# Merge Order Strategy
**Merge Order** strategy lets you lock your BTC **self-custodially** on Bitcoin network to secure Core Chain and earn yields. Rewards paid in claimable CORE token daily.
**You stay self-custodial.** Your BTC is locked from your own wallet, and only your keys can unlock it later.
***
## Why Use Merge Order?
Core Chain rewards dual-stakers (holding both BTC + CORE) at higher rates—up to \~5% APY. If you only have BTC, yields drop significantly to below 0.05%.
Merge Order is the fix. It lets you team up with other CORE stakers, forming a dual-staking position so both of you get boosted yield without buying the other asset.
***
## Quick Overview
| **Deposit asset** | Native BTC (timelocked in your own wallet) |
| ----------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Min. deposit** | 0.01 BTC (as per Core's official UI) |
| **Lock options** | Based on your preference |
| **Unlock rule** | Unlock only after your chosen period |
| **APR** | 0.05% (lowest tier) → 2% (highest tier)
What Affects your APR?
|
| **Reward token** | CORE (paid daily) |
***
## How Merge Order Works
1. **Lock Your BTC**\
Sign a Bitcoin timelock transaction for your chosen duration. Your BTC stays in your own wallet—self-custodial and secure.
2. **Set Terms**
* Choose how to divide boosted rewards between you and the eventual CORE match (e.g., 50%/50%).
* Select a Core Chain validator to receive the combined stake.
* Once the lock transaction is confirmed on the Bitcoin network, relayers in Core chain detect it and submit the proof to the Core blockchain so your BTC can help secure Core Chain and earn you yield in return.
3. **Wait for CORE Match**
* Your BTC lock position appears as an open order on b14g Merge Marketplace.
* A CORE holder accepts your terms and pairs their CORE with your BTC. Together, you form a dual-staking pair.
4. **Start Earning**\
The pair earns boosted APR. Rewards are paid daily in claimable CORE.
5. **Unlock BTC**\
When your timelock ends, you broadcast a normal Bitcoin spend back to yourself.
***
## What Affects Your APR?
Your Merge Order APR depends on three factors:
1. **Reward split**
* You set the percentage of boosted rewards you keep vs. give the CORE staker. A bigger share for you reduces incentives for CORE stakers, which can slow match speed or reduce available yield.
* *Example:* A 60/40 split (60% to you) offers a high potential APR, but gives CORE stakers less incentive to match—so they may choose other orders with better splits. Without a CORE match at the optimal ratio, you’ll never hit that top-tier APR.
* **Tip:** A **50/50 split** often balances match speed and yield.
2. **Match ratio**
* The amount of CORE paired with your BTC determines your yield tier:\
Tier 1 (3,625:1) → \~0.1% APR\
Tier 2 (10,875:1) → \~0.2% APR\
Tier 3 (29,000:1) → \~2% APR\
Partial matches earn at the tier corresponding to the actual ratio.
* **Tip:** Break big stakes into smaller locks so they fill faster. Ten orders of 5 BTC each need 145,000 CORE apiece to reach Tier 3, while one 50 BTC order needs 1,450,000 CORE—much harder to fill.
3. **Validator base APY**
* Each validator allocates a fixed total reward every epoch. When many users stake with the same validator, that reward pool is split among all delegators, so your individual slice shrinks.
* **Tip:** Break large stakes into smaller locks and spread them across different validators to keep your share of each reward pool larger.
{% hint style="info" %}
**Too much to manage?**
Try the **Fair-Share Strategy** instead. It's the same BTC lock mechanism, but with a hands-off approach. Your BTC lock position still shows up as an open order on the Merge Marketplace, but the system auto-matches CORE for you. If there’s enough CORE to reach the top tier, everyone earns it; if not, rewards are averaged so nobody drops to the 0.05% floor rate.
In short, you enjoy a steady APR without worrying about splits, tiers, or validator crowding.
Bonus: Rewards in **Fair-Share** strategy are **auto-compounding**, so your earnings grow on their own.
{% endhint %}
***
## Learn More
* [BTC Self-custodial Staking Basics](/architecture/self-custodial-bitcoin-staking.md)
* [BTC Self-custodial Staking on Core](/products/for-btc-holders/self-custodial-btc-staking-core-chain.md)
* [BTC Fair-Share Strategy](/products/for-btc-holders/self-custodial-btc-staking-core-chain/fair-share-strategy.md)
## Enjoy your BTC yield!
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