The Starknet Foundation is rolling out priority perks for qualifying holders as it pushes deeper into Bitcoin-focused DeFi
Starknet now has a velvet rope. The Starknet Foundation introduced the Starknet VIP Program on October 16, 2026, and it targets holders of the network’s native STRK token and strkBTC, its Bitcoin wrapper asset.
According to the program’s page at vip.starknet.io, the program is now open to supported STRK and strkBTC holders.
The perks lean toward access rather than cash. Qualifying holders are set to receive priority support, direct interaction with the Foundation team, confirmed access to events, and additional benefits the Foundation has yet to disclose.
The program covers two assets with different jobs. STRK serves as Starknet’s governance and staking token, and it is also used to pay fees on the network. In practical terms, STRK is how you vote, how you stake, and how you pay for transactions.
strkBTC is the newer piece. It launched in May 2026 as a wrapped version of Bitcoin built for Starknet’s DeFi applications.
strkBTC was initially secured by a federation of institutions. It also includes optional shielding, which lets users keep certain transactions private.
The VIP Program did not arrive in a vacuum. It follows a string of Bitcoin-focused moves as Starknet works to build out what the industry calls BTCFi, or decentralized finance built around Bitcoin.
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In late 2025, Starknet distributed 100 million STRK as part of its push toward Bitcoin integration.
More recently, the network ran a program covering bridging fees for the first 100 BTC moved onto Starknet.
There is also a weekly strkBTC faucet worth approximately $833.
Starknet recently launched v0.14.4 on mainnet, and the VIP Program arrives in the middle of that ongoing upgrade cycle.
On the market side, research findings note a 47% increase in STRK’s value shortly after the announcement, a move linked to interest in BTCFi and privacy upgrades.
There are open questions worth watching. The Foundation has not yet published eligibility thresholds or how long the program will run.
strkBTC’s security model also bears watching. Because it was initially secured by a federation of institutions, users are trusting that group to manage the underlying Bitcoin.