Subject: [bitcoin-dev] Scaling and anonymizing Bitcoin at layer 1 with client-side validation

From: Dr Maxim Orlovsky <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2023 17:21:39 +0000

Dear community,

Some time ago we (LNP/BP Standards Association) announced the release of RGB smart contract system [1]. In the subsequent discussion, we have referenced [2] that the introduction of client-side validation has the potential for upgrading Bitcoin layer 1 - blockchain, which has become an unnecessary limiting factor for the Bitcoin ecosystem, creating both scaling and privacy problems. While client-side validation requires consensus protocol and some layer 1 (for the proof of publication), this layer can be implemented in a more efficient way than the Bitcoin blockchain.

Today we are glad to present Prime: a proposal to upgrade Bitcoin protocol with the new scalable (up to billions of tx per minute) and fully anonymous (opaque) layer 1, moving most validation work into the client-side validation system. It leaves BTC (Bitcoin as money) and the rest of the Bitcoin ecosystem (including PoW) intact. It may be deployed without a softfork and miners upgrade, but can certainly benefit from it. It doesn't affect those users who are not willing to upgrade and doesn't require any consensus or majority for the initial deployment. It also makes Lightning Network and other layer 2 systems redundant. Finally, it will make things like BRC20, inscriptions, ordinals etc. impossible; all proper assets, NFTs etc. will be done with RGB smart contracts, not forcing non-users to store, validate and use their network bandwidth for the unpaid third-party interests.

The white paper describing the proposal can be found here:
https://github.com/LNP-BP/layer1/

As LNP/BP Standards Association we are setting a working group which will be focused on formal specification and reference implementation of this new layer - and will gladly accept everybody who wishes to cooperate on this topic. We also plan educational and workshop activities to make community understand the underlying technology better and take educated decision on its adoption.

We believe that this infrastructural effort must not be managed by a for-profit company - or a commercial group with its interests, and the only proper way of funding such an effort should be through non-profit donations. We do plan a fundraising campaign, so everyone interested in driving the Bitcoin evolution forward please contact us at ukolova [at] lnp-bp.org. For-profit organizations can also become members of the Association [3] and get to the committees defining the shape of the future Bitcoin technologies.

Dr Maxim Orlovsky
on behalf of LNP/BP Standards Association
https://lnp-bp.org/
GitHub: github.com/LNP-BP
Twitter: @lnp_bp
Nostr: npub13mhg7ksq9efna8ullmc5cufa53yuy06k73q4u7v425s8tgpdr5msk5mnym

[1]: https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2023-April/021554.html
[2]: https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2023-April/021577.html
[3]: https://www.lnp-bp.org/membership