Short answer: For Bitcoin Staking on Stacks in Xverse today, you deposit sBTC and STX at the same time. The STX (~5% of the sBTC value) is a protocol bond / eligibility pairing for PoX Bitcoin Staking. It is not collateral and not a fee. It links your position to a Stacks identity used for reward computation. STX earns nothing in this product. All yield is on the sBTC side.
Bitcoin Staking is not Dual Stacking. Dual Stacking is completely discontinued (page coming down). Do not treat Dual Stacking as a live or legacy-continuing product.
This is also different from classic Stacking, where you lock STX to earn BTC rewards.
What the STX is for
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Why is STX required? | Protocol bond / eligibility pairing for PoX Bitcoin Staking. You deposit sBTC + STX together into the pool contract. Ratio is set per bond (~5% of sBTC value). Not collateral. Not a fee. |
| When must STX be ready? | STX must be available / unlocked at registration. You cannot pair STX later. Deposit sBTC and STX in the same confirm. |
| Does my STX earn the staking rewards? | No. All Bitcoin Staking yield is sBTC. STX only pairs the position for eligibility / reward computation. |
| What if I under-pair STX? | Under-pairing reduces rewards for the position. It does not eject you. Keep the ratio the app shows. |
| What if I send extra STX? | Unused STX above the required ratio is generally not withdrawable until you exit the pool / bond terms allow. |
| Can the app split STX out of my sBTC (or L1 BTC)? | No. Xverse does not auto-split STX from sBTC or from L1 BTC. You may buy STX, but unlocked STX must already be ready at confirm. |
| Can I Bitcoin-stake and Stack the same STX at once? | No. If your STX is stacked, unstake first. Bitcoin Staking follows Stacking cycles, so unlock timing can miss a deposit window. |
Exact percentages and bond rules can change per bond. Always use the amounts and warnings shown in-app before you confirm.
Custody and responsibility (read this)
When you join Bitcoin Staking through Xverse's pool flow, the pool contract holds the deposited sBTC and STX for the bond. That is not the same as "keys never leave your device" for those deposited assets. Your seed still controls your account, but the stake sits in the contract while the position is open.
If you only want classic STX locking for BTC rewards, use Stacking instead (see related links). Dual Stacking is discontinued and is not an option.
Exit terms (bond version)
Genesis Bond preference: no early sBTC withdrawal for the six-month term. A later bond may add early exit. Terms depend on bond version — check in-app for this bond before you confirm.
What to do in the app
- Open Earn → Bitcoin Staking (or go to portfolio.xverse.app/earn/stake-bitcoin; app v2.9+). Do not look for Dual Stacking.
- Confirm you have sBTC (or use the in-flow BTC → sBTC path) and available STX for the pairing shown. Buy STX if needed, but it must be available at confirm — the app will not split STX out of sBTC/L1 BTC for you.
- Deposit sBTC + STX together. You cannot add the STX pairing after the fact.
- Review bond length, deposit window, and withdrawal / early-exit rules on the confirmation screen.
- Confirm only if the STX amount, unlock status, and ratio match what you intend.
Common issues
- I have BTC / sBTC but no unlocked STX. Buy or swap STX first so it is unlocked and ready at confirm - How to Swap Between BTC and STX Using Xverse. Native L1 BTC alone is not the Genesis Bond stake asset, and the app will not auto-split STX from it.
- My STX is still stacked. Unstake first. Unlock follows Stacking cycles and can miss the Bitcoin Staking deposit window.
- Can I finish Dual Stacking instead? No. Dual Stacking is completely discontinued. Use Bitcoin Staking or classic Stacking.
- Rewards look low. Confirm the STX pairing stayed at the required ratio for the whole bond ruleset (under-pair reduces rewards; it does not eject).