<\/p>\n
Robert Linus \u2013 project lead at Bitcoin development group ZeroSync \u2013 has proposed a new system allowing developers to \u201ccompute anything on Bitcoin,\u201d giving it functionality more similar to its neighboring crypto network Ethereum.<\/p>\n
Unlike other proposals to expand Bitcoin\u2019s capabilities, \u201cBitVM\u201d does not require any changes to Bitcoin\u2019s code that could cause the network and community to contentiously rift apart.<\/p>\n
According to the project\u2019s whitepaper<\/a> published on Monday, BitVM is a \u201ccomputing paradigm to express Turing complete Bitcoin contracts.\u201d<\/p>\n Rather than executing complex computations on the blockchain itself, the system suggests that they merely be \u201cverified\u201d on Bitcoin, with computation done off-chain. Linus likened the system to optimistic rollups<\/a> \u2013 an Ethereum scaling solution that processes many transactions off-chain before posting them in batches to the main chain.<\/p>\n \u201cThis enables more expressive Bitcoin contracts,\u201d explained<\/a> Linus over Twitter. \u201cParticularly, it enables functionality that we thought we\u2019d need a soft fork for.\u201d<\/p>\n Linus said this could make games like \u201cChess, Go, or Poker\u201d possible on Bitcoin. He also suggested that it might enable \u201ctrustless sidechains\u201d for Bitcoin, meaning BTC could be reliably bridged to other networks without the need for centralization, though this possibility remains uncertain.<\/p>\n The Bitcoin community has hotly debated implementing the \u201cDrivechains<\/a>\u201d upgrade this year, which would create a system for trustless bridges and blind merge mining on Bitcoin. Theoretically, this could make BTC transactions more private, programmable, and efficient.<\/p>\n However, the risks of implementing and coordinating the upgrade, which would change Bitcoin\u2019s consensus rules, made many skeptical of the proposal. According to Drivechains author Paul Sztorc<\/a>, Drivechains may become possible via BitVM, though they will be \u201cvery inefficient\u201d compared to his own proposal.<\/p>\n Like most proposals, Linus said BitVM still harbors limitations. \u201cThe main drawback\u2026 is that it is limited to the two-party setting with a prover and a verifier,\u201d he noted, adding that it also requires \u201csignificant amounts of off-chain computation and communication\u2026 to execute programs.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite generating over 2.4 million impressions on Twitter, many developers were quick to call the project overhyped.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is getting way too much attention in Bitcoin world,\u201d said<\/a> Paradigm researcher Dan Robinson on Monday. \u201cThe protocol only works for two parties, so it can\u2019t be used in rollups or other multiparty applications.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Blockstream CEO and Bitcoin OG Adam Back, also suggested<\/a> that a different version of Linus\u2019s proposal has existed since 2016, in the form of Greg Maxwell\u2019s Zero-Knowledge Contingent Payment (ZKCP) system.<\/p>\n Linus, however, maintains there are key differences. \u201cYou couldn\u2019t play chess in a single ZKCP,\u201d he said.<\/p>\nLimits of BitVM<\/h2>\n
\n
\nBinance Free $100 (Exclusive): Use this link<\/a> to register and receive $100 free and 10% off fees on Binance Futures first month<\/b> (terms<\/a>).<\/p>\n