-
Zero-knowledge SNARK (Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge) refers to a process where one can demonstrate knowledge without revealing that information and without the prover and verifier interacting.
-
“The development represents a major leap forward for the BitVMX proving system, demonstrating the ability to challenge and validate the execution of a SNARK verifier on-chain,” Rootstock’s team said.
A team of developers from Rootstock Labs and Fairgate say they’ve succeeded in the technological breakthrough of interactively verifying a SNARK proof – a powerful type of cryptography in many blockchain systems – on the main Bitcoin network.
The demonstration could represent a major advance in making the largest blockchain more accommodating to faster, cheaper layer-2 networks, with programmability similar to what’s currently possible on Ethereum and other networks.
The SNARK was verified using a modified version of Robin Linus’s BitVM design, known as BitVMX, that the team developed independently. Linus developed BitVM as a computing paradigm designed to allow Ethereum-style smart contracts on Bitcoin.
Zero-knowledge SNARK (Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge) refers to a process where one can demonstrate knowledge without revealing that information and without the prover and verifier interacting.
The verification took place on Bitcoin’s mainnet on Thursday, having been completed in a testnet environment the day before.
“The development represents a major leap forward for the BitVMX proving system, demonstrating the ability to challenge and validate the execution of a SNARK verifier on-chain,” Rootstock’s team said in an emailed statement on Thursday. “This breakthrough opens the door for replicating this process with any program compiled to the RISC-V architecture, utilizing BitVMX’s general-purpose virtual CPU.”
CORRECTION (July 26, 19:00 UTC): Corrects fourth paragraph to say the verification took place on Bitcoin’s mainnet instead of Rootstock’s
Edited by Stephen Alpher.
Disclosure
Please note that our
privacy policy,
terms of use,
cookies,
and
do not sell my personal information
has been updated
.
CoinDesk is an
award-winning
media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a
strict set of editorial policies.
In November 2023
, CoinDesk was acquired
by the Bullish group, owner of
Bullish,
a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by
Block.one; both companies have
interests
in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin.
CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.
![Jamie Crawley](https://www.coindesk.com/resizer/MoAbG0wgFIsSx9fgQgCMkEi__vE=/72x72/filters:quality(80):format(jpg)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/coindesk/008ae87f-5c6e-412b-816b-ded600ac5054.png)