Unveiled on March 31 at Hannover Messe 2025, the production version of Pontus-X, developed by deltaDAO AG, marks a major step forward for Europe’s digital sovereignty strategy.

Built on the Gaia-X framework and powered by Oasis Network’s privacy-preserving blockchain, Pontus-X is now the largest publicly available data space in Europe.

With over 180 onboarded institutions, including Airbus, OHB SE, and T-Systems, the platform is built for secure, compliant sharing and monetization of data and digital services across borders and industries.

The ecosystem supports more than 570 services across aerospace, manufacturing, mobility, AI, and agriculture.

Pontus-X leverages a federated approach to data sharing, emphasizing control, privacy, and interoperability. Features like Compute-to-Data allow algorithms to process information without exposing the underlying data, making it ideal for sensitive sectors such as defense and space.

To learn more about how this next-generation data space works under the hood, crypto.news spoke with both Oasis Network and Pontus-X leadership.

Our Q&A covers the technical foundations of confidential computing, how data access controls are managed, and why this platform could become the default stack for sovereign AI and data monetization across Europe.

A few key takeaways: Oasis shared how its Sapphire ParaTime uses hardware-level Trusted Execution Environments to protect data during processing, and deltaDAO explained how Pontus-X enables legally binding digital contracts that comply with evolving EU rules under the Data Act and MiCA.

Here’s our full Q&A with Oasis and Pontus-X.

Oasis Network

1. Oasis powers Pontus-X with its privacy-preserving blockchain. Why is confidential computing such a critical foundation for data spaces like this — and what specific privacy features are being used in the live deployment?

Confidential computing is essential for data spaces like Pontus-X because it allows organizations to share and monetize their data while maintaining control over sensitive information and intellectual property. Oasis provides confidentiality through Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) via our Sapphire ParaTime, which enables encrypted network state and confidential smart contracts that protect data during processing. This approach gives enterprises the confidence to participate in data sharing ecosystems without exposing their raw data, making previously impossible cross-organization collaborations viable while still meeting strict European privacy and regulatory requirements.

2. The press release calls this a “secure, decentralized data ecosystem” powered by Oasis. For crypto-native builders, can you explain how data is secured during processing? Is confidentiality enforced at the hardware level (e.g., TEEs), smart contract level, or through cryptographic techniques?

Oasis secures data during processing primarily through hardware-level Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) – specifically Intel SGX technology – which create secure enclaves where data is decrypted, processed, and re-encrypted without exposure to node operators. This TEE-based approach is complemented by our confidential smart contract layer on Sapphire, which enables developers to customize which aspects of state remain encrypted and which can be public, offering flexibility for different use cases. 

3. This deployment puts Oasis at the center of Europe’s digital sovereignty stack. Strategically, do you see privacy-preserving blockchains like Oasis becoming a default infrastructure layer for sovereign data ecosystems? And how are you positioning Oasis in discussions with EU regulators and Gaia-X stakeholders?

We absolutely see privacy-preserving blockchains becoming the default infrastructure layer for sovereign data ecosystems, as they uniquely address the competing demands for data sharing, monetization, and control that are central to Europe’s digital sovereignty vision. Fundamentally, you can’t have free, and open collaboration onchain without privacy and security. But to answer the second part of your question, we aren’t regularly dealing directly with regulators on projects like this, Oasis is only the infra provider and everything is open source, so the compliance side of things is more on the dapp level.

4. How does Oasis handle permissioning and access control in data spaces like Pontus-X, where some services may require restricted access or need to comply with sector-specific rules (e.g., aerospace, defense)? Is this built into the smart contract layer or handled off-chain?

Oasis is the infra provider that enables the permissions and access controls that are enforced through smart contracts, but the policies are designed and implemented by Pontus-X.

5. Now that Pontus-X is live on Oasis mainnet, what are the next steps for deeper integration? Are there plans to extend functionality like cross-chain interoperability, native token payments, or smart contract templates tailored to sovereign data use cases?

Pontus-X going live on Oasis mainnet marks a significant milestone for the project bringing trustlessness, privacy and compliance in data and AI to production. The platform Pontus-X is built on offers a lot of flexibility in terms of cross-chain interoperability, custom gas tokens and smart contract design. Next steps are helping the deltaDAO team with further developments that will make it even easier for them to onboard new partners and meet their customers where they are.

6. Pontus-X emphasizes monetization of data, AI models, and digital services. Is Oasis being used to facilitate those payments on-chain — and if so, how are they handled in practice? Are stablecoins like EUROe involved, or is there a native token mechanism in place?

