BitcoinOS (BOS), a Bitcoin rollups protocol, achieved a significant milestone by successfully verifying the first zero-knowledge (ZK) proof on the blockchain’s mainnet at 11:22 pm UTC on July 24. This accomplishment opens up new possibilities for functionality and scalability on the Bitcoin mainnet without requiring any changes to the blockchain’s base layer.
In an interview with Cointelegraph, Edan Yago, co-founder of BOS, emphasized that this development marks a new era where Bitcoin goes beyond being just digital gold. The technology behind this mainnet verification is BOS’s ZK Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge (zk-SNARK) verification software library, BitSNARK. This library enables developers to create secure bridges for moving Bitcoin (BTC) between the mainnet and layer-2 rollups.
Establishing ZK-proofs on the mainnet has significant implications. Yago explained that a single transaction can now represent a multitude of transactions, allowing for increased efficiency and scalability. This breakthrough aligns with BOS’s goal of transforming the Bitcoin mainnet into an operating system that supports decentralized services and activities like DAOs and DeFi.
Yago also highlighted that the traditional method of upgrading Bitcoin through soft forks and consensus changes is no longer the only option. This development paves the way for further advancements in Bitcoin’s scalability and global payment opportunities.
In related news, StarkWare, another company in the blockchain space, recently verified its own ZK-proof on the Bitcoin testnet, Signet. This achievement followed months of exploration and laid the foundation for the development of ZK-based layer-2 solutions, further enhancing Bitcoin’s scalability and payment capabilities.
Overall, these advancements in ZK-proof verification on the Bitcoin mainnet and testnet demonstrate the ongoing progress in the blockchain industry and the potential for transformative changes in the future.