GOAT Network today launched its BitVM2 Playground, a new way to enable users to explore and experiment with the upcoming GOAT Bridge mechanism. This launch represents a notable milestone toward GOAT Network inheriting the Bitcoin network’s native security and achieving true Layer 2 status, something no other protocol has been able to prove verifiably to date.

For years, Bitcoin has been regarded primarily as a store of value rather than a dynamic blockchain capable of supporting robust Layer 2 networks. Unlike Ethereum—where networks like Optimism and Arbitrum have implemented native bridges to inherit Ethereum’s main chain security—Bitcoin has faced challenges in achieving a comparable security model. As a result, projects aiming to build on a similar security model that allows true Layer 2s to inherit native Bitcoin Layer 1 security have struggled to achieve that functionality.

GOAT Network’s adoption of the latest BitVM2 standard and its planned integration of BitVM2 into the future GOAT bridge aims to achieve that milestone of inheriting Bitcoin Layer 1’s native security.

“Bitcoin maximalists have long been skeptical of Layer 2 solutions due to the risks posed by multi-signature mechanisms that are vulnerable to hacking and manipulation,” said GOAT Network co-founder Kevin Liu. “With the upcoming GOAT Bridge powered by BitVM2, we’re addressing these concerns head-on by delivering a fully open-source and verifiable framework.”

Some of the key decentralization and security features of GOAT Network’s BitVM2 developments include:

  1. True decentralization: With the innovation of a permissionless and decentralized sequencer protocol, all cross-chain messages – including asset peg-in, peg-out, and L2 state rollup – achieve consensus from both Bitcoin and the Layer 2 GOAT Network. This eliminates reliance on any centralized entities, ensuring true decentralization. This also simplifies the trust setup of the BitVM2 protocol, with an equivalent security guarantee. 
  2. Full verification by Bitcoin without any fork: GOAT implements the most practical BitVM2 protocol to verify the proof directly by Bitcoin script, enabling it to inherit native security from Bitcoin. This architecture will enable fast proof generation and fast proof verification process, thanks to GOAT’s cutting-edge zkMIPS infrastructure.
  3. Dual slashing security: GOAT introduces the first dual slashing model for a Bitcoin Layer 2 network. This model combines the native slashing mechanism in Bitcoin’s verification layer with GOAT’s consensus layer, significantly reducing the likelihood of dishonest actors in GOAT’s rollup protocol. Some of the potential obstacles and attack vectors addressed by this model include: double-signing, downtime, and illegal reimbursement attacks from GOAT Network Sequencer Nodes.

“We’ve been waiting for some major breakthrough in Bitcoin Layer 2 for years, and it looks like we’ve made solid progress in BitVM2,” said Dora Yue, Founder of OKX Ventures, which led GOAT Network’s Pre-A investment round. “Happy to see GOAT Network is among the top-tier projects to contribute to Bitcoin scaling!”

Previous attempts to build Bitcoin Layer 2 networks have often fallen short. Many relied on closed-source protocols or other workarounds, making it impossible to verify their security claims. GOAT Network’s BitVM2 Playground addresses these issues by providing an open-source, testable platform built on the latest standards.

This launch positions GOAT Network to play a pivotal role in scaling Bitcoin’s Layer 1, much like Arbitrum and Optimism have done for Ethereum. By leveraging BitVM2, the GOAT Bridge mechanism eliminates reliance on trust-based systems, paving the way for a new era of secure and scalable Bitcoin Layer 2 solutions.

The BitVM2 Playground is now live on GOAT Network at BitVM2.GOAT.network.

Open-sourced code for GOAT Network’s BitVM2 Playground can be found on Github: https://github.com/GOATNetwork/BitVMPlayround

About GOAT Network

GOAT Network is the first decentralized financial market to offer sustainable opportunities for BTC yield through innovative yield-generation mechanisms. Founded by the creator of the Ethereum L2 Metis, GOAT Network is unlocking new opportunities for both BTC and DOGE holders, making GOAT the Home of the People’s Coins.

Website: GOAT.network

X: X.com/GOATRollup

Telegram: t.me/GOATRollup

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