Hypothetical thought experiments and design ideas Introduction Verifying STARK proofs on Bitcoin is notoriously challenging due to the limitations of Bitcoin Script. This article explores a more direct solution: introducing new arithmetic opcodes tailored to the M31 Mersenne prime field ($2^{31}-1$). These hypothetical opcodes (e.g., OP_M31ADD, OP_M31SUB, OP_M31MUL, OP_M31INV) would enable direct addition, subtraction, multiplication, and inversion modulo $2^{31}-1$ within script. The primary motivation, in such a scenario, could be to facilitate on-chain verification of STARK proofs (a type of zero-knowledge proof) by providing native field operations. By focusing on a specific prime field, this approach would aim to avoid the broad complexity of a more generic opcode, potentially reducing risks. The following sections outline the rationale for specialized M31 opcodes, describe their possible semantics, and consider both security and feasibility concerns in a hypothetical, backward-compatible soft fork upgrade that extends Bitcoin’s scripting capabilities in a targeted and safe manner. STARKs (Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge) allow a prover to demonstrate the validity of a computation without revealing some details (the formal ZK part of it is not granted by default and require some additional work, i.e STARKs can be used for scaling only), offering both scalability and privacy advantages. Enabling Bitcoin Script to verify a STARK proof efficiently would let developers build trustless bridges to Layer-2 systems or run complex off-chain computations with minimal on-chain data. However, STARK verification commonly requires extensive finite field arithmetic, and many STARK constructions rely on prime fields. A compelling choice might be the Mersenne prime $2^{31} - 1$ (denoted M31), which research shows is especially efficient on standard hardware. This prime fits into a single 32-bit word, making addition and multiplication faster on modern CPUs. By introducing dedicated M31 field opcodes, one might directly support the arithmetic needed for STARKs, making on-chain verification practical and efficient.

👋 Yosh, mina'san! We live in an era where Bitcoin has become a signal, a bold statement. You’re in this for a deep reason: to help build a more transparent, equitable, and censorship-resistant financial system. Adopting the “Bitcoin Standard” as a company isn’t just about holding Bitcoin on your balance sheet. It’s a way of thinking, a guiding philosophy, and—most importantly—a set of concrete actions that align you with the future Bitcoin is trying to create. Of course, I can’t begin this piece without giving a heartfelt shoutout to an absolute must-read: The Bitcoin Standard by Saifedean Ammous. This book is a game-changer, offering profound insights into the history of money, the principles of sound economics, and the transformative potential of Bitcoin. I highly recommend it to every company founder—not just as a guide to understanding Bitcoin, but as a lens through which to rethink value, innovation, and long-term thinking in business. Trust me, it’s worth your time. Check it out here. From Philosophy to Practice: The Bitcoin Standard Company Playbook Experimental idea. Let me know if it's a good idea or not (after you finish reading this blogpost first!). If you’re eager to translate these ideas into real-world steps, check out the Bitcoin Standard Company Playbook (an open-source Companion Repo). It’s an evolving resource that outlines practical ways to integrate Bitcoin into your company’s treasury, operations, and culture. I hope it becomes a collaborative effort—so if you have insights, tools, or success stories to share, feel free to contribute!

If there’s one thing you should take away from this blog post, it’s this: the era of centralized, walled-garden networks is fading, and Nostr is the spark that’s lighting up an entirely new way for humans to interact online. It’s censorship-resistant, it’s open, and—paired with Bitcoin—it forms the backbone of a future in which individuals hold the power, not corporate giants or nation states. In other words, it’s time to take the Nostr pill. The initial description of the Nostr idea can be found in the Nostr Manifesto by @fiatjaf. Ok, I am already convinced => Take the pill now. nostr_pill_banner A Broken Status Quo Look around. Across the internet, we see massive social media platforms patching “solutions” onto decades-old systems. They shut down accounts on a whim. They pump out content-sorting algorithms that serve the interests of advertisers or governments rather than you. They profit from our personal data. We end up feeling stuck, drained, and powerless, like we’ve lost control of our online identities.

Introduction The Cashu protocol, a Chaumian ecash system for Bitcoin, aims to provide privacy guarantees akin to physical cash. However, its current implementation heavily relies on trust in the mint (custodian), raising significant security concerns. In this analysis, we explore the potential integration of STARK (Scalable Transparent ARguments of Knowledge) proofs and a Proof of Liabilities (PoL) scheme to mitigate these issues and bolster the overall security model of the Cashu protocol. The proposed PoL scheme is heavily based on the work of Calle, as detailed in his document A Proof of Liabilities Scheme for Ecash Mints. My goal is to synthesize these ideas with STARK proofs to enhance the protocol's security and transparency. Before delving into the proposed improvements, let's review briefly the current Cashu protocol and its limitations. Shout-outs Huge thanks to Calle and Maya Dotan for their invaluable input and thought-provoking discussions on this topic. You folks rock!

Introduction Have you ever struggled to define "Ethereum alignment" when asked? I have. It's a concept that feels inherently important, almost intuitive. Feels almost like everyone is Ethereum aligned until you need to really define it actually means. This led me to sit down and systematically think through what "Ethereum alignment" means to me, especially when I'm advocating for its significance. I'm also interested in how others in the space interpret this term, as it likely holds various meanings, making a universal definition improbable. I see "Ethereum alignment" as akin to decentralization. Both are not binary but exist on a spectrum, and both involve trade-offs that deserve scrutiny. To simplify this intricate concept, I propose breaking down "Ethereum alignment" into distinct elements: Cultural Alignment: This relates to Ethereum's broader vision, mission and the important role of its social layer. Technical Alignment: This involves the continuous development of the Ethereum protocol—upcoming updates, contributions, and how one can align with these technical facets. Economic Alignment: This centers on having aligned incentives with the Ethereum ecosystem: when your project does well financially, the whole ecosystem directly benefits, and vice versa.

Particular thanks to Calle for insightful discussions on the current state of Cashu (mainly concerning it's trust assumptions) and also brainstorming on potential applications of STARK proofs to improve it. Hey fellow cypherpunks and Bitcoin enthusiasts! Today, I want to dive into an exciting idea that's been bouncing around in my head lately - using STARK proofs to potentially improve the Cashu protocol. But before we get into the nitty-gritty, let's set the stage a bit. The Cashu Lowdown Cashu is a free and open-source Chaumian ecash protocol built for Bitcoin. It's starting to get some decent traction in the Bitcoin landscape. BTW, I really love the back story of the creation of blind ecash scheme as described in this Gist by Ruben Somsen. Basically he explains that he came with this idea by digging a cypherpunk mailing list post by David Wagner from 1996. Screenshot 2024-08-06 at 14.03.26

"Cryptography shifts the balance of power from those with a monopoly on violence to those who comprehend mathematics and security design." - Jacob Appelbaum As someone who deeply believes in cypherpunk ethos and advocating for digital freedom, I've been captivated by the potential of Nostr to reshape our online interactions. Nostr is the Freedom of Speech Protocol, but it's also much more! It's a way to completely rebuild the internet, from the ground up. The emergence of Data Vending Machines (DVMs) within the Nostr ecosystem is exciting. Today, I want to share my thoughts on why DVMs are game-changing, and introduce you to Askeladd - a project idea aiming to bring verifiable computation to this new paradigm. Data Vending Machines: A Free Market for Computation dvm-meme-001

Phishing and scams are extremely common in the crypto space. It's the fate of permissionless networks to be the target of such attacks. But then, what can we do to mitigate the risks and protect users ? To me the answer is: Security best practices enshrined in the protocol + Social layer + Good UX. Let's expand a bit, with a concrete example that happened today, illustrating how it works in practise. The story in 4 acts has been shared on X if you want to follow the story on how it happened in real time. Security best practises enshrined in the protocol

In a recent Stark @ Home Episode named Why Cairo 1.0 ?, the creators of Cairo programming language came together to discuss their vision for the future of Layer 2 scaling solutions. The episode featured a thorough conversation between: Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum Eli Ben-Sasson, ZK-STARK Co-Inventor and Co-Founder of StarkWare Lior Goldberg, StarkWare engineer and co creator of Cairo Shahar Papini, StarkWare engineer co creator of Cairo Ori Ziv, StarkWare co creator of Sierra Throughout the discussion, the panelists covered various aspects of StarkNet, Cairo, Sierra, and the ongoing improvements and optimizations of these technologies.