BitcoinOS, a rollups protocol for Bitcoin, has announced the testnet launch of its cross-chain Bitcoin bridge solution, Grail Bridge.
The solution enables users to securely and trustlessly transfer Bitcoin (BTC) to Ethereum Virtual Machine-compatible chains, the BitcoinOS team said in an announcement.
The Grail Bridge testnet follows a key milestone for BitcoinOS in July 2024, when the platform successfully verified the first zero-knowledge proof on the Bitcoin mainnet. In November, the platform partnered with Merlin Chain to execute the first zero-knowledge bridge transaction.
The launch of Grail Bridge sets BitcoinOS on the path to enhancing scalability and functionality for users and developers on the Bitcoin network. Both users and builders can now utilize the one-way bridging solution to move BTC to EVM chains.
The ZKP-powered platform released a whitepaper in April 2024, outlining solutions to Bitcoin’s scalability and smart contract limitations.
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In this first-stage testnet phase, BitcoinOS offers integration with Ethereum (ETH)’s testnet Holešky. It also supports Base Sepolia, Mode Sepolia, and the Merlin Chain testnet. Additionally, the Grail Bridge testnet allows transactions across leading crypto wallets such as OKX, Xverse, Bitget, and Unisat. The testnet app also supports WalletConnect.
“Launching the Grail app with EVM chains benefits the maximum number of stakeholders who have been eagerly anticipating being able to use BOS. We are leveraging EVM chain’s proven track record with ZKP and dominance in DeFi.”
Edan Yago, core contributor to BitcoinOS
Following the testnet launch, BitcoinOS anticipates its mainnet will go live in the second quarter. Ahead of that, key security audits will be conducted. The project also plans to integrate with non-EVM chains, including Cardano and Solana.
BitcoinOS recently announced its expansion with Arbitrum integration, enabling trustless bridging with its native token, BOS. The BTC-Arbitrum bridge connects Bitcoin with Ethereum’s broader ecosystem. Zero-knowledge technology allows Ethereum’s layer-2 to function as a DeFi layer for Bitcoin.
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