Looking for an Aave alternative that supports Bitcoin?
Independent lending with native BTC collateral — no wrapping, no bridges.
Liquidium is a cross-chain lending platform built on Bitcoin and powered by the Internet Computer's Chain Fusion. Unlike Aave, which is Ethereum-centric and supports BTC only as wrapped tokens via third-party bridges, Liquidium works with Bitcoin directly: the network signs Bitcoin transactions with threshold cryptography rather than handing your BTC to a custodian who mints a wrapped token. Supply BTC, borrow USDT, with no bridge custodian in the middle.
Why switch from Aave?
- Bitcoin held as Bitcoin, not as a third-party wrapped token
- No bridge custodian risk
- Lower fees than Ethereum mainnet Aave
- Cross-chain — supply BTC, borrow stablecoins on other chains
Our pick
Liquidium by Liquidium Inc. — Independent cross-chain lending — supply Bitcoin and borrow USDT without bridges or wrapping. Launch
Frequently asked questions
- Is my Bitcoin wrapped by someone else?
- No. The Internet Computer uses threshold ECDSA to sign Bitcoin transactions directly, so there is no centralized custodian holding BTC and minting a wrapped token against it. Note that this is not the same thing as ckBTC, which is a separate chain-key token used by apps that live on the Internet Computer itself.
- How do interest rates compare to Aave?
- Rates are market-driven on both. Liquidium tends to have higher BTC lending rates because of cross-chain demand; Aave has deeper USDC liquidity. Compare current rates before deciding.
- Is liquidation handled the same way?
- Broadly yes: overcollateralized loans with automatic liquidation logic on both. Liquidium also has a staking product, but it is a separate thing and its rewards come from protocol revenue rather than from liquidation bonuses, so do not treat staking as a way to buy into liquidations. Check Liquidium's own documentation for the current terms before staking anything.
- What if Liquidium gets hacked?
- Smart-contract risk applies to all DeFi protocols. Liquidium has undergone audits but no DeFi is risk-free. Only deposit what you can afford to lose.
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