The monetization is of data, AI models and other services is done directly onchain between the parties so Oasis/Pontus-X infrastructure is used to facilitate those payments. As the project is still in its prototyping stage, a mock stablecoin token is used to help with the testing but the Pontus-X team is also already in conversations with digital EURO providers about integrations with the Oasis infrastructure that will be used for all the payments in the ecosystem.

Pontus-X/deltaDAO

1. You’re calling Pontus-X Europe’s largest publicly available data space to date. Can you walk us through what makes this the most expansive Gaia-X-based ecosystem in production — in terms of technical scale, cross-border interoperability, and the types of services currently live?

Technically, Pontus-X scales through 16 validators spanning multiple European countries, processing over 1.2 million validated transactions on its testnet before moving to production in February 2025. Its cross-border interoperability comes from connecting more than 15 initiatives, including five different Gaia-X lighthouse projects across industries via a collectively and democratically governed distributed ledger, eliminating traditional data-sharing barriers through standardized smart contracts and Compute-to-Data technology. Currently live services include Airbus’ Functional Simulation as a Service, RADIUSMEDIA’s Holowork AR solution for cleanrooms, aerospace supplier collaboration tools from ZARM Technik and itemis AG, Skywise Flight Analyzer, and the Digital Project Management Office – all operating in a production environment. 

Pontus-X has been selected as a lighthouse project and is now part of the EU Blockchain Regulatory Sandbox. What kinds of legal or regulatory questions are you exploring there — and do you see this helping shape future rules around blockchain-based data monetization or AI-driven data usage in Europe?

The deltaDAO team was exploring how to build a legally compliant decentralized data economy using DLT and smart contracts. Discussions with European regulators focused on compliance with the Data Act, AI Act, Data Governance Act, MiCA, and AML/KYB regulations, plus enabling legally binding digital contracts via smart contracts. Yes, this sandbox experience significantly shaped Pontus-X’s production launch and is paving the way for future rules on blockchain-based data monetization and AI-driven data usage in Europe.

Bitcoin (BTC) has always been the face of crypto, the first thing that comes to mind when you think of this market. But for years, its role has been largely static—held as a store of value, yet rarely used for anything else. Then BTCFi entered the scene: unlike traditional DeFi, which has been dominated by Ethereum (ETH) and other smart contract platforms, BTCFi is built around Bitcoin as the core asset.

In the last quarter of 2024, BTCFi’s total value saw a massive surge—from $800 million all the way to $6.5 billion. The momentum is impressive, to say the least. More institutional players are taking notice, and analysts predict that by 2030, roughly 2.3% of Bitcoin’s circulating supply (about $47 billion) could be actively used in decentralized finance. 

So clearly, BTCFi is not just a passing trend. But why is it gaining so much traction? Can it really be called the future of Bitcoin’s utility as a financial asset?

Let’s try to figure it out.

What is BTCFi, and why is it growing now?

BTCFi represents the intersection of Bitcoin and decentralized finance, with the first crypto playing the role of the core asset in this case. Typically, DeFi platforms have been built on blockchains like Ethereum, while Bitcoin holders had to wrap their BTC into ERC-20 tokens (like wBTC) to participate in this field.

This kind of tokenization started picking up the pace around 2020, allowing BTC holders to access DeFi services that are typically not available on the Bitcoin blockchain. These “wrapped” tokens are built in a way that makes them compatible with other blockchain networks. And so, they effectively extended Bitcoin’s functionality.

However, advancements in Bitcoin L2 solutions and LRTs, or layered rollup technologies, are now changing the rules. It is becoming unnecessary for Bitcoin to use “second class citizen” ERC-20 tokens anymore.

BTC LRTs, for example, operate on Ethereum and other chains as well, but use Bitcoin as the primary collateral in transactions. This means unlocking the use of Bitcoin as a yield-generating asset in other networks beyond its native chain.

The emerging Bitcoin L2s, meanwhile, are tackling this blockchain’s long-standing scalability issues, allowing for faster and more cost-efficient transactions. These innovations are going to fundamentally redefine Bitcoin, turning it from a passive store of value to an actively utilized financial asset.

Why is BTCFi the gateway for Bitcoin whales in 2025?

Large Bitcoin holders—miners, in particular—have often used CeFi loans backed by their BTCs to fund their operations since they didn’t want to outright sell those assets. This practice is still going on today, but BTCFi promises to make some changes. And that’s where everything will start from, really: by BTCFi enabling new opportunities for Bitcoin holders to put their assets to work.

Soon enough, Bitcoin whales will start looking at BTCFi as a powerful gateway that can be used to enter the DeFi space. And the way I see it, there are two key factors in 2025 that will influence that perception.

The first is the rise of Bitcoin ETFs. BTC ETFs currently account for almost 6% of all Bitcoin supply, having crossed $100 billion in holdings at the beginning of 2025. With them gaining mainstream traction, Bitcoin is increasingly perceived as the safest and most stable cryptocurrency asset.

This makes it a prime choice for DeFi, attracting large-scale holders who want to use their BTC without selling. Earlier in February this year, Goldman Sachs announced that it had invested $1.63 billion in Bitcoin ETFs. That’s easy proof right there.

The second major factor is the appearance of BTC L2 technologies, which we’ve already covered earlier. Until recently, the lack of scalability and transaction efficiency held Bitcoin back from DeFi adoption. Now, we are going to see a surge of L2 solutions that will enhance the network’s performance. And here’s the important part: they will do so while preserving Bitcoin’s core principles of decentralization and simplicity (and, hence, its robustness).

What DeFi platforms need to do for proper BTCFi integration

There are several challenges that will need to be overcome before BTCFi can achieve truly seamless integration. The biggest technical issue will be ensuring that Bitcoin-based L2 solutions become genuinely trustless. At the present time, they are not quite there, often relying on intermediaries and centralized elements, which goes against Bitcoin’s core philosophy.

The good news is that there’s a lot of R&D going on to make it happen. If successful, it could make the vast amounts of BTCs that are currently just lying there “collecting dust” be useful in DeFi.

Another big challenge is going to stem from people’s trust. Among Bitcoin holders, there are many who do not quite trust Ethereum and the existing Bitcoin tokenization methods. The key to winning them over will lie in creating robust and cost-effective solutions on the native Bitcoin network. Having a fully trustless and inexpensive execution layer on the BTC blockchain could really become the dealbreaker for these people.

The future of Bitcoin: More than just ‘digital gold’

For years, Bitcoin has been carrying the moniker of “digital gold”—a safe-haven asset meant for holding rather than using. These days, this is becoming increasingly untrue. As more institutional players enter the crypto space, the potential for BTCFi to become Bitcoin’s next-level evolution is very real.

The demand is on the rise, and the infrastructure is already being built. For Bitcoin whales looking to maximize their assets without selling, BTCFi could become the perfect answer.

Michael Egorov

Michael Egorov is a physicist, entrepreneur, and crypto maximalist who stood at the origins of DeFi creation. He is a founder of Curve Finance, a decentralized exchange designed for efficient and low-slippage trading of stablecoins. Since the inception of Curve Finance in 2020, Michael has developed all his solutions and products independently. His extensive scientific experience in physics, software engineering, and cryptography aids him in product creation. Today, Curve Finance is one of the top three DeFi exchanges regarding the total volume of funds locked in smart contracts.

PwC Italy and blockchain consultancy SKChain Advisors are developing a digital identity solution for the European Union using blockchain technology.

The product, built on the World Mobile Chain, a Layer 3 network on Coinbase’s Base, aims to provide a secure, self-sovereign identity framework that allows users to control their personal data without relying on centralized authorities.

The initiative aligns with the European Digital Identity Wallet introduced under the eIDAS 2.0 regulation, which aims to standardize digital identity across the EU, according to a press release shared with crypto.news. 

PwC Italy and SKChain Advisors have completed a feasibility study to determine the optimal SSI framework and are now moving forward with development. 

The solution will act as a gateway for users to access both traditional and Web3 platforms.

Data privacy and security

SSI technology is gaining traction as a way to enhance data privacy and security while complying with regulations such as the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets framework.

According to a company note, the new digital identity product will support authentication, verification, and interactions with digital asset services. 

This is expected to help enterprises and consumers navigate an increasingly digital economy while ensuring compliance with evolving regulatory standards.

“There has been talk for a long time about whether the EU’s digital identity scheme would use blockchain,” Rob Viglione, CEO of Horizen Labs told crypto.news. “The fact this has been confirmed is a positive step forward. The fact it’s using self-sovereign identity technology is also a positive step.”

World Mobile Chain, the infrastructure supporting the project, is designed to facilitate blockchain adoption among European businesses. As a Layer 3 protocol on Base, it provides scalability and efficiency for decentralized applications. 

The digital ID solution will allow companies to implement blockchain-powered identity verification without compromising privacy.

Viglione emphasizes the importance of privacy in digital identity systems, stating that: “Users need privacy and security guarantees. Any digital ID scheme should be using zero-knowledge proof technology to ensure data remain ‘usable but invisible.’”

The product is expected to streamline digital access across various sectors while giving users greater control over their online identities.