Short answer: Stacking locks STX to support Stacks consensus and earns BTC rewards. Bitcoin Staking (Xverse product name) deposits sBTC + STX at the same time into a pool contract and earns sBTC rewards from Proof of Transfer (PoX) miner BTC. Same ecosystem. Different assets, rewards, and custody model.
Bitcoin Staking ≠ Dual Stacking. Dual Stacking is completely discontinued (Ken). The Dual Stacking page is coming down. Do not tell users Dual Stacking continues for existing positions.
Never describe Bitcoin Staking as bare "earn BTC." Rewards for that product are sBTC.
Side-by-side
| STX Stacking (Xverse Pool) | Bitcoin Staking (Stacks via Xverse) | |
|---|---|---|
| What you put in | STX | sBTC + unlocked STX together (~5% STX as protocol bond / eligibility pairing, not collateral or a fee) |
| Main goal | Lock STX → earn BTC rewards | Stake sBTC position → earn sBTC rewards |
| Where it lives in app | Earn → Stacking | Earn → Bitcoin Staking (stake-bitcoin; app v2.9+) |
| Reward asset | BTC (to your reward address) | sBTC (not bare BTC) |
| Does STX earn the product's yield? | Yes. STX is the stacked asset. | No. STX is eligibility pairing only; all yield is sBTC. |
| STX readiness | Stacking locks STX per pool rules | STX must be available / unlocked at registration. Cannot pair later. No auto-split of STX from sBTC or L1 BTC. |
| Solo vs pool (Xverse today) | Pool / delegated path in Xverse (other Stacks options exist elsewhere) | Pool contract for Genesis / current bond. Not solo L1 BTC. |
| Custody of the stake | Delegation / pool stacking rules for STX | Pool contract holds deposited sBTC + STX while open |
| Early exit | Per stacking / pool rules in-app | Prefer Genesis: no early sBTC withdrawal for the 6-month term; later bonds may differ. Check in-app for this bond. |
| Typical conflict | n/a | Same address cannot use stacked STX for Bitcoin Staking — unstake first; unlock timing can miss a deposit window |
| Dual Stacking | Discontinued — not this product | Discontinued — not Bitcoin Staking |
Bond length, deposit windows, fees, and withdrawal rules are shown in-app for each product. Rates are variable and not guaranteed.
Which one should I use?
| If you want… | Start with |
|---|---|
| To lock STX you already hold and receive BTC rewards | Stacking with Xverse Pool |
| To put sBTC to work for sBTC rewards under Bitcoin Staking | Bitcoin Staking flow + Why do I need STX to stake Bitcoin? (unlocked STX ready at confirm) |
| Native L1 BTC staking | Next product phase after Genesis — not live now. It will also require STX pairing. Do not assume L1 removes the STX requirement. |
| Dual Stacking | Not available. Completely discontinued. |
Practical checks before you confirm
- Confirm the product name on screen: Stacking vs Bitcoin Staking (not Dual Stacking).
- Confirm the assets the app asks for (STX only vs sBTC + unlocked STX together).
- Confirm the reward ticker (BTC for Stacking vs sBTC for Bitcoin Staking).
- Confirm STX is unlocked before the deposit window closes — Bitcoin Staking follows Stacking cycles.
- Read lockup / deposit window / exit rules on the confirmation screen (terms depend on bond version).
- If you already have stacked STX on that address, plan the unstake before you try to Bitcoin-stake.