Threshold Network's tBTC bridge has resumed onchain operations following a nine-day security pause, but an Aave reserve holding roughly $120 million in tBTC remains closed to new deposits and borrowing against the token.

On Sunday, Threshold said the bridge's underlying network was restarting as security-patched node operators reconnected. These independent operators collectively authorize Bitcoin movements and process deposits and redemptions. Because the network only functions when enough operators are active, the pace of recovery hinges on how quickly each patched node rejoins the set.

Requests submitted before the shutdown are expected to be processed as more operators come back online. The app, however, will not accept new deposits, minting, or redemptions until a sufficient number of nodes are active. Threshold did not announce a date for a full restart.

tBTC is Threshold Network's decentralized bridge, which allows Bitcoin holders to mint a tokenized version of BTC for use on Ethereum and in decentralized finance applications. That role makes the bridge's uptime a dependency for the DeFi positions built on the token: when minting and redemptions stop, lending protocols that list tBTC must decide how to contain their exposure.

Threshold initially halted the bridge on Oct. 30 while operators addressed a critical Linux kernel vulnerability that could allow remote attackers to execute code on unpatched servers. According to the project, there is no evidence the flaw was exploited against tBTC nodes. The episode illustrates how bridge security extends beyond onchain mechanics to the servers operators run: a flaw in shared infrastructure can halt a system even with no sign of attack.

Aave, a decentralized lending protocol, froze its tBTC reserve on Ethereum Core on Oct. 31 to prevent additional exposure while redemptions were unavailable. The restriction blocks new tBTC deposits and prevents the token from conferring borrowing power, while existing users can still withdraw and repay loans — effectively capping the protocol's exposure to a token whose path back to Bitcoin was suspended.

Threshold said approximately 4,320 BTC remains in bridge wallets against about 4,185 tBTC in circulation, and that no unauthorized Bitcoin transfers or token minting have been detected.

LlamaRisk, the risk service provider for Aave, said it would propose restoring the reserve once Threshold's operations return to normal. With no full-restart date announced, the near-term markers for tBTC users are the pace of operator reconnection, the clearing of backlogged requests, and whether Aave acts on LlamaRisk's proposal once Threshold declares normal operations.