Key highlights:

  • Stacks (STX) surged nearly 120% over the past week to around $0.2634, outperforming Bitcoin as BTC approached $80,000
  • Stacks’ PoX-5 Bitcoin-native staking upgrade will allow users to pair self-custodied BTC with STX to earn BTC-denominated yield
  • Technically, STX faces resistance at $0.22–$0.24. A confirmed breakout could open the way toward $0.40–$0.45, although the token remains down roughly 59%

Stacks (STX) has emerged as one of the crypto market’s strongest performers, even over Bitcoin (BTC), as the token gained nearly 120% over the past week and investor attention shifted toward the network’s upcoming Bitcoin native staking rollout.

At the time of writing, STX is trading at around $0.2634, up 8.5% in 24 hours and 120.8% over seven days. The token has also gained 88.3% over the past month, although it remains 59.2% below its level a year ago.

 

On Monday, BTC briefly climbed above $80,000, reaching weekly gains of over 22%. The recovery in Bitcoin has helped renew interest across Bitcoin-linked assets, including Stacks.

Why is Stacks (STX) surging? Bitcoin staking and DeFi growth point to more upside 

Bitcoin is now trading at around $78,583, still up 22.9% over seven days, and triggered more than $220 million in crypto short liquidations over a 24-hour period, according to CoinGlass data.

 

Institutional flows have added to the renewed market activity as U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $337.6 million in net inflows on Monday, marking their sixth consecutive session of net inflows and bringing the six-day total to about $2.26 billion.

For Stacks, however, the Bitcoin rally is only part of the story, with the network moving toward a new phase of Bitcoin staking through its PoX-5 upgrade. 

The upgrade is designed to allow participants to pair BTC held on Bitcoin Layer 1 with STX on Stacks to generate BTC-denominated yield, while the BTC remains on Bitcoin and under the participant’s custody.

The first institutional cycle, known as the Genesis Bond, is scheduled to begin around Bitcoin block 966,350, currently expected on September 10. Enrollment is due to close on September 9, with the first rewards projected for September 17. 

The initial cycle is limited to pre-approved institutions before broader participation is introduced in subsequent cycles.

This development has given STX an additional narrative beyond its correlation with Bitcoin. 

Stacks says STX serves as staking capacity for Bitcoin Staking, while network activity also generates fees paid in STX. 

The project has also pointed to more than 4,200 BTC distributed to participants through its Proof of Transfer mechanism over more than five years.

DeFiLlama data shows the ecosystem’s TVL at $88.24 million, up 2.91% over the past 24 hours. Stablecoin market capitalization stands at $11.87 million, while cumulative funding has reached $108.78 million.

Stacks (STX) price prediction: Key resistance at $0.22 - $0.24 

STX could be setting up for a move toward $0.40, as technical indicators point to a potential bullish breakout from a prolonged falling-wedge pattern.

Analysts say STX has recently moved above the lower boundary of the wedge after months of declining price action and compression. 

A sustained breakout above the $0.22-$0.24 resistance zone could strengthen the bullish setup and open the way toward $0.40-$0.45, according to the chart analysis.

The daily chart, however, shows that STX remains in a long-term downtrend that began in late 2024, with the token falling from highs near $2.00 to levels below $0.30.

Still, the current setup resembles previous falling-wedge formations that preceded significant rebounds. The latest breakout attempt is therefore being watched as a potential trend reversal. 

Sustained buying volume and a decisive hold above $0.24 would provide stronger confirmation of the bullish thesis, while a rejection below the breakout zone could invalidate the setup and expose STX to renewed downside pressure.