> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.zestprotocol.com/start/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.zestprotocol.com/start/zest-token/zest.md).

# ZEST

Understand $ZEST, the native token of Zest Protocol, including its current role, planned governance and official contracts.

$ZEST is the native token of Zest Protocol, the capital layer for Bitcoin.

Zest Protocol turns Bitcoin from an idle asset into productive capital through Bitcoin Collateral Vaults and its live product suite on Stacks.

### Current priorities

Zest Protocol’s current priorities are shipping Bitcoin Collateral Vaults, growing protocol usage and expanding the markets that put Bitcoin to work.

Governance and staking are planned to activate when the protocol has the scale and approved mechanisms to make them meaningful. They are not presented here as current token utility.

The official $ZEST contract addresses are:

* BNB chain: [0x5506599c722389a60580b5213ea1da60d64754a1](https://bscscan.com/token/0x5506599c722389a60580b5213ea1da60d64754a1)
* Stacks: [SP1A27KFY4XERQCCRCARCYD1CC5N7M6688BSYADJ7.zest-token](https://explorer.hiro.so/txid/SP1A27KFY4XERQCCRCARCYD1CC5N7M6688BSYADJ7.zest-token?chain=mainnet)
* Ethereum: [0xf326c8c9a691319f6330e27aa4a39f2d22c88dc5](https://etherscan.io/address/0xf326c8c9a691319f6330e27aa4a39f2d22c88dc5)
* Base: [0x7297968ffb753dd12e4f6b1f18d9865c76707fc2 ](https://basescan.org/address/0x7297968ffb753dd12e4f6b1f18d9865c76707fc2)

Always verify the contract address before interacting with $ZEST.

<figure><img src="https://563839015-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FGfC8dsUgiIuFFUi3sa84%2Fuploads%2FcZCxKlRLFGxRdTYKOLa0%2FSlide%204-1.png?alt=media&amp;token=730f8c89-b004-4bb1-91d8-ce31fccbd005" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% content-ref url="/pages/GmQrF7BIADmADsGAlq08" %}
[Token Distribution](/start/zest-token/token-distribution.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/hQnZzXipaGnhZnqWW7mB" %}
[Airdrop](/start/zest-token/airdrop.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/GnMZkbvwjsDIPl88sd1Z" %}
[How to Bridge $ZEST](/start/zest-token/how-to-bridge-usdzest.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}