Bob Bodily, CEO of bioniq, a pioneering Ordinals marketplace built on the Internet Computer Protocol (ICP) using ckBTC, recently shared his insights on scaling Bitcoin, highlighting the challenges and potential solutions in the crypto sphere. His perspective is crucial in understanding the roadmap for Bitcoin’s scalability, particularly in the context of using zk-rollups and other layer 2 solutions.
Bodily begins by outlining a hypothetical ‘best case scenario’ for scaling Bitcoin with zk-rollups, an advanced cryptographic technique. He envisions a situation where Bitcoin is upgraded to verify validity proofs or finds an efficient alternative to achieve this. This upgrade would pave the way for creating a robust Layer 2 (L2) solution, equipped with decentralized sequencing and trustless Bitcoin bridging. The goal is to leverage Bitcoin as a complete data availability layer, inheriting its renowned security and decentralization attributes.
In this ideal setup, formal verification and rigorous code audits would ensure that the L2 zero-knowledge code is secure and devoid of vulnerabilities. Theoretically, this approach would add programmability to Bitcoin, encompassing a wide range of applications without introducing new trust assumptions. The expected outcome is a significant improvement in cost efficiency and throughput, potentially enhancing performance by twentyfold.
However, Bodily emphasizes that to scale beyond this 20x threshold, additional trade-offs are necessary. One such trade-off involves creating cheaper storage solutions, akin to Ethereum’s Proto-Dank Sharding concept. This method proposes temporary blob space for rollup data storage, offering cost benefits but with the limitation of data not being permanently available on the blockchain. Implementing a similar concept on Bitcoin would necessitate finding new, economical storage solutions.
Another approach Bodily discusses is off-chain storage, using a Validia Chain or Validium. This method involves storing data off-chain and placing a proof on-chain that verifies successful storage in an off-chain data repository. Such a strategy could yield massive scalability and throughput improvements, potentially reaching a 100x to 1000x improvement compared to on-chain storage zk-rollups.
The final hurdle Bodily addresses is the issue of compute speed. Assuming the most efficient and secure storage solutions are in place for a Bitcoin rollup, the next bottleneck would be the single-threaded nature of the rollup process, limited by the speed of a single machine. To overcome this, one could either push a single-threaded machine to its limits, as done by Solana, or adopt a sharded blockchain approach for parallelized compute.
Bodily’s vision for scaling Bitcoin, even under optimal conditions, involves tackling significant challenges. It requires innovative solutions for cheaper data storage, either on Bitcoin itself or through auxiliary chains like a Validia Chain. Furthermore, optimizing within the confines of a single-threaded machine or adopting a sharded blockchain model is essential for surpassing current limitations.
Bodily’s insights reflect a realistic and strategic approach to Bitcoin scaling. He acknowledges the need for balance between ambition and practicality, understanding that scaling Bitcoin to cater to global demand is a complex task that demands timely and effective solutions. His thoughts resonate with the broader crypto community, seeking to scale Bitcoin not just as a technological feat but as a means to empower and connect the world more efficiently through blockchain technology.
