Cardiff, Texas, May 26, 2024, Chainwire
On May 20, 2024, the Bitcoin Layer2 development team launched BEVM has released the technical yellow document titled “Taproot Consensus: A Decentralized BTC Layer2 Solution.” This article describes the implementation of Taproot Consensus, which uses native Bitcoin technologies such as Schnorr signatures, MAST and Bitcoin SPV nodes to build a fully decentralized BTC Layer2 solution. Taproot Consensus represents a significant leap forward in Bitcoin scalability, innovatively combining existing Bitcoin technologies without changing Bitcoin’s core code.
I. History of Bitcoin’s Technical Iterations
- October 31, 2008: Satoshi Nakamoto published ‘Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System’, which introduced Bitcoin and the concept of SPV (Simple Payment Verification).
- January 3, 2009: Nakamoto mined the Genesis block and launched Bitcoin. The original code used ECDSA for digital signatures instead of the more appropriate Schnorr signatures, which were under patent protection at the time. Schnorr signatures retain all the functionalities and security assumptions of ECDSA and can exceed ECDSA’s 15 signature limit, allowing management of Bitcoin with thousands of addresses without impacting signing speed.
- 2018: Bitcoin core developers proposed integrating Schnorr signatures into the Bitcoin network.
- November 14, 2021: The Taproot upgrade integrated Schnorr signatures and introduced MAST (Merkelized Abstract Syntax Trees), enabling smart contract-like capabilities and decentralized management of multiple signatures.
- BEVM’s Taproot Consensus solution builds on these improvements and combines Schnorr signatures and MAST to manage multi-signature addresses and enable complex business scenarios in Bitcoin Layer2.
II. Overview of the Taproot Consensus Solution:
The yellow paper starts by highlighting Bitcoin’s non-Turing nature and limited functionality for smart contracts. It advocates using Bitcoin’s existing capabilities to build a decentralized Layer2 solution rather than modifying Bitcoin Layer1.
BEVM’s Taproot Consensus combines Bitcoin’s Taproot technology (Schnorr signatures and MAST), Bitcoin SPV light nodes and the BFT PoS consensus mechanism to create a decentralized and consistent Layer2 network.
III. Detailed explanation of the Taproot Consensus architecture
The Taproot Consensus architecture consists of three main components: Schnorr+MAST, Bitcoin SPV, and Aura+Grandpa.
· Schnorr+MAST: Uses these technologies from the Taproot upgrade to realize multi-signature decentralized Bitcoin management powered by Bitcoin code.
· Bitcoin SPV: Enables synchronization and verification of Bitcoin transactions without using a full node.
· Aura + Grandpa: Advanced PoS consensus protocols for Byzantine fault tolerance, ensuring high consistency between network nodes.
In the BEVM system, each validator has a BTC private key for Schnorr signatures. The aggregated public key forms a MAST tree, allowing BTC transfers and inscriptions to the threshold signature address. Validators act as Bitcoin SPV light nodes and sync BTC network status securely and without permission. Aura+Grandpa ensures the security and reliability of the Layer2 network, with assets managed by BFT consensus.
The working principle of Taproot Consensus is: “In the BEVM system, each validator has a private key of BTC for Schnorr signatures. The feature of Schnorr signatures enables efficient aggregation of signatures, improving the security and efficiency of the system. The aggregated public key Pagg, generated via the Musig2 multi-signature scheme, forms a large MAST (Merkle Abstract Syntax Tree). After generating the root hash of the MAST tree, validators perform BTC transfers and inscriptions to the threshold signature address generated by the MAST tree, allowing data to be sent from the main BTC network to the BEVM network. Each validator also acts as a Bitcoin SPV (Simplified Payment Verification) light node, allowing them to sync BTC network status securely and without permission.”
IV. Other technical details in the Yellow Book – True decentralization
The yellow document also describes the implementation of Schnorr signatures, MAST, Bitcoin SPV light nodes and Aura+Grandpa, providing a comprehensive technical overview for those interested in Bitcoin technologies. It explains the Musig2 implementation and contrasts it with other BTC Layer2 projects such as Mezo, which uses the tBTC protocol. Unlike tBTC, which relies on a network of nine signatories, Taproot Consensus integrates multi-signature networks with BFT PoS consensus, achieving true decentralization.
Furthermore, the yellow document explains the implementation process of Musig2 and the differences between other BTC Layer2 projects such as Mezo and Taproot Consensus. Mezo’s underlying technical structure is based on the tBTC protocol, which uses Bitcoin’s multi-signature to construct a threshold signature network, providing strong consistency compared to traditional distributed networks. However, tBTC still relies on a network of nine signatories, while a truly decentralized system should be consensus-based, combining multi-signature networks with BFT PoS (Byzantine Fault Tolerance Proof of Stake) consensus mechanisms. This is the difference between distributed networks and blockchains; distributed networks emphasize distribution but lack Byzantine fault-tolerant consensus, while blockchains, while also distributed networks, are powered by Byzantine fault-tolerant consensus, achieving true decentralization. The Taproot Consensus solution uses this more advanced design. By integrating Schnorr signatures, MAST, Bitcoin SPV light nodes, and Aura and Grandpa Byzantine fault-tolerant consensus mechanisms, it constructs a highly consistent and secure decentralized Layer2 scalability solution. This integration improves the scalability and usability of the Bitcoin network and ensures the security and consistency of the BEVM network.
Conclusion
The BEVM team’s technical yellow document extensively describes Taproot Consensus, a Bitcoin Layer2 solution built entirely on native Bitcoin technologies. It respects and innovates Bitcoin’s original technological direction, making it a true evolution of Bitcoin’s original scalability technology. As the Bitcoin ecosystem evolves, solutions like Taproot Consensus will be crucial to its development, serving as key cornerstones for truly decentralized Bitcoin Layer2 solutions.
About BEVM
BEVM is the first fully decentralized, EVM-compatible Bitcoin Layer 2 solution. This allows DApps of the Ethereum ecosystem to run on Bitcoin and use BTC as gas. BEVM extends the utility of Bitcoin by providing a secure and scalable platform for decentralized applications. The system integrates advanced consensus mechanisms, cross-chain interaction and robust data integrity to ensure a seamless experience. BEVM aims to innovate within the Bitcoin ecosystem by providing increased scalability, security and compatibility with popular Ethereum tools and applications.
Users can contact us for more information BEVm’s official website or follow BEVM Tweet.
Contact
Tommy
BEVM
tommie@bevm.io