Bitway (BTW): A BNB Chain Token for Bitcoin Lending and Yield
Formerly Side Protocol; token launched in March 2026
Bitway offers Bitcoin holders and stablecoin depositors lending and yield products, and BTW is its governance and utility token. The token launched only in March 2026, so its design and risks deserve a careful look.
1. Who builds it
Bitway is the renamed Side Protocol, a project started in 2023, and is built by Bitway Labs. Its co-founder and chief executive is Shane Qiu, reported to be an early member of Binance Labs, and its technology chief is Dave Hrycyszyn. As Side Protocol it proposed a Cosmos-based sidechain for Bitcoin.
A seed round was led by TRON DAO with HTX Ventures, and the team went through an incubation programme of YZi Labs (formerly Binance Labs). BTW was created on BNB Chain on 2 March 2026, when campaign points were converted into tokens at a fixed ratio. On the Crypto Nation map, BTW stands in BNB Chain City, where it was first issued and is mostly used.
2. How it works
Bitway has three parts. Bitway Earn runs vaults on BNB Chain that put USDT and USDC deposits into yield strategies, Bitway Lending offers loans backed by bitcoin, and Bitway Ledger is its own proof-of-stake chain, where validators who stake coins make the blocks. The chain went live as mainnet v2.0.0 in September 2025.
For bitcoin loans it uses Discreet Log Contracts (DLCs), Bitcoin scripts that settle according to outside data, so the collateral stays on Bitcoin itself. It also issues BTCT, a bitcoin-pegged token controlled by validators who share signing keys. BTW has a fixed maximum supply of 10 billion and pays for fees, staking, governance and product perks.
3. Ecosystem and milestones
January 2026 brought the seed round and a listing of Bitway Earn in BNB Chain’s official app directory. After the March launch, BTW listed on exchanges including Bitget, LBank and BitMart, and Binance Wallet reward campaigns for Bitway Earn deposits drew attention. Bitrue added it in October 2026.
The team plans Bitcoin-based derivatives, payments, a merchant programme and more wallet integrations. Many of these remain on the roadmap, and analysts note that most current activity comes from the stablecoin deposit product on BNB Chain.
4. Things to know
Only part of the supply circulates, with the rest unlocking over several years, so unlocks can move the market. The price swung sharply within days in October 2026, and some analyses pointed to thin liquidity and holdings concentrated in a few wallets. Demand may also fade when reward campaigns end.
Bitway Earn deposits may be managed through custodial accounts or centralised exchanges, so users rely on those operators, and BTCT depends on its signer group staying secure. Mixing yield, lending and staking can raise regulatory questions in some countries. Some Side Protocol-era participants also say the conversion of earlier tokens was unclear.
Written from information public up to October 2026. It does not recommend or rate any coin and is not investment advice. If something is wrong, please tell us through the contact page.