ZeusNode is officially live, and the $ZEUS Guardian Staking Program has been launched.
Article Source: ZEUS

A New Era of Bitcoin Liquidity Utilization Begins: ZeusNode Goes Live, Initiates Epoch 1, and Paves the Way for 1% of $BTC on Solana.
ZeusNode Overview
ZeusNode is core infrastructure built on the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) to support ZeusLayer, establishing its role as Solana's Layer 1.5 and enhancing Solana's liquidity through permissionless Bitcoin integration.
The primary mission of ZeusNode is to achieve seamless Bitcoin operations in Solana's high-speed environment while ensuring transaction integrity and adhering to the highest security standards for cross-chain assets.
Now, with the formal start of Epoch 1, ZeusNode has initiated Operators and Guardians to oversee network security and is preparing to soon onboard Bitcoin transactions.
Operators and Guardians
ZeusNode acts as a trustless interactor between Bitcoin and Solana, supported by cooperation between Operators and Guardians. They ensure network security for smooth Bitcoin liquidity inflow into Solana.
In the Bitcoin-to-Solana scenario, Operators collect transaction proposals and submit them to Guardians for validation and signature. Upon validation, Operators facilitate interaction requests between the blockchains, enabling secure and efficient cross-chain operations.
With Operators now activated by Zeus Network, the ZeusNode Guardian delegation has officially opened, paving the way for Bitcoin to Solana requests.
Guardian Staking: Bitcoin's Anchor on Solana
Each Guardian is responsible for validating transactions, ensuring the security of the ZeusNode network, and the integrity of ZPL assets. Guardians oversee transaction signing to ensure secure interaction between Bitcoin and Solana.

ZeusNode offers two Guardian programs for Bitcoin liquidity providers:
Guardians: Only reputable entities can become Guardians to protect the network. This type of Guardian is open to anyone willing to delegate $ZEUS and actively contribute to network security.
Institutional Guardians: Customized for large $BTC liquidity providers, allowing them to establish a private Guardian to enhance asset management on Solana. $ZEUS holders cannot delegate.
In the early stages, the ZeusNode program will admit a maximum of 10 Guardians and several Institutional Guardians to ensure network security and scalability. Please read the following to further understand each Guardian type.
Guardian
The Guardian is the cornerstone of the ZeusNode trustless mechanism, responsible for ensuring secure cross-chain interaction. Only trusted notary entities can become Guardians by depositing and locking the minimum amount of $ZEUS, activating their role in the network.
Institutional Guardian
Institutional Guardians are custom-tailored to meet the needs of large liquidity providers, enabling them to effectively manage and optimize significant $BTC volumes.
The Institutional Guardian model serves institutions capable of handling large inflows of Solana $BTC. To participate, entities must deposit a minimum of 500 $BTC, with no limit on $BTC inflow capacity to ensure flexibility and scalability.
ZeusNode Development
In order to ensure the secure and seamless liquidity flow of Bitcoin, we have collaborated with cryptographers and security experts to develop a phased capacity model to strengthen its security foundation.
Dynamic Ratio: $ZEUS-$BTC
With the launch of ZeusNode Epoch 1, the delegation process at a 20,000:1 initial $ZEUS to $BTC ratio successfully initiated the first batch of Guardians, allocating a secure capacity to manage the incoming $BTC.
Once a Guardian's delegation reaches 5,000,000 $ZEUS, this ratio will dynamically adjust, unlocking unlimited $BTC inflow capacity to ensure adaptability and responsiveness to market demand.
Network Capacity Roadmap
This journey starts with activating ZeusNode and the Guardian delegation plan, allowing users to delegate their $ZEUS and actively contribute to the network's security and growth.
As the network evolves, ZeusNode will onboard more Guardians and Institutional Guardians, progressively unlocking more $ZEUS delegation slots to enhance network security and maximize $BTC capacity, while paving the way for integrating other UTXO-based assets.

Epoch 1: Security Foundation Build
Based on the Foundation's security ratio, once the network achieves full security through 500,000 $ZEUS in delegation, there will be a $BTC inflow of 25 into Solana. The $BTC in this stage will initially be rolled out as $zBTC, supported by APOLLO, marking the flagship of ZPL assets.
Timeline: Ongoing
Guardians: 1
Institutional Guardians: 0
Network Capacity: 25 $BTC / 500,000 $ZEUS
Periods 2 and 3: Network Capacity Expansion
The activation of three additional Guardians and the introduction of Institutional Guardians will enhance the network's capacity. With support from institutional Bitcoin liquidity, this expansion is expected to bring in 1,100 $BTC. Therefore, the network's capacity will significantly increase, supporting delegations of up to 12,000,000 $ZEUS.
Timeline: Q1 2025
Guardians: 4
Institutional Guardians: 2
Network Capacity: 1,100 $BTC / up to 12,000,000 $ZEUS
Phases 4 and 5: Maximizing Network Capacity
The vision for this phase is to onboard 1% of Bitcoin liquidity to Solana, aiming to maximize the network's capacity through the full activation of 10 Guardians and multiple Institutional Guardians. By fully delegating $ZEUS to each Guardian, it achieves an infinite flow of $BTC inflow, laying the foundation for Solana's seamless scalability and liquidity expansion.
Timeline: Q1/Q2 2025
Guardians: 10
Institutional Guardians: 4
Network Capacity: 2,250 $BTC / up to 25,000,000 $ZEUS
Phases 6 and 7: UTXO and xyzBTC Integration
The focus of this phase is to enable UTXO-based assets and xyzBTC to seamlessly flow into Solana, unlocking new opportunities for asset interoperability and use cases. This step represents a transformative leap in connecting Bitcoin liquidity to Solana, granting users unparalleled flexibility and $BTC management capabilities.
Timeline: Q2 2025
Guardians: To be determined
Institutional Guardians: To be determined
Network Capacity: To be determined
Delegate $ZEUS Now

$ZEUS holders can now delegate their tokens to guardians to strengthen network security while earning rewards.
This article is contributed content and does not represent the views of BlockBeats.
You may also like

CLARITY Act Stalled: How Coinbase's Revolt Against U.S. Crypto Rules Could Freeze the Crypto Market (2026 Update)
Jan 2026: The CLARITY Act imploded when Coinbase opposed Senate's stablecoin yield ban. Explore the 3 'poison pills' that froze crypto regulation and moved markets.

Bitcoin Surges Past Key Levels—Potential Liquidations Loom
Key Takeaways Bitcoin could trigger $1.71 billion in short liquidation on major CEXs if it surpasses $92,262. Conversely,…

Bitcoin Faces Rare Fourth Consecutive Monthly Decline
Key Takeaways Bitcoin is on the brink of its fourth consecutive monthly decline, a situation unseen since the…

Penguin Token Sells Off Amid Market Fluctuations
Key Takeaways A significant PENGUIN token holder has started liquidating their holdings, resulting in $40,000 worth of tokens…

Insider Whale Acquires Additional 22,000 ETH
Key Takeaways The “1011 Insider Whale” has added another 22,000 ETH to their holdings. The ETH purchase is…

OWL Tokens Transferred in Potential Sell-off Alert
Key Takeaways $2.1 million in OWL tokens were moved from a team’s wallet, raising concerns about a possible…

Ethereum Price Fluctuations Could Trigger Massive Liquidations
Key Takeaways If Ethereum’s price falls below $2,754, significant liquidation of long positions totaling $1.361 billion is anticipated…

Major Whale Amplifies Short Position on xyz:SILVER Contract
Key Takeaways A significant player, termed “Silver Iron Head Short Army,” has increased their short position on the…

Fed’s January Rate Decision and Bitcoin’s Outlook
Key Takeaways The Federal Reserve is anticipated to announce its first interest rate decision for 2026, with market…

Cardano Faces Downside Risks as Market Seeks Support at $0.27
Key Takeaways Cardano’s price has seen a significant decline, retreating to $0.34 following a three-week correction period since…

Cathie Wood Boosts Investment in Cryptocurrency Stocks
Key Takeaways Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest has significantly increased its investment in Coinbase, Circle, and Bullish to the…

USD Weakens as DXY Falls Below 97, Boosting Bitcoin Prospects
Key Takeaways The US Dollar Index (DXY) dropped below 97, reaching its lowest level since September of the…

Global Risks Influence Bitcoin Fluctuations: QCP Asia’s Insight
Key Takeaways Persistent macroeconomic uncertainties cause global markets to retreat into risk-off mode. Japanese bond yields surge to…

Dormant Ethereum Whale Transfers 50,000 ETH to Gemini, Market Reacts
Key Takeaways A significant dormant Ethereum whale transferred 50,000 ETH, valued at approximately $145 million, to the Gemini…

Digital Asset Fund Outflows Lead to Market Volatility
Key Takeaways Digital asset funds experienced net outflows of $1.73 billion last week, the largest since mid-November last…

Ethereum Whales Signal Possible Market Surge with Bold Moves
Key Takeaways Ethereum whales are actively participating in the market with divergent strategies, buying in bulk and selling…

XRP Price Shows Potential for Rebound as Market Conditions Shift
Key Takeaways XRP’s price is under pressure but shows signs of a potential rebound driven by technical indicators…

Whale Leverages a 2x Long Position on 3,436 ETH
Key Takeaways A crypto whale utilized 2x leverage to go long on 3,436 ETH with an average entry…
CLARITY Act Stalled: How Coinbase's Revolt Against U.S. Crypto Rules Could Freeze the Crypto Market (2026 Update)
Jan 2026: The CLARITY Act imploded when Coinbase opposed Senate's stablecoin yield ban. Explore the 3 'poison pills' that froze crypto regulation and moved markets.
Bitcoin Surges Past Key Levels—Potential Liquidations Loom
Key Takeaways Bitcoin could trigger $1.71 billion in short liquidation on major CEXs if it surpasses $92,262. Conversely,…
Bitcoin Faces Rare Fourth Consecutive Monthly Decline
Key Takeaways Bitcoin is on the brink of its fourth consecutive monthly decline, a situation unseen since the…
Penguin Token Sells Off Amid Market Fluctuations
Key Takeaways A significant PENGUIN token holder has started liquidating their holdings, resulting in $40,000 worth of tokens…
Insider Whale Acquires Additional 22,000 ETH
Key Takeaways The “1011 Insider Whale” has added another 22,000 ETH to their holdings. The ETH purchase is…
OWL Tokens Transferred in Potential Sell-off Alert
Key Takeaways $2.1 million in OWL tokens were moved from a team’s wallet, raising concerns about a possible…