Core DAO Ignition Season 3: The Future of BTCFi

On March 12, 2025, the Core DAO Ignition program under the Core Foundation, which aims to expand its blockchain ecosystem, will kick off Season 3. This onboarding program launched last year is looking to expand the core ecosystem. All eyes are on what Season 3 would hold now that Season 2 is coming to a close tomorrow on March 11. 

With season 3 around the corner, it makes more sense to explore what the program is about, including key details for prospective participants interested in joining the BTCFi blockchain. 

What is Core Dao Ignition?

The Core DAO Ignition aims to motivate users to engage with its blockchain and ecosystem that revolves around bitcoin. For context, the Core blockchain allows users to stake their Bitcoin without losing access to them, which is already a major differentiator. Combine that with the fact that it’s EVM-compatible, and the Core network instantly becomes a bridge between Bitcoin and other blockchains. 

Under the Ignition program, users get rewards for completing specific engagement actions such as moving assets to Core, using its apps, or inviting new users. The program has been partitioned into “seasons” from the onset. Season 1 ended in September 2024 while Season 2 picked up immediately from September 11, 2024 to March 11, 2025. Now that Season 3 is set to begin, the Core team has made some slight changes and improvements. 

Core Ignition: How It Works

The Ignition program is straightforward. Anyone wishing to participate can do so by linking a wallet to the Core network and bridging some funds, say $100 worth of USDT. After registering, you are provided with a dashboard that monitors your engagement. Users earn rewards mainly through “Sparks,” which are points earned daily by completing specific tasks. 

As an example, users who possess certain approved assets can accrue Sparks. Other network applications, such as trading or lending, could be profitable. There is even a rewards program where users earn Sparks via referring friends. With or without referral, the more you use the services, the greater the point accumulation. 

The Ignition Dashboard features a visibility transparency mechanism for users to view their Sparks at the end of each day with increments calculated for every activity. The dashboard shows users' Spark balance, active campaigns with deadlines, team stats and referral earnings, and their positions on the Leaderboard.  Reward claiming is perpetual so users can claim rewards for their on-chain engagements. The rewards are given in stCORE tokens which can be cashed in across the season.

How to Get Started

Getting involved is a two-step process: 

To begin, go to ignition.coredao.org and create an account, select a username, specify your country, accept the terms, and connect a crypto wallet. An X account can be provided for faster results, but this is not a requirement. 

The last step is bridging assets to Core, starting with $100 in USDT. This creates a permanent referral link and you can start earning Sparks. The system takes about an hour to update, so your points won’t show up instantly. Bridging more assets isn’t required, but it can increase your rewards and help you climb the leaderboard.

Earning Sparks: The Basics

Sparks are the program’s currency, which is calculated daily at midnight UTC and can be seen by other users. There are several different ways to earn them:

Exploring dApps: Core hosts over 250 decentralized applications such as trading and lending dApps and even NFT marketplaces. Simple actions such as exchanging USDT for CORE tokens at a swap provider and then using those tokens to add liquidity to a DEX (decentralized exchange) will earn you Sparks.

Joining Campaigns: The Ignition dashboard shows which campaigns are active, their starting and ending times, and corresponding Spark amounts. You will often get more value if you start earlier, and some campaigns give multiplier bonuses. 

Inviting Friends: Users get a referral link once they bridge $50 worth of assets. Once the link is used, you will receive 10% of the Sparks your direct invitees earn, plus 2% of the Sparks earned by people they invite. 

Making Transactions: On the other hand, participants don't have to move huge amounts. Even small, frequent transactions across dApps can add up. The emphasis is on the amount of activity, not just the magnitude.

Reviewing the First Two Seasons

The first season set the stage by presenting the program to the possible users and training them on how to use it. The first iteration saw over 50K user signups, 20+ engagement campaigns with 14 BTCfi projects, and billions of Sparks rewarded, expanding the BTCfi ecosystem. By the time it culminated, a mix of crypto lovers and newcomers interested in BTCfi had already started to flow in. 

Following this, Season 2 lasted for six months, and was marked by the users continuously bridging assets and using new apps on Core. Compared to the previous season, this was a relatively calm phase, but in terms of efficiency, it is more active.

Users seem satisfied with how Season 2 is closing, where some have already expressed plans for the next season. 

What to Expect From Season 3

Based on a recent post from the official Core DAO account on X, there is set to be “more Sparks, more multipliers, more Ignition.” That could mean fresh features to explore, new ways to boost earnings, or higher rewards for the same activities. 

One aspect is certain: the structure isn’t changing much. Users are still required to join by bridging assets, and Sparks will still be the reward system. However, the hints about “more” suggest the team could change the formula by introducing new apps to interact with or modifying how users earn points. 

The timing is significant too. Since Season 2 ends just a day before, there’s no break in between, meaning the program didn’t need to pause. This indicates that Core DAO is trying to maximize user utility by increasing network activity.

Core DAO Ignition is not just about earning points and rewards; it is part of a larger initiative to integrate Bitcoin into decentralized finance. Traditionally, Bitcoin has been viewed as a store of value akin to digital gold, but Core intends for it to serve a greater purpose by connecting it to apps and services on Ethereum. The Ignition program aims to get people to buy into the concept, while simultaneously trying it out for real. 

For an average user, it is an opportunity to explore an otherwise unfamiliar ecosystem. For the Core Foundation, it is an experiment to determine whether their blockchain can scale. The staked Bitcoin and current seasons suggest it is working, though Season 3 may be pivotal – potentially cementing Core's position in BTCfi or showcasing where it needs to improve.