Founders Fund-backed Bitcoin platform, Citrea, unveils Bitcoin-secured application platform, unlocking institutional and worldwide access to Bitcoin-denominated markets
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Citrea, the Bitcoin application platform backed by Founders Fund and Galaxy Ventures, announced the launch of its mainnet, enabling capital market activity directly on the Bitcoin network. Citrea also has gone live with ctUSD, its U.S dollar-denominated stablecoin issued by MoonPay and powered by M0, designed to align with the forthcoming GENIUS Act guidelines. Together, the Citrea mainnet and ctUSD provide an institutional-grade USD settlement and liquidity layer for Bitcoin-based financial activity.
Despite Bitcoin's roughly $1.3 trillion market capitalization, on-chain data shows that more than 61 per cent of BTC, has not moved in over a year, highlighting the scale of capital that remains economically idle due to the lack of native application infrastructure.
"Bitcoin is the world's largest digital asset, yet its role in financial markets has been largely constrained. As demand for Bitcoin exposure grows, much of that activity remains off-chain, relying on intermediaries," said Orkun Kilic, co-founder and CEO of Chainway Labs, the company building Citrea. "By bringing Bitcoin-secured financial applications on-chain, the Citrea mainnet enables capital to be deployed, managed, and settled directly within Bitcoin-native markets. Native settlement through ctUSD provides the bridge to fiat systems, supporting use cases such as BTC-backed lending and institutional credit."
Citrea developed its lending infrastructure in collaboration with leading DeFi participants, including Morpho and UltraYield by Edge Capital. Citrea's native offerings will leverage on-chain and off-chain strategies from premier digital asset institutions like Keyrock to deliver safe, transparent, BTC yields.
"Citrea is addressing a huge market opportunity in helping to make Bitcoin truly programmable, a feature the asset has historically lacked in a scalable way," said Bridget Harris, Associate at Founders Fund. "In building both developer-focused and user-facing products which leverage Bitcoin's security, Citrea fundamentally scales the Bitcoin economy as a whole."
"Citrea enables deeper, more native engagement with BTC by bringing capital markets, stablecoin liquidity, and application infrastructure directly onto Bitcoin," said Will Nuelle, General Partner of Galaxy Ventures. "By making Bitcoin a more active financial asset, Citrea strengthens its role within global financial systems and expands the ways institutions and users can securely build on top of the network."
Citrea's approach has meaningful implications for long-term demand, miner incentives, and how institutions engage with Bitcoin. Citrea enables institutions to pursue more capital-efficient strategies with greater control and flexibility than off-chain venues. As block subsidies decline over time, Citrea aligns network security with real economic usage.
The Citrea mainnet and ctUSD are now live. Learn more at citrea.xyz
About Citrea
Citrea is the Bitcoin application layer, enabling institutions and users to access Bitcoin capital markets. The platform aims to expand Bitcoin's financial utility while remaining anchored to the network's security model. Citrea is backed by investors including Founders Fund, Galaxy, Maven 11, Delphi Digital, Erik Voorhees, Balaji Srinivasan and more.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Citrea Launches Mainnet - Enabling Bitcoin to Be Used for Lending, Trading, and USD Settlement
— Launch Event in Brussels Will Be Live-Streamed Worldwide —
TOKYO, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The transformative power of education in replacing fear with knowledge and prejudice with empathy lies at the heart of the Global Appeal 2026 to End Stigma and Discrimination against Persons Affected by Leprosy.
The appeal will be launched at a ceremony in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday, 29 January 2026. The event is being co-hosted by Education International and the Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen's Disease) Initiative, in partnership with the Damien Foundation.
Since its establishment by the Initiative in 2006, the Global Appeal has been an annual call to action, aiming to mobilize different sectors of society—ranging from religious leaders and Nobel laureates to nurses and legal professionals—to sign a collective pledge to eliminate the social barriers surrounding leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease.
Although leprosy is often perceived as a disease of the past, it remains a health and human rights issue. In 2024, 172,717 new cases were reported from 133 countries. Millions of people worldwide live with leprosy-related disabilities, a reality that continues to fuel stigma and discrimination.
Addressing the misconceptions that perpetuate this injustice requires the transformative power of education. This is the message that Education International delivers through the Global Appeal 2026. As the global voice of teachers and education workers, Education International pledges to use its collective voice to promote knowledge, empathy and action, working toward a society in which the dignity of all individuals is upheld.
The launch event, which will be live-streamed worldwide, will bring together persons affected by leprosy, educators, policymakers, healthcare professionals, education unions, and civil society organizations, to reaffirm their shared commitment to dignity, inclusion and the principle of leaving no one behind.
The event will feature testimonials from persons affected by leprosy from Brazil, India, Indonesia and Senegal whose stories highlight the persistence of stigma even after medical cure. There will also be a panel discussion and a multi-stakeholder dialogue.
On the morning of the event, a delegation of persons affected by leprosy and participating stakeholders shall be received in audience by Her Majesty Queen Mathilde of the Belgians.
Time: 13:30 – 18:30 (CET)
Program: https://sasakawaleprosyinitiative.org/latest-updates/initiative-news/6359/
Streaming URL: https://eur.cvent.me/vvlkdx
About leprosy
Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is an infectious disease that primarily affects the skin and peripheral nerves. In 2024, 172,717 new cases were reported worldwide. Although leprosy is curable, delayed diagnosis and treatment can result in permanent disability. Beyond the physical toll, many people who have experienced leprosy continue to face deep-seated stigma and systemic discrimination, which prevents them from participating fully in society.
About Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen's Disease) Initiative
The Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen's Disease) Initiative is a strategic alliance of WHO Goodwill Ambassador Yohei Sasakawa, the Sasakawa Health Foundation, and The Nippon Foundation for achieving a world without leprosy and problems related to the disease. Since 1975, the Initiative has contributed over US$200 million to support national leprosy programs through the WHO. It is also committed to empowering persons affected by leprosy and their organizations. The Initiative has played a key role in raising leprosy as a human rights issue at the UN, resulting in several resolutions to eliminate discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their families.
About Education International
Education International is the Global Union Federation that brings together organizations of teachers and other education employees from across the world. Through our 375 member organizations, we represent more than 33 million teachers and education support personnel in 180 countries and territories.
About Damien Foundation
Damien Foundation is a Belgian medical non-profit organization that works to support people with tuberculosis and skin-related neglected tropical diseases such as leprosy and leishmaniasis.
For over 60 years, we have shared this expertise in the area of public health by building solid partnerships wherever we go, to support vulnerable populations and help advance research.
We work to strengthen healthcare systems in support of, and at the request of, the national authorities of 13 countries.
Our mission is to provide equal access to robust health services throughout the world including Belgium, ensuring that no one suffers or dies from diseases that can be prevented and cured.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
Global Appeal 2026: Education as the Key to Ending Leprosy Stigma and Discrimination
