BitVM Accelerated: BOB launches BitVM bridge on public testnet, announces BitVM/acc working group with major institutional partners

• Following the successful test of a bridge prototype in December, BOB's bridge launch on public testnet marks a significant milestone for trust-minimized Bitcoin DeFi
• BOB has also launched the BitVM/acc Implementation Working Group with major institutional partners including ZeroSync, Babylon, Anchorage, Rockaway, and Others To Drive the Adoption of BitVM in 2025.

LONDON, Feb. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BOB ("Build on Bitcoin"), the hybrid Layer-2 combining Bitcoin's security with Ethereum's DeFi innovation, has officially launched its trust-minimized BitVM Bitcoin bridge on public testnet in collaboration with Fiamma.

This launch solidifies BOB as the home of Bitcoin DeFi, advancing its mission to provide secure, trust-minimized access to Bitcoin DeFi and yield. BOB's bridge is powered by BitVM, a revolutionary system that enables off-chain program execution on Bitcoin with on-chain dispute resolution, similar to Optimism on Ethereum. BOB's BitVM bridge allows secure BTC deposits and withdrawals on its hybrid Layer-2 without reliance on third-party custody or multi-sig bridges, ensuring funds remain secure as long as there is a single honest, online node. Unlike wBTC, cbBTC and other wrapped Bitcoin variants, Bitcoin bridged via BitVM is non-custodial and trust minimized.

Alexei Zamyatin, BOB Co-Founder and BitVM Core Contributor said: "Removing the need for third-party bridges to deploy Bitcoin across DeFi is a major step toward unlocking Bitcoin's trillion-dollar potential. On our path to create the most secure solution for Bitcoin in DeFi, we've gone from concept, to BitVM2 design, to prototype and now to public testnet in just a year. The Bitcoin renaissance is accelerating."

Key Enhancements to the BitVM Bridge

BOB's BitVM bridge has undergone other key improvements from the earlier test prototype, including:

• Dispute resolution - where the BitVM bridge now has a challenge mechanism that ensures all transactions are completed correctly, significantly improving security and trust in the system.
• BOB's BitVM smart contracts can now verify correct payments through an on-chain relay, double-checking them in the prover and also checking the correctness of BOB blocks and blockchain attestations.
• Integration of BitVM into BOB Gateway, BOB's intents-based swaps system will allow for efficient deposits onto BOB and withdrawal of Bitcoin back to the Bitcoin mainnet.

BitVM/acc Implementation Working Group

BOB has also launched the BitVM/acc Implementation Working Group to accelerate BitVM's adoption and ensure its practical integration across the Bitcoin DeFi ecosystem. This initiative brings together the brightest minds in the industry to refine BitVM's functionality and unlock its full potential for both institutional and retail users.

Zamyatin continued: "BitVM is not just about tech. To succeed in creating a more secure Bitcoin DeFi environment, we must develop BitVM as a product - and the only way to do this is by collaborating with relevant stakeholders. BitVM/acc is a working group that brings together BitVM builders, Web3 businesses and institutions that will benefit and/or operate BitVM. Our mission is to accelerate BitVM adoption and ensure BitVM is developed in line with the business needs of both users and operators."

Recognizing that widespread adoption requires collaboration across multiple sectors, BitVM/acc focuses on real-world implementation by uniting experts in staking, custody, liquidity provision, market making, research, and blockchain security. The goal is to develop BitVM not just as a technological breakthrough, but as a practical, widely adopted solution that meets the evolving needs of the Bitcoin DeFi landscape.

The accelerator serves as an open forum for industry leaders to collaborate on advancing Bitcoin bridging solutions and overcoming challenges that could hinder adoption. Membership is free and open to all interested parties, encouraging broad participation across the ecosystem.

Founding Members Include:

• Institutional partners: Amber, Anchorage, Ankr, ChorusOne, Hex Trust, P2P, Rockaway, Unit410, UTXO, viaBTC Capital, Wintermute
• Research partners: Babylon, Bitcoin Layers, BOB, Common Prefix, Fiamma, House of ZK, RiscZero, Succinct, ZeroSync

About BOB ("Build on Bitcoin")

BOB ("Build on Bitcoin") is a Hybrid Layer-2 blockchain that combines the best of Bitcoin and Ethereum to create the home for Bitcoin DeFi. The unique Hybrid L2 model merges the strengths of both ecosystems—Bitcoin's security and dormant capital, with Ethereum's DeFi innovation and versatility. By positioning BTC as the backbone of a new decentralised finance system, BOB can unlock new use cases and trillions in BTC liquidity. BOB uses BitVM to inherit security from Bitcoin and create trust-minimized bridges between BOB, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other L1s. As a result, the Hybrid L2 does not need to rely on third-party bridges for interoperability, concentrating liquidity around Bitcoin instead of fragmenting it across chains. BOB is backed by leading investors such as Castle Island Ventures, Coinbase Ventures, Ledger Cathay Ventures, and IOSG.

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