StarkWare verifies zero-knowledge proof on Bitcoin test network

Quick Take

  • Starknet developer StarkWare claims to have verified the first zero-knowledge proof on Bitcoin’s Signet test network.
  • The firm said its new STARK verifier demonstrates the power of the OP_CAT technical proposal on Bitcoin.

Blockchain developer StarkWare claims to have verified the first zero-knowledge proof using its new STARK verifier on Bitcoin’s Signet test network.

The initial proof of concept for testing the verifier involved verifying a mathematical problem — specifically, the 32nd number in the Fibonacci squared sequence. The next step is to generalize the design and enable it to perform a broader range of general-purpose computations, the firm said in a statement shared with The Block.

“We said we wanted to scale Bitcoin and unleash the blockchain’s power to transform the world,” StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson said. “This is us doing that. It’s our very first step in showing what Bitcoin can do with zero-knowledge technology.”

StarkWare, valued at $8 billion in its last investment round, is the core contributor to Ethereum Layer 2 Starknet. The latest development follows StarkWare’s plans, announced in June, to bring ZK scaling to Bitcoin alongside Ethereum after a technical proposal known as OP_CAT provided the framework required to bring STARK scaling to Bitcoin.

No extra chain is being created — StarkWare’s plan uses the same Starknet network with the same governance and tokenomics, supporting Bitcoin scaling without requiring a fork, the team clarified at the time. Every dapp could choose where it wants to settle — either or both, Ben-Sasson told The Block last month.

StarkWare’s new STARK verifier, built in partnership with venture firm L2 Iterative, makes use of OP_CAT, enabling the development of ZK-based Layer 2s on the Bitcoin network, designed to help it scale more rapidly, the firm explained.

“This was a tremendous effort and took a significant amount of time,” L2 Iterative’s Weikeng Chen said. “We started with nothing. There’s no information about ZK proofs on Bitcoin. There’s no information regarding the mathematical operations to follow. We had to build the full stack, which eventually led to the implementation of the STARK verifier.”

What is OP_CAT?

OP_CAT is a technical covenant proposal that uses advanced scripting features to introduce smart contract functionality to the Bitcoin network. It could enable use cases, including secure "vaults" that allow reversible transactions, automated recurring and privacy-focused payments, time-locked transfers for scenarios like inheritance, and complex financial instruments such as escrows and bonds.

OP_CAT was originally included as one of the first opcodes in Bitcoin. However, pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto disabled it alongside several other opcodes in 2010 due to concerns surrounding the potential for creating scripts that could lead to vulnerabilities.

The Bitcoin community is still debating the proposal’s implementation on mainnet, with the likelihood of any such OP_CAT soft fork contingent on a combination of technical, security and community consensus considerations. However, it is currently available on testnet.

StarkWare said it is “publicly championing” the approval of the proposal because of the “clear benefits it unlocks for the Bitcoin community as well as the blockchain ecosystem more broadly.”

What is Bitcoin’s Signet?

Bitcoin's Signet network serves the purpose of a test network, similar to other Bitcoin testnets, by providing a controlled environment for developers to test new features, applications and tools before deploying them on the Bitcoin mainnet.

However, Signet differs from traditional Bitcoin testnets due to its centrally coordinated nature and added stability and protection against spam or malicious activities.


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About Author

James Hunt is a reporter at The Block and writer of The Daily newsletter, keeping you up to speed on the latest crypto news every weekday. Prior to joining The Block in 2022, James spent four years as a freelance writer in the industry, contributing to both publications and crypto project content. James’ coverage spans everything from Bitcoin and Ethereum to Layer 2 scaling solutions, avant-garde DeFi protocols, evolving DAO governance structures, trending NFTs and memecoins, regulatory landscapes, crypto company deals and the latest market updates. You can get in touch with James on Telegram or 𝕏 via @humanjets or email him at [email protected].

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