Introduction to LayerEdge
LayerEdge is a decentralized network that enhances Bitcoin‘s block space capacity using ZK and BitVM technologies, ensuring security for each layer on the Bitcoin network, and effectively enabling Bitcoin Rollups. Through LayerEdge, Bitcoin can not only serve as a store of value but also become the infrastructure for a decentralized supercomputer, capable of handling large-scale computational tasks while maintaining low costs. The platform is not only suitable for financial transactions but can also extend to emerging technology fields such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), driving Bitcoin’s application in the decentralized internet.
LayerEdge Background
In terms of the team, Rishabh Anand is the co-founder of LayerEdge, and a graduate of Delhi University in India. He was previously a core contributor to GraphLinq Chain. The team members come from prominent organizations such as Samsung R&D, Gnosis, Goldman Sachs, Tower Research Capital, among others.
In terms of funding, LayerEdge raised an angel round in May 2024, with participants including Blockchain Founders Fund, Founderheads.VC, BreakOrbit VC, Normie Capital, and angel investors Paul Taylor and Saushank.eth. The specific amount of funding and valuation have not yet been disclosed.
LayerEdge Vision
LayerEdge’s vision is to transform Bitcoin from a simple store of value into a decentralized supercomputer capable of supporting a wide range of computational tasks. Using Zero-Knowledge (ZK) technology, LayerEdge can efficiently perform off-chain computations and validate them back on-chain, leveraging Bitcoin’s Proof of Work (PoW) security to ensure verifiable computational results. This architecture not only reduces the costs and burdens of on-chain execution but also supports emerging technologies like AI and IoT, enabling expansion from financial to other decentralized applications.
LayerEdge aims to make Bitcoin’s 21 million coins not only support Proof of Stake (PoS) economies but also become the core infrastructure for the decentralized internet, ensuring the security and trust of computational tasks. Its ultimate goal is to push Bitcoin towards becoming the pillar of a global decentralized trust mechanism, providing computational and security assurance for the future Web3 ecosystem through scalable ZK protocols.
LayerEdge’s Technical Implementation
LayerEdge’s technical implementation and features primarily focus on Bitcoin’s native security, aiming to extend Bitcoin’s PoW security to off-chain computations and Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZK-proof) verification. Its core principle involves zk-proof aggregation, simplifying the verification process, reducing costs, and ensuring native execution of zk-verification on Bitcoin. The goal is to transform Bitcoin from a simple value storage tool into a decentralized supercomputer that can support a wide array of decentralized application scenarios.
The core mechanism of LayerEdge is zk-proof aggregation. Traditionally, verifying each zk-proof individually can consume significant on-chain resources and be costly. LayerEdge’s technology aggregates multiple zk-proofs into a single proof, significantly reducing verification costs. This aggregation not only reduces redundant computations but also enhances verification efficiency, ensuring the system remains scalable as the zk-protocol grows. With optimization, LayerEdge can reduce verification costs by about 3-5%, greatly improving the feasibility and economics of zk-proofs.
It is important to note that LayerEdge also considers the potential implementation of Bitcoin’s OP_CAT opcode. If Bitcoin updates the OP_CAT opcode, zk-proof verification will become more streamlined and efficient. Through this opcode’s concatenation operation, verification costs could be reduced by up to 95%. Even without OP_CAT being enabled, LayerEdge can still ensure the efficient operation of zk-verification and native support through its unique aggregation mechanism.
In terms of the verification process, LayerEdge completes zk-proof verification through on-chain operations on the Bitcoin network. First, the verification operator submits the initial state and proposes a state transition using zk-proof. After submitting the state change, a challenge period follows, allowing other participants to dispute the proposed state transition. If a challenger can prove that the state transition is invalid, the system will detect the error and prevent the update. Otherwise, the state transition is considered valid and finalized on the Bitcoin chain. This process not only ensures verification transparency and security but also enhances verification efficiency through zk-aggregation.
LayerEdge’s verification layer also integrates Babylon’s cryptoeconomic security model, providing stronger security for zk-proof verification. Babylon, based on the Proof of Stake (PoS) mechanism, provides shared economic security for LayerEdge, ensuring the decentralization and security of zk-verification. Leveraging Bitcoin’s PoW and Babylon’s PoS model, LayerEdge not only achieves efficient zk-proof verification from a technical standpoint but also ensures its long-term sustainability from an economic perspective.
LayerEdge’s design is highly modular and scalable, capable of supporting multiple zk-protocol verifications. This modular design allows LayerEdge to adapt to the evolving needs of different zk-protocols, meeting the growing demand for zk-verification and providing a solid foundation for future decentralized application innovations. By aggregating zk-proofs on the Bitcoin chain, LayerEdge achieves low-cost, efficient zk-verification, helping decentralized applications make breakthroughs in both security and efficiency.
