Boundless plans to develop a cross-chain verification system for zero-knowledge proofs (ZKP) and use bitcoin as a settlement layer for smart contract chains, The Block reported on Jan. 20.

Boundless CEO Shiv Shankar (시브 샹카르) described it as “a way bitcoin provides security for Ethereum-style execution,” and said “bitcoin will function as the final verifier and settlement layer for ZKP.”

The system will extend to bitcoin from the Ethereum mainnet and Base layer 2, and will help zk cryptography secure practical use cases on blockchain, The Block said.

Boundless’ verification system is built on BitVM, a bitcoin virtual machine proposed in 2023. BitVM is a framework that can verify off-chain computation without changing bitcoin core rules, enabling smart contract functions to be introduced to bitcoin.

Shankar said “the bitcoin ecosystem is evolving from a store of value to an expansion of verification functions,” and stressed that “as rollup projects demand a strong and neutral settlement layer, bitcoin’s role will become more important.”

Boundless also plans to integrate additional chains beyond Ethereum and Base so bitcoin can establish itself as a security layer for the blockchain ecosystem.