In a significant step towards multichain adoption, Input Output Global (IOG), the development team of Cardano, has announced Bitcoin integration into its flagship non-custodial wallet, Lace. With this update, users will be able to send, receive, and hold Bitcoin directly from within the Lace interface, along with Cardano’s native token, ADA.
This integration represents a long-term vision to make Cardano a centre of activity in a cross-chain universe of blockchains. As Bitcoin is the most recognizable and utilized cryptocurrency, adding it to Lace makes the wallet more accessible and usable.
Why Bitcoin Integration Matters
Brandon Wolf, Lace’s General Manager, described the move as part of an overall effort to simplify it for users to use Web3. “The multichain future of blockchain” is how he described it, mentioning the team’s ambition to make the need for multiple wallets a thing of the past. The update brings Lace to a wider crypto user base as the next most natural alternative to ADA.
This is not just a question of putting Bitcoin in a Cardano wallet—it’s about unifying two large crypto communities and laying the groundwork for more interoperability.
A More Seamless User Experience
With Bitcoin now onboarded, users are able to:
- Store and hold BTC and ADA in one wallet
- Send and receive BTC without ever leaving the Cardano network
- Have one interface to manage multichain portfolios
- Prepare for future innovations like cross-chain staking and DeFi utilities
This release eliminates friction in switching between a myriad of wallets, a long-standing barrier to decentralized finance mass adoption.
Cardano’s Interoperability Ambitions
For Cardano, this is a strategic move to capture the developers and users of Bitcoin. As Bitcoin Layer 2 innovation and Bitcoin DeFi grow, Cardano wants to be part of that future. Founder Charles Hoskinson has long been an advocate for a multichain ecosystem, and Lace is proving to be the platform on which to execute that vision.
Bitcoin support is only the tip of the iceberg. The Lace team already hinted at adding more chains and creating tools making Cardano not just a smart contract platform, but a cross-chain gateway as well.
What’s Next For Lace?
Lace is not holding back on Bitcoin. A smartphone version of the wallet is also in the making to make it more accessible. Further blockchain integrations are planned, solidifying Lace as a genuinely multi-chain Web3 wallet.
As the crypto world moves forward towards interoperability, Cardano’s Lace Wallet is playing a more and more significant role as a tool for integrating ecosystems. With user experience at its core and new partnerships in the works, Lace has all the makings of being the king of the new DeFi universe.