Author: Riyue Xiaochu Source: medium
An important milestone in the recent Bitcoin ecosystem, Zulu announced the implementation of zk-SNARK verification (ZKP) using Bitcoin scripts. Involving the Groth16/FFlonk mainstream algorithm, and submitting the code to the BitVM repository.
The Bitcoin script has been implemented for ZKP, which means that the Bitcoin network can verify layer2. What this really means is that layer2, which is responsible for inheriting the security of the Bitcoin network, comes from the security of the Bitcoin Pow mechanism, which should be the most secure network in the blockchain.
Due to the programmatic limitations of the Bitcoin network, it is particularly difficult to implement ZKP. Most of the existing Bitcoin l2s are not actually true L2s, because their on-chain status cannot be directly verified on the Bitcoin network. They now plan to generate a zk proof and publish it on the btc network. However, this proof is not verified by the Bitcoin network, but by the role of their own network, which leads to the separation of the on-chain status of L2 from the Bitcoin network.
This is obviously different from Ethereum's layer2. Whether it is zk-rollup or op-rollup, the data will be packaged and handed over to the Ethereum main network for verification. The biggest advantage of Ethereum's layer2 layer compared to other public chains is that Ethereum guarantees the security of layer2.
The biggest benefit of becoming a layer2 verified by the Bitcoin network is that it inherits the security of the Bitcoin network. The security of the Bitcoin network is obviously better than that of Ethereum. Now there are two ways to truly inherit its security. One is represented by Babylon, staking native BTC, managing it by the POS network, and severely punishing evildoers. When the value of the pledged BTC is relatively large, the cost of doing evil is very high, so as to ensure security. However, the premise of the enumeration is that a large amount of BTC is pledged first.
The second is to use Bitcoin's own POW network. As the first and the network with the highest market value, BTC has been running safely for 14 years and has the highest computing power in the entire network. Its safety factor is self-evident. Then, an important part of inheriting the security of the Bitcoin network is that BTC can achieve verification. That is the serious significance of Zulu's ZKP this time. The last time I paid attention to the Zulu network, it was the first Bitcoin two-layer architecture. This zk-SNARK verification (ZKP) made me realize that the technical strength behind Zulu is very strong.
SNARK (Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge) is a succinct non-interactive argument of knowledge. Its core is to build a proof system through mathematical algorithms, so that the verifier can verify the correctness of the data itself without knowing the original data. We know that Ethereum Layer2 now has zk-rollup and op-rollup. Op-rollup is only an intermediate transition period, while zk-rollup is the final form. Because zk-rollup uses the zk algorithm to batch transactions and generate SNARK proofs to submit to the main network, and the main network verifies all transactions in the batch. zk-SNARK can effectively protect privacy and has strong scalability, and is praised by V God as the top priority for the next 10 years.
Here we must introduce BitVM. Before BitVM, Bitcoin's script did not have Turing. Despite a lot of work by a lot of people, it was still unusable. It was not until last October that Robin Linus released a shocking BitVM. Robin's method was to verify a special startup logic gate on the Bitcoin script, called the NAND gate, which is one of the basic word orders of computing and is at the physical/electrical level. All possible calculations can be built from NAND gates.
Recently, Robin proposed the design of BitVM 2.
The significance of BitVM is that it can be verified using the Bitcoin network without upgrading, forking, or bringing any additional burden to BTC. Layer2 is responsible for other responsibilities and inherits the security of the main network. Due to the great significance of BitVM, many layer2s are built on the basis of BitVM. For example, Bitlayer uses BitVM as a core component and invests in the second-layer solution of layered virtual machine technology.
In Zulu Network, BitVM is also a very important existence. And Zulu is also a very important contributor to BitVM. It can be said that using Bitcoin scripts to implement zk-SNARK verification is the most core step for BitVM. Zulu has made many contributions to the official GitHub code repository of BitVM 2, and has been highly recognized by Robin Louis, the inventor of BitVM.
Last week, Zulu has completed the segmentation of Groth16 scripts. 2 public inputs, a total of 1701 sub-scripts were split, with a size of less than 4M and a depth of <1000. The first ZKP script split was completed, representing one after another of BitVM commercial use. Thanks to Zulu's outstanding work, BitVM2 can quickly implement the first SNARK proof based on Bitcoin. It also shows that Zulu's technology is also in a leading position.
Image Note: Zulu's technology has been highly praised by Robin Louis, the inventor of BitVM
Zulu Network is a two-layer network for the Bitcoin ecosystem, and its layer2 is an EVM-compatible ZuluPrime. The EVM project can be deployed quickly and at a high level to achieve ecological prosperity. The other layer is Layer 3, called ZuluNexus. It innovatively unifies UTXO and account asset types, and implements smart contract innovation based on the UTXO model. This means that it can maximize the function of UTXO and support future innovations on UTXO. Zulu is developing two products:
Zulu bridge, which can try ZKP to verify the off-chain state, is used to support asset issuance
Develop a decentralized ZK bridge to provide users with any number of chain operations
Zulu has not yet issued a coin. Those who want to participate early can participate in Zulu's current test network points event. See the official document for details https://www.yuque.com/zulunetworkzhongwenshequn/zvggg8/kr9epkg0v27rh860?singleDoc#
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