Zest Protocol, a bitcoin lending startup with a small team of six employees, has raised $3.5 million in a funding round led by billionaire investor Tim Draper. The round saw participation from nearly a dozen investors, including Binance Labs and Flow Traders. Zest's founder, Tycho Onnasch, highlighted that the platform operates differently from traditional lending firms targeted by regulators. Zest is decentralized, enabling peer-to-peer transactions without the need for an intermediary. This funding round reflects growing interest in decentralized finance (DeFi) solutions and suggests confidence in Zest's approach to the market.