Core Foundation and Hex Trust Bring Bitcoin and CORE Dual Staking to Institutions

Core Foundation and Hex Trust announced a partnership to offer dual staking of Bitcoin ($BTC) and CORE tokens for institutional clients. This integration allows institutions to timelock Bitcoin to secure the Core blockchain while earning sustainable on-chain rewards, all within Hex Trust’s regulated custody infrastructure.

The collaboration gives institutional investors in APAC and MENA access to Core’s Dual Staking solution while preserving security and regulatory compliance—two critical factors for large-scale participation in digital assets.

What the Partnership Means

Hex Trust, a regulated custodian with a strong presence in Asia and the Middle East, will integrate Core’s Dual Staking into its custody and staking platform. This means institutions can:

• Stake Bitcoin and CORE directly through Hex Trust.
• Retain full custody of assets without needing to move them outside their accounts.
• Earn rewards generated by real blockchain activity rather than off-chain yield programs.

For institutions holding large amounts of Bitcoin, the appeal is straightforward: rewards can be generated without compromising custody or compliance.

Technical Details: How Dual Staking Works

Core’s Dual Staking model allows institutions to timelock Bitcoin on-chain to help secure the Core blockchain, which is EVM-compatible. In return, stakers earn block rewards.

The program supports three options:

• Stake Bitcoin only.
• Stake CORE tokens only.
• Stake both for combined rewards.

Hex Trust’s integration places these mechanics inside its regulated custody system, allowing clients to stake from within their existing custody accounts.

Key Features for Institutions

The combined offering from Core Foundation and Hex Trust is designed around institutional requirements:

• Secure Custody: Institutions maintain full control over assets within Hex Trust accounts, reducing counterparty risk.
• Sustainable Rewards: Rewards come from on-chain activity, avoiding opaque off-chain programs.
• Seamless Onboarding: Hex Trust’s licensing and compliance framework simplifies entry into Core’s staking ecosystem.
• Reward Transparency: A live calculator within the platform estimates annualized returns across tiers and boosted rates.

Institutional Context: Why It Matters

For institutions, staking programs must meet strict conditions:

• Custody control must remain clear and auditable.
• Regulatory compliance must be built into the platform.
• Predictable reward mechanics must be transparent for investment committees.

Hex Trust addresses custody and compliance through its regulated platform, while Core provides a reward model that flows directly from Bitcoin’s security layer. Together, they enable Bitcoin to be used productively without undermining its base-layer integrity.

Market Landscape

Core has established itself as the leading Bitcoin-focused DeFi (BTCFi) ecosystem. Current metrics highlight its scale:

• Over 7,000 timelocked BTC securing the Core blockchain.
• More than $500 million in DeFi total value locked (TVL).
• Support from about 75% of Bitcoin mining hash power.

The ecosystem also includes products like lstBTC, a liquid staked Bitcoin asset created in collaboration with Maple Finance, BitGo, and Copper. This demonstrates how timelocked BTC can be integrated into broader institutional investment products.

As of August 19, 2025:

• Bitcoin trades at around $113,500.
• CORE, the native token, trades at roughly $0.48.

These market dynamics mean institutions must consider both BTC exposure and CORE’s reward mechanics when modeling yields.

The partnership is particularly focused on APAC and MENA, two regions with strong regulatory frameworks for digital assets and rising institutional adoption. By offering fully licensed staking through Hex Trust, institutions in these regions gain access to Bitcoin rewards without compromising regulatory standing.

Institutional Benefits at a Glance

• Earn Bitcoin rewards while maintaining custody.
• Access compliant staking solutions across APAC and MENA.
• Use integrated calculators for yield transparency.
• Participate in BTCFi directly from a regulated platform.

Conclusion

The expanded integration between Core Foundation and Hex Trust brings together Bitcoin’s security model with institutional-grade custody and compliance. By allowing institutions to stake Bitcoin and CORE directly within Hex Trust accounts, the partnership provides secure, sustainable, and scalable access to blockchain rewards.

Rather than holding Bitcoin passively, institutions now have a compliant pathway to participate in on-chain activity and generate yield. Core’s Dual Staking, combined with Hex Trust’s infrastructure, represents a practical step toward institutional adoption of Bitcoin-based DeFi strategies.

Resources:

1. Hex Trust’s Announcement: https://www.hextrust.com/resources-collection/core-and-hex-trust-partner-to-bring-btc-staking

2. About dual staking: https://docs.coredao.org/docs/Learn/products/btc-staking/dual-staking-guide

3. About Core: https://docs.coredao.org/docs/intro