BOB Tests First BitVM-Powered Bitcoin Bridge Prototype for 2025
BOB (“Build on Bitcoin”), a hybrid layer-2 solution utilizing Bitcoin and Ethereum, has tested its first BitVM-powered Bitcoin bridge prototype in collaboration with Fiamma. This prototype aims to provide trust-minimized BTC bridging, marking a significant development in scaling Bitcoin.
BitVM bridges differ from existing options like wBTC or cbBTC, which depend on centralized entities, as well as semi-trusted models. BitVM employs a fraud-proof system that secures BTC deposits and withdrawals if at least one participant acts honestly.
“Bitcoin security and trust-minimized BTC bridging are the two most important pillars of Bitcoin L2s,” stated Alexei Zamyatin, co-founder of BOB and contributor to BitVM2.
The bridge prototype is set to launch on BOB’s testnet in early 2025, followed by a mainnet rollout post-audits. Additionally, BOB plans to integrate with the bitcoin staking service Babylon to position itself as a Bitcoin-secured network with finality.
Signaling for Bitcoin Scaling Preferences
An open Wiki-style signaling forum for Bitcoin soft fork upgrades highlights the need for community consensus on covenants such as OP_CAT and OP_CTV. Developers, including Zamyatin, have provided input on proposals; for example, he marked OP_CTV as “Weak” and indicated “Evaluating” for OP_CAT, signaling areas requiring further discussion.
This forum consolidates rationales, facilitating meaningful discussions beyond social media disputes. Zamyatin emphasized its role in evaluating proposals and summarizing pros and cons.
The signaling process indicates divided opinions: while OP_CTV has received moderate consensus, OP_CAT and others remain contentious. Zamyatin noted that achieving broad agreement will be increasingly challenging as Bitcoin adoption grows.
For BOB and the broader Bitcoin ecosystem, these upgrades could enable advanced capabilities, including native zk-verifiers, crucial for securely scaling Bitcoin.