Acre Launches 14% APY Bitcoin Vault with Self-Custody

The launch of Acre’s estimated 14% APY vault represents a significant advancement in Bitcoin financialization, directly addressing the longstanding dilemma faced by BTC holders. According to recent research cited in the announcement, 73% of Bitcoin holders express interest in earning yield, yet more than 40% would allocate less than 20% of their holdings to BTCFi products due to concerns around trust and complexity. Acre CEO Laura Wallendal articulated this challenge: “Today, Bitcoin holders are forced to choose between giving up control to a custodian or navigating all the complexity of DeFi—bridging, vault rotation, rebalancing, and selling off altcoins—often for barely 1% in yield.”

Acre’s solution eliminates this tradeoff by providing a secure, transparent way to earn compounding yield on BTC without custodial risk or typical DeFi complexity. The platform automatically handles bridging via tBTC, rebalancing, and reinvesting gains onchain, while ensuring all rewards are paid directly in Bitcoin. This approach not only empowers users but also brings vital liquidity to protocols and builders reimagining finance built around Bitcoin, creating a symbiotic ecosystem where both individual holders and the broader Bitcoin infrastructure benefit.

Acre’s inaugural vault, curated by Re7 Labs with vault infrastructure provided by Midas, brings institutional-caliber yield strategies to the broader Bitcoin community. The strategy includes a portfolio of time-tested techniques such as liquidity provision, options, and L2 staking, previously accessible only to institutions and high-net-worth individuals. Re7 Capital Founder & CIO Evgeny Gokhberg emphasized the platform’s robust foundation: “The team at Acre has taken a comprehensive approach to building a yield platform rooted in transparency, risk management, and strong governance. Together, we’re advancing institutional DeFi infrastructure, with this launch marking a key step on Ethereum Mainnet and expanding access to BTC yields within DeFi.”

The platform’s auto-compounding feature automatically reinvests BTC earnings for maximum growth, while its BTC-only rewards policy ensures users maintain zero exposure to unfamiliar tokens or chains. Midas CEO Dennis Dinkelmeyer highlighted the collaborative nature of the venture: “Acre has taken a collaborative approach, giving BTC holders access to potential earning opportunities while maintaining strong transparency and operational safeguards. Responsible partnerships like this are key to building user confidence and supporting the growth of onchain financial products.” This institutional-grade infrastructure, now democratized for retail access, represents a significant maturation of Bitcoin financial products.

Central to Acre’s value proposition is the rigorous oversight provided by the Acre Security Council, which includes executives and members from Lido, Anagram, LedgerPrime, and Threshold. Each Acre vault must meet strict risk management criteria and undergo comprehensive review and approval by this council, ensuring robust oversight and transparency. The council’s composition brings together expertise from leading DeFi and traditional finance institutions, creating a multi-faceted approach to risk assessment that addresses both technical and financial vulnerabilities.

The security framework is detailed in the Acre Deployment Policy, which establishes clear guidelines for strategy evaluation and ongoing monitoring. This governance structure addresses one of the primary concerns preventing Bitcoin holders from participating in yield-earning opportunities—the lack of transparent, accountable oversight. By combining Re7 Labs’ industry-best approach to risk management with the collective expertise of the Security Council, Acre creates a trust-minimized environment where users can confidently allocate their Bitcoin to productive strategies while maintaining full self-custody throughout the process.

Acre’s launch represents more than just another yield product—it signals a fundamental shift in how Bitcoin can function within the broader financial ecosystem. Founded by the team behind projects like Fold, Casa, Thesis, and tBTC, and supported by leaders at Lido, Eigenlayer, Midas and Re7, Acre brings over a decade of Bitcoin expertise with a focus on simplicity and transparency. This pedigree positions the platform to drive meaningful adoption of Bitcoin financialization among the estimated 73% of BTC holders interested in earning yield but previously deterred by complexity.

The platform’s Bitcoin-first approach, combined with its seamless integration with Ethereum Mainnet and Bitcoin layer 2 networks, creates a bridge between the Bitcoin and Ethereum ecosystems that benefits both. By enabling BTC to earn sustainable yield directly from Bitcoin wallets without sacrificing self-custody, Acre sets a new standard for decentralized, transparent Bitcoin finance. As the platform evolves and additional vaults launch under the Security Council’s oversight, it has the potential to unlock billions of dollars in currently idle Bitcoin, transforming the cryptocurrency from a passive store of value into a dynamic, productive asset class.