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Keep Network

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About Keep Network

Keep Network is a privacy layer for public blockchains, enabling smart contracts to use private data without exposing it to the public blockchain. It utilizes off-chain containers called "keeps" to store and encrypt private data, facilitating applications like tBTC, a Bitcoin bridge to Ethereum.

Keep Network is a pioneering infrastructure protocol focused on bringing privacy and decentralization to the blockchain ecosystem. Built to enable private data usage on public blockchains, Keep Network introduced a revolutionary concept known as “Keeps”—off-chain containers that store encrypted data, accessible only by smart contracts that require confidentiality.


Following a landmark merger with NuCypher, Keep now operates under the Threshold Network umbrella. It continues to support its most prominent innovation, tBTC, the first truly decentralized bridge between Bitcoin and Ethereum. The Keep team remains a central contributor to Threshold, enabling users to bridge their BTC trustlessly and use it across DeFi applications with tBTC v2.

Keep Network was founded to solve a crucial challenge in decentralized systems: how to handle sensitive or private data on public blockchains. Most blockchains require data to be transparent for validation, but Keep Network created a cryptographic solution by introducing “keeps”—off-chain storage containers protected by advanced encryption, ensuring that private data remains confidential while still usable in smart contracts.


In 2021, Keep merged with NuCypher to create the Threshold Network, combining the best of threshold cryptography and privacy-focused protocol architecture. The goal was to establish a unified infrastructure for building privacy-preserving, permissionless blockchain applications. One of the flagship products resulting from this collaboration is tBTC, a decentralized, permissionless bridge that allows users to mint tBTC by depositing Bitcoin and use it freely on Ethereum-based platforms.


Unlike centralized custodial bridges, tBTC operates without intermediaries, offering a 1:1 pegged BTC token on Ethereum that anyone can mint or redeem. The bridge is fully decentralized and governed by a DAO using the Threshold (T) token. Users who held legacy KEEP or NU tokens can upgrade them into T tokens to participate in governance and staking. Keep Network's smart contracts and infrastructure have been audited by top security firms like Trail of Bits, ConsenSys Diligence, and Sergi Delgado, making the protocol one of the most secure in the space.


Keep’s core philosophy is rooted in true decentralization, censorship resistance, and secure cryptographic innovation. By combining advanced encryption with real-world usability, Keep enables a trustless future where users maintain full control of their assets and data. Its ecosystem continues to grow through its contribution to Threshold and via partnerships with major DeFi and infrastructure players. Notable competitors include bridges like Wormhole, RenVM, and centralized solutions like wBTC, though Keep Network remains distinct through its decentralized architecture and robust security model.

Keep Network provides several unique features that empower users with privacy, security, and decentralized interoperability:


  • Decentralized BTC Bridge: Keep Network powers tBTC, the first and only fully decentralized, permissionless bridge between Bitcoin and Ethereum.
  • Encrypted Off-Chain Storage: “Keeps” allow dApps to access private data without making it publicly visible on the blockchain.
  • Threshold Cryptography: After merging with NuCypher, Keep now supports a full suite of threshold encryption tools under the Threshold Network.
  • Security Audits: Keep and tBTC have been audited by leading firms such as Trail of Bits, ConsenSys Diligence, and Sergi Delgado to ensure user safety.
  • T Token Governance: Legacy KEEP and NU holders can upgrade to the new T token, used to govern the Threshold DAO and support staking.
  • Data Sovereignty: Keep's infrastructure enables dApps to manage private data responsibly, empowering use cases in finance, identity, and beyond.

Getting started with Keep Network is straightforward and designed for users seeking decentralized Bitcoin staking and private data access:


  • Mint tBTC: Visit the Mint page to convert BTC to tBTC using the fully decentralized bridge.
  • Upgrade Tokens: Legacy holders of KEEP or NU can visit the Threshold dashboard to upgrade to the unified T token.
  • Stake KEEP: Participate in node operation or delegate your KEEP tokens through the legacy Keep dashboard.
  • Use tBTC in DeFi: Once minted, tBTC can be deployed across DeFi platforms like Uniswap, Curve, and Aave.
  • Participate in Governance: Holders of the T token can propose and vote on governance proposals via the Threshold Governance Forum.
  • Explore Threshold: Visit the Threshold Network to learn more about the merged protocol, its roadmap, and advanced cryptographic tools.

Keep Network FAQ

  • After merging with NuCypher, Keep Network became a foundational pillar of the Threshold Network. The Keep team now focuses on building and maintaining tBTC v2, the first decentralized Bitcoin-to-Ethereum bridge, while continuing to develop privacy-first cryptographic infrastructure. Their mission is to preserve data privacy and decentralized access to capital on the blockchain.

  • tBTC is built to function without trusted intermediaries. When users deposit BTC, the process is managed by a decentralized network of threshold signature groups that control the custody of Bitcoin in a trust-minimized way. Each minted tBTC token is a 1:1 representation of BTC, backed by decentralized, non-custodial vaults. This makes tBTC the only permissionless and secure BTC-to-Ethereum bridge of its kind.

  • The T token is the unified utility and governance token of the Threshold Network. By upgrading your legacy KEEP or NU tokens, you gain access to new staking opportunities, governance voting, and participation in decentralized services like tBTC. The upgrade also ensures long-term alignment with Threshold’s roadmap and gives users a voice in the evolution of privacy-preserving crypto infrastructure.

  • Yes. Keep Network is actively maintained as part of the larger Threshold ecosystem. The Keep team contributes to the development of tBTC v2 and other decentralized privacy tools. Existing KEEP token holders can still stake, operate nodes, and access the legacy dashboard, while also transitioning toward full integration with Threshold through the T token upgrade.

  • Security is a top priority for Keep and tBTC. The protocol has undergone rigorous audits by firms like Trail of Bits, ConsenSys Diligence, and Sergi Delgado. Data stored within “keeps” is protected by advanced encryption, and tBTC vaults use threshold cryptography to eliminate central points of failure. Keep Network delivers one of the most secure infrastructures for private data and cross-chain Bitcoin transfers in the ecosystem.

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