What is Aave Optimism WBTC?
Aave Optimism WBTC is a lending market for Wrapped Bitcoin on Aave V3's Optimism deployment. This market allows Bitcoin holders to participate in Optimism DeFi, using WBTC as collateral or earning minimal yield from borrowers. Optimism's low fees make position management more economical than Ethereum mainnet.
How This Market Works
When you supply WBTC to Aave V3 on Optimism:
- Bridge WBTC to Optimism network
- Deposit WBTC into Aave V3 lending pool
- Receive aOptWBTC tokens representing your deposit
- Earn interest from WBTC borrowers (typically minimal)
- Withdraw WBTC plus any yield anytime
What Assets Are Involved
Supply Asset: WBTC (Wrapped Bitcoin) on Optimism Receipt Token: aOptWBTC - Aave Optimism deposit token Underlying: Bitcoin held by BitGo custodians Network: Optimism (OP Mainnet)Primary WBTC uses on Optimism:
- Collateral for borrowing stablecoins
- Bitcoin exposure in Optimism DeFi
- Cross-L2 collateral strategies
- Leveraged BTC positions with lower fees
Bitcoin on Layer 2
WBTC on Optimism represents:
- Bitcoin value accessible in Optimism ecosystem
- Lower-cost position management than mainnet
- Integration with Optimism-native protocols
- Part of multi-chain Bitcoin strategy
L2 Considerations for WBTC
Optimism WBTC specifics:
- Double Bridge: WBTC itself is bridged BTC, then bridged to L2
- Lower Liquidity: Less WBTC on Optimism than mainnet
- Fee Savings: Significant gas reduction for operations
- Same Custody: BitGo custody model unchanged