Question 1

What is Zest Protocol (ZEST)?

Accepted Answer

Zest Protocol is a Bitcoin-focused lending protocol. It allows users to deposit supported assets and borrow against collateral through on-chain markets. Its lending market runs on Stacks, a Bitcoin layer 2, and supports assets such as STX, sBTC, stSTX, USDC and other assets.

ZEST is the protocol’s native token. It is designed to support the Zest Protocol ecosystem, with governance and staking planned for future activation once the protocol reaches a stage where these functions can support protocol activity.

The protocol’s V2 design uses a market contract to coordinate lending, borrowing, collateral management, liquidations, vault routing and oracle price checks. User positions and balances are stored in a separate market-vault contract, while asset registries and risk groups define supported assets and risk parameters.

Question 2

What is Zest Protocol (ZEST) used for?

Accepted Answer

ZEST is used within the Zest Protocol ecosystem. Governance and staking are planned but are not active at this stage, with the project currently focused on Bitcoin Collateral Vaults and protocol liquidity.

Zest Protocol is used for lending and borrowing. Depositors can supply assets to earn yield, while borrowers can access overcollateralised loans against supported assets. The protocol uses vaults for supported assets, issues zTokens as vault shares and uses oracle-based pricing for risk checks and liquidations.

ZEST can also be bridged between Stacks and BNB Chain through the protocol’s bridge process.

Question 3

Who created Zest Protocol (ZEST)?

Accepted Answer

Zest Protocol was created by Tycho Onnasch, Fernando Foy and Emil E.

The project was incubated at Trust Machines, a Bitcoin product company founded by Muneeb Ali. Zest Protocol announced a $3.5 million seed round in May 2024 led by Draper Associates, with participation from Binance Labs, Flow Traders, Trust Machines and other investors.

#	Instrument	Exchange	Benchmark Score	Price	24h Change	24h Volume	24h Trades	24h Open	24h High
1	ZEST-USDT ZEST_USDT	gateio	A	0.1416USDT	5,37%	1.186.449,00ZEST	6180	0.1344USDT	0.1458USDT
2	ZEST-USDT ZEST-USDT	kucoin	BB	0.1413USDT	4,88%	293.593,70ZEST	912	0.1347USDT	0.1451USDT
3	ZEST-USDT ZESTUSDT	cexio	BB	0.1411USDT	6,68%	216,49ZEST	3	0.1323USDT	0.1411USDT
4	ZEST-USDT zestusdt	huobipro	C	0.1411USDT	5,22%	899.630,87ZEST	4051	0.1341USDT	0.1449USDT
5	ZEST-USDT ZESTUSDT	toobit	C	0.1414USDT	5,15%	813.225,00ZEST	8859	0.1344USDT	0.1452USDT
6	ZEST-USDT zest_usdt	xtpub	-	0.1416USDT	5,36%	706.665,00ZEST	3621	0.1344USDT	0.1452USDT
7	ZEST-USDT zest_usdt	digifinex	D	0.1415USDT	5,29%	625.531,00ZEST	2869	0.1344USDT	0.1451USDT
8	ZEST-USDT ZEST_USDT	bitunix	C	0.1413USDT	5,17%	523.001,00ZEST	6696	0.1344USDT	0.1452USDT
9	ZEST-USDT ZESTUSDT	mexc	C	0.1414USDT	4,99%	500.255,68ZEST	3540	0.1347USDT	0.1451USDT
10	ZEST-USDT ZESTUSDT	hitbtc	E	0.1480USDT	0,00%	0ZEST	0	0.1480USDT	0.1480USDT
11	ZEST-USDT ZEST_USDT	poloniex	C	0.1019USDT	0,00%	0ZEST	0	0.1019USDT	0.1019USDT