Starknet has launched strkBTC, a wrapped Bitcoin asset on its Ethereum Layer 2 network, designed to enhance transaction privacy using zero-knowledge cryptography. The strkBTC, live since May 12, 2026, allows users to switch between public and shielded transaction modes, offering a unique privacy feature not available in other major wrapped Bitcoin products. The strkBTC operates under the STRK20 privacy framework, enabling transactions to be verified without revealing details such as sender, receiver, or amount. This is managed by a five-party federation, including NEAR Protocol, ensuring no single entity controls the asset. Starknet aims to apply this technology to private lending, anonymous trading, and Bitcoin staking, with future plans for post-quantum security measures to protect against potential quantum computing threats.