Babylon and Aave Enable Native Bitcoin-Backed DeFi Lending
Babylon Labs and Aave Labs have announced a strategic partnership to introduce native BTC-backed lending to the DeFi ecosystem starting December 3, 2025. The feature uses Aave V4’s Hub and Spoke architecture to integrate Babylon’s tech so users can supply unwrapped bitcoin as collateral within Aave pools, removing the need for wrapped or synthetic BTC wrappers and streamlining user experience.
This move could expand bitcoin’s utility by routing more BTC liquidity into DeFi, improving composability and potentially attracting conservative BTC holders who prefer native exposure. It’s a notable step for both ecosystems — expected to increase activity around AAVE and BABY — but users should still consider smart contract and liquidity risks. The integration is positioned as an infrastructure upgrade that may deepen lending markets and boost capital efficiency across protocols.