RENBTC is an ERC-20 token built on the Ethereum network, pegged to Bitcoin. RENBTC is minted on the Ren platform, which is an open protocol that provides everyone with access to the inter-blockchain liquidity, helping to bring assets from other blockchains to Ethereum decentralized applications (DApps). The main cryptocurrencies supported are Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Zcash (ZEC). RENBTC is not a synthetic token, and doesn’t rely on any liquidation mechanisms to ensure it remains pegged to the value of BTC — instead, it’s a direct supply peg, meaning there are always enough BTC in reserve to cover the circulating renBTC supply.
The main difference between renBTC and other wrapped Bitcoin tokens is the fluid value exchange of the token. RenVM does not store any Bitcoin inside a centralized custodial platform but instead uses a decentralized network of nodes called Darknodes. Users can mint and burn tokens back and forth whenever they want, without needing to complete KYC to do so. The protocol can handle hundreds of transactions per minute, and has never been overloaded. Additionally, RenVM can be directly integrated into numerous decentralized applications through the use of specialized adapters provided by Ren. This means that a user can directly utilize Bitcoin (via RENBTC) on a decentralized exchange (DEX) or lending platform without needing to jump through any hoops first.
