Gasless USDT Transfers
A standout feature of the network is its ability to support fee-less transfers of USDT. This is made possible through a protocol-level paymaster system maintained by the Plasma Foundation. The paymaster subsidizes the gas fees for standard USDT transfer functions, subject to predefined eligibility checks and rate limits to prevent abuse. This mechanism is funded via a controlled allocation of $XPL , the native token, allowing applications to offer a frictionless transfer experience for their users. It is important to note that this subsidy applies specifically to basic USDT transfers; all other transactions on the network require fees in $XPL to sustain validator incentives and network security.
Flexible Gas Payment Options
Recognizing the need for user-friendly onboarding, Plasma incorporates a built-in paymaster contract that enables applications to accept alternative tokens for gas fees. Developers can register ERC-20 tokens—such as stablecoins or ecosystem-specific assets—allowing end-users to pay for transactions with tokens they already possess. This eliminates the need for users to acquire and manage $XPL solely for gas purposes, streamlining the experience for payment and DeFi applications.
To address growing privacy concerns, Plasma is actively researching a module for confidential payments. This feature aims to obfuscate transaction details like amount and recipient while maintaining compatibility with existing wallets and DApps. As of late 2025, this functionality remains in the research and development phase.
Native Bitcoin Bridge
Plasma incorporates a trust-minimized Bitcoin bridge that enables users to bring native BTC onto the network without relying on centralized custodians. The process involves a decentralized set of verifiers that secure the bridge; upon depositing BTC, an equivalent amount of pBTC is minted on the Plasma chain. This pBTC, which is backed 1:1 by the original Bitcoin, can then be utilized within Plasma's DeFi ecosystem or transferred across chains via interoperability standards. Withdrawals are executed by burning pBTC, which triggers the release of the native BTC through a secure threshold signature scheme.
