Bridgeless Era Begins: BitcoinOS Transfers BTC to Cardano Using ZK Proofs

The demonstration, conducted on mainnet, marks a pivotal advancement in blockchain interoperability. By wrapping 1 BTC into xBTC—a programmable token secured through BitcoinOS’ BitSNARK zero-knowledge proofs—the transaction circumvented custodial bridges, reducing risks and latency.

Bridgeless era begins: BitcoinOS transfers BTC to Cardano using ZK proofs

BitcoinOS has demonstrated seamless transfer of BTC to Cardano (ADA) and back, utilizing zero-knowledge proofs to circumvent custodial bridges. The demonstration, conducted on mainnet and described in a Wednesday blog post by BitcoinOS, showcases pivotal progress in blockchain interoperability.

The process began with wrapping 1 BTC into xBTC—a programmable token secured through BitcoinOS’ BitSNARK zero-knowledge proofs. This xBTC was then bridgelessly moved to Sundial Protocol’s Cardano wallet.

Afterward, Handle, Cardano’s identity platform, facilitated transfer of the xBTC to its wallet before returning it to Bitcoin and subsequent unboxing to native BTC.

The integration with Sundial and Handle was pivotal in enabling cross-chain functionality, allowing for interoperability between Bitcoin and Cardano.

“This demo showcases how Bitcoin can gain smart contract capabilities while remaining trustlessly anchored to its blockchain,” said Edan Yago, a core BitcoinOS contributor.

Yago added that the demonstration’s possibilities turns “Cardano into a seamless DeFi layer for Bitcoin,” and has implications for other UTXO-based chains.

The achievement marks a turning point for decentralized interoperability.

“It’s a turning point for the entire blockchain ecosystem,” said Sheldon Hunt, founder of Sundial Protocol.

Jonah Peralta of Handle highlighted the breakthrough’s significance for Bitcoin’s utility.

“This innovation unlocks smart contracts and scalability for Bitcoin, all while preserving the security and decentralization that Bitcoin is known for,” said Peralta.

The integration of BTC into the Cardano ecosystem, renowned for its smart contract capabilities, opens up new avenues for DeFi and Web3 applications.

BitcoinOS’ technology is designed to address the challenges posed by custodial bridges, which concentrate large amounts of cryptocurrency in single entities, thereby increasing the risk of theft or malfunction.

Moreover, bridges introduce latency in cross-chain transactions, impacting the efficiency of cross-chain applications.

BitcoinOS’ use of zero-knowledge proofs is pivotal in embedding programmable logic directly into Bitcoin transactions, paving the way for L2 solutions with the full security of the Bitcoin blockchain.

This innovation is a testament to the potential of blockchain technology to revolutionize financial systems and create a more inclusive and efficient global economy.