Litecoin’s LiteForge testnet, which went live on April 15, 2026, has logged 96,906 transactions and 10,589 unique addresses within the first 24 hours of its operation, according to the official block explorer.
The chain has reached a block height of 52,061, with average block times of 0.4 seconds, gas prices holding below 0.1 Gwei, and network utilization at 0.00% — indicating ample headroom despite the rapid early adoption.
The testnet, also referred to as LitVM LiteForge, is an EVM-compatible rollup built using Arbitrum Orbit and deployed via Caldera’s Rollup Engine, with BitcoinOS providing the trustless bridge to Litecoin. It marks the first time smart contract functionality has been introduced to the Litecoin ecosystem, opening the door to DeFi, tokenization, and Web3 applications — with zkLTC, a Litecoin-backed asset, serving as the network’s gas token.
Early on-chain activity is concentrated around contract calls and coin transfers, with recent transactions marked successful — a pattern consistent with a public testnet in its early shakedown phase.
Live dApps and ecosystem tools
A broad set of decentralized applications (dApps) and infrastructure tools is already live on LiteForge, with the testnet directory noting that new applications will be added on a rolling basis.
Notable early deployments include:
- LiteSwap: A Litecoin-first decentralized exchange (DEX) offering token swaps, liquidity provision, staking, and rewards.
- Lester Labs: A full-stack DeFi suite featuring a token minter, launchpad, vesting, airdrops, and governance tools.
- MidasPredict: A permissionless prediction market platform.
- Dappit: An AI-powered utility for deploying dApps across EVM chains.
- OmniFun: A bonding-curve launchpad designed for seamless token creation and trading.
- LendVault & Ayni: Lending protocols focused on collectible-backed trading and cross-chain stablecoin lending for LTC DeFi.
- AutoIncentive & LitCash: Open-source infrastructure for AI-agent microtransactions and non-custodial privacy solutions.
Developer access and the LitVM Builders Program
Developers and users can interact with the testnet by:
- Adding the network to any EVM-compatible wallet (such as MetaMask or Rabby) using Chain ID 4441 and the RPC endpoint.
- Claiming testnet zkLTC tokens via the faucet on Caldera Hub.
- Tracking on-chain activity through the block explorer.
The LitVM Builders Program remains open to teams building in DeFi, real-world assets (RWAs), AI, payments, NFTs, and gaming. Selected participants receive technical support, ecosystem visibility, and potential incentives, including grants and mainnet benefits. Applications can be submitted through the official builders portal.
Looking ahead
LitVM is positioned as Litecoin’s first trustless EVM rollup, with BitcoinOS providing the bridging and security layer. The current testnet functions as an incentivized phase for builders to deploy, test, and iterate on applications ahead of mainnet.
No mainnet date has been announced publicly, but LitVM has signalled a phased rollout targeting EVM compatibility, sub-cent transaction fees, and high throughput. Earlier roadmap communications from Lunar Digital Assets — the studio behind the project — pointed to a Token Generation Event (TGE) and mainnet activation later in 2026.
