTC on Rootstock at your configured wallet address. Keep a small amount of RBTC for gas.

Why this route? You do one efficient swap on Arbitrum (deep liquidity, tight spread), then bridge RBTC directly, reducing extra swaps/fees on Rootstock.

Option B — EVM → Rootstock → (swap on Rootstock)

Bridge USDT0 or WETH to Rootstock via Stargate.
- Stargate bridge
- Tokens (Rootstock):
  - USDT0: 0x779Ded0c9e1022225f8E0630b35a9b54bE713736
  - WETH: 0x2F6F07CDcf3588944Bf4C42aC74ff24bF56e7590
On Rootstock, swap USDT0/WETH → RBTC using Oku, Sushi, or WoodSwap.
- DEX links:
https://www.sushi.com/rootstock/swap
https://woodswap.org/home
https://oku.trade/app/rootstock/trade

When to use: If you already hold USDT0/WETH on another EVM chain and want a simple bridge → one swap on Rootstock.

Option C — BTC Mainnet → Rootstock (PowPeg)

PowPeg (canonical 1:1 peg): Strict, on-chain BTC↔RBTC with longer confirmations.

When to use: You hold native BTC and prefer to stay within the BTC peg system.

What You Can Do on LayerBank (Once You Have RBTC)

Supply RBTC to earn base yield + incentives.
Borrow USDT0, RBTC, or WETH and loop (deposit → borrow → buy/mint → repeat) to amplify APY.
Track yields and incentive streams via Merkl/LayerBank dashboards.
- LayerBank app
- Merkl

Tips, Fees & Safety

Gas: Keep a small RBTC buffer for transactions on Rootstock.
Slippage: Check price impact on large swaps (both on Arbitrum and Rootstock).
Bridge fees & timing: Stargate fees vary; compare Option A vs B briefly before executing.
Security: Always confirm token contracts and bridge URLs. Start with a small test.

LayerBank