Bitcoin becomes the ultimate settlement layer for ZK proofs? Boundless's ambitions and BitVM breakthroughs

2026-01-20 21:20:09

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【Crypto World】The team at Boundless is doing something interesting — using RISC Zero’s zero-knowledge proof network, they have built a cross-chain verification system that allows Bitcoin to handle the settlement and verification functions of compute-intensive ZK proofs.

How does it work specifically? Through the BitVM framework and Citrea ZK-rollup, they anchor complex computations directly onto Bitcoin, and this is achieved without modifying the Bitcoin core protocol. Currently, they have connected Ethereum and Base to Bitcoin.

CEO Shiv Shankar clearly stated — they are not trying to turn Bitcoin into a platform like Ethereum, but rather want Bitcoin to serve a specific role: becoming the final verification and settlement layer for zero-knowledge proofs. This addresses a key pain point: as the rollup ecosystem explodes, projects urgently need a more robust and neutral settlement infrastructure. Bitcoin’s security and decentralization precisely meet this need.

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