Core is an EVM-compatible Layer 1 blockchain that extends Bitcoin’s security through a novel mechanism called Satoshi Plus — Bitcoin miners can delegate hash power to Core validators (earning CORE rewards without changing their mining rigs), while CORE token holders perform Delegated Proof of Stake in parallel. This dual-consensus design made Core one of the few “Bitcoin L2” projects to actually use Bitcoin miner participation rather than simply bridging BTC as collateral. Core’s EVM environment supports full DeFi (lending, DEXs, NFTs), while native Bitcoin staking (BTC holders can time-lock BTC on Bitcoin mainnet to earn CORE yields) adds a complementary yield layer. The CORE token pays gas, nominates validators, and governs the network.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Ticker | CORE |
| Price | $0.03 |
| Market Cap | $30.18M |
| 24h Change | +9.4% |
| Circulating Supply | 1.08B CORE |
| Max Supply | 2.10B CORE |
| All-Time High | $6.14 |
| Contract (Core) | 0x191e...ad01 |
How It Works
Satoshi Plus consensus:
- Bitcoin miner delegation — Miners include a special OP_RETURN field in Bitcoin coinbase transactions, pointing hash power to a Core validator. Miners earn CORE on top of normal BTC block rewards.
- Delegated Proof of Stake — CORE token holders delegate to validators; validator election is weighted by both delegated hash power and delegated CORE.
- Hybrid score — Each validator’s election score combines hash power score + CORE stake score. This prevents any single group from monopolizing consensus.
Bitcoin staking:
BTC holders can lock BTC directly on the Bitcoin mainnet (via timelock UTXO) and receive CORE staking rewards. The BTC never leaves Bitcoin’s blockchain; Core reads the timelock as a “soft pledge.”
EVM compatibility:
Core is fully EVM-compatible. Ethereum tools (MetaMask, Hardhat, Ethers.js) work on Core without modification, enabling rapid DeFi application deployment.
Tokenomics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Max Supply | 2,100,000,000 CORE |
| Node mining rewards | ~39.995% |
| Users | ~25.029% |
| Contributors | ~15% |
| Reserves | ~10% |
| Burn mechanism | % of gas fees burned each epoch |
| Deflationary | Yes — continuous fee burning |
Use Cases
- Gas — CORE pays transaction fees on Core blockchain
- Staking / delegation — Delegate CORE to validators; earn staking yields
- Bitcoin staking rewards — BTC time-lockers earn CORE emissions
- Governance — CORE holders participate in DAO governance votes
- DeFi collateral — Used in Core-native lending and AMM protocols
History
- 2022 — Core blockchain (originally “Core Chain”) announced; Satoshi Plus consensus paper released
- Jan 14, 2023 — Core mainnet launches; CORE token live
- 2023 — SatoshiFi campaign — Bitcoin staking product (BTCfi) launches, attracting billions in BTC timelock deposits
- 2023–2024 — Core becomes one of the largest “Bitcoin DeFi” ecosystems by TVL
- 2024 — Dual staking introduced (lock both CORE and BTC simultaneously for boosted yields)
- 2024 — Multiple major DeFi protocols deploy on Core; Bitcoin staking TVL exceeds $1B
Common Misconceptions
“Core is a Bitcoin sidechain.” Core is an independent L1 blockchain. Bitcoin does not validate Core blocks. Satoshi Plus uses Bitcoin miner signaling, not Bitcoin consensus. Bitcoin merely provides a source of external hash-power signal.
“You have to move your BTC to use Bitcoin staking.” BTC timelocking on Core happens entirely on the Bitcoin mainnet. The BTC is locked by a native Bitcoin UTXO script — it never leaves Bitcoin’s network or gets wrapped.