# Protocol Design **URL:** https://delvingbitcoin.org/c/protocol-design/7.md [Latest](https://delvingbitcoin.org/latest.md) · [Categories](https://delvingbitcoin.org/categories.md) · [Tags](https://delvingbitcoin.org/tags.md) --- ## [About the Protocol Design category](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/about-the-protocol-design-category/15)
**Author:** [@admin](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/admin)\ **Replies:** 0
Bitcoin-related protocol proposals, or analysis or discussion thereof. For example, new P2P messages, new wallet techniques, methods for coinjoins or payment channels, etc. Try to keep things accessible to developers –… --- ## [We made the bitcoin-dev mailing list readable: 15 years, 24,699 messages](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/we-made-the-bitcoin-dev-mailing-list-readable-15-years-24-699-messages/2985)
**Author:** [@LearnBitcoin.com](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/LearnBitcoin.com)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [October 30, 2026, 1:40pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/we-made-the-bitcoin-dev-mailing-list-readable-15-years-24-699-messages/2985 "2026-10-30T13:40:19Z")
We have put up a readable mirror of the bitcoin-dev archive, refreshed daily. What it adds over public-inbox: one page per thread with quotes folded, stable permalinks by Message-ID, and three indexes over the same data… --- ## [Silent Payments for Multiparty Wallets](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/silent-payments-for-multiparty-wallets/2960)
**Author:** [@olkurbatov](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/olkurbatov)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [October 29, 2026, 12:09am UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/silent-payments-for-multiparty-wallets/2960 "2026-10-29T00:09:51Z")
Abstract. BIP-352 does not recommend FROST- / MuSig2-based inputs “due to lack of a security proof”. This post describes a protocol that lets a multiparty sender perform a secure Silent Payment: the wallet computes an EC… --- ## [\[BIP Draft\] Co-signer Spending Policies](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/bip-draft-co-signer-spending-policies/2955)
**Author:** [@lukecarriere](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/lukecarriere)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [October 28, 2026, 2:38pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/bip-draft-co-signer-spending-policies/2955 "2026-10-28T14:38:05Z")
I’d like feedback on a draft that standardizes the policