Arkade:anAnoperatingsystemformoney
Build applications on the world's best money, Bitcoin
Programmable money
Turn Bitcoin from a static asset into programmable money. Build lending protocols, smart wallets, and conditional payments using a powerful development toolkit.
Real-time execution
Experience instant transactions in Arkade's Virtual Mempool. Operations execute in parallel and settle onchain in efficient batched transactions.
Self-custody by design
Your keys, your Bitcoin, always. Every transaction includes pre-signed exit paths, ensuring users maintain complete control over their funds.
No bridges, no soft fork
Works with Bitcoin today. No consensus changes, no protocol upgrades, no bridges or wrapped tokens and no waiting for OP_CAT.
ApplicationstoLevelBitcoinup
Native capital markets, no wrappers, no bridge
Turn trading platforms into Bitcoin-native venues. Swap between assets without the need for bridges or wrapped tokens. Tap into cross-chain liquidity with instant execution across every market. Improve user experience on Bitcoin security foundations.
Smart embedded wallets with programmable Bitcoin flows
Create modern wallets with native web app integration. Access smart features like account recovery, spending policies and automated payment flows. Enable seamless Lightning integration and deploy applications using a modern programming environment.
BTC as collateral, done right
Build lending protocols, borrow against Bitcoin without introducing counterparty risk. Enable margin trading and sophisticated financial instruments at scale. Gain exposure to global markets while maintaining self-custody. Scale to institutional demand beyond traditional blockchain limits.
Frequently asked questions
What is Arkade?
Arkade is a programmable execution layer for Bitcoin. It enables fast, self-custodial financial applications on Bitcoin, including lending, smart wallets, and trading, without changing the protocol or requiring trusted intermediaries.
What problem does it solve?
Arkade solves Bitcoin’s application problem. Bitcoin is the world’s most secure monetary network, but its potential as programmable money remains largely untapped. While Bitcoin excels as a store of value, it lacks the ability to express advanced financial logic without custodial services or bridges to alternative chains.
Is Arkade a new blockchain?
No. Arkade is not a blockchain, sidechain, or rollup. It is an offchain execution layer that operates over native Bitcoin UTXOs using Virtual Transaction Outputs (VTXOs), batch settlement, and presigned transaction paths.There is no new consensus protocol, validator set, or token.
What is the Virtual Mempool?
The Virtual Mempool is Arkade’s offchain execution layer, a dynamic coordination environment for Bitcoin-native applications.
It powers real-time transaction flows that:
• Emulate Bitcoin’s UTXO model through Virtual Transaction Outputs (VTXOs)
• Execute in parallel without global state bottlenecks
• Let users control when (and if) to finalize to the Bitcoin blockchain
Who is the Arkade Operator
The Arkade Operator coordinates offchain activity through a modular architecture that separates core functions: transaction validation, batch creation, liquidity provisioning, and system coordination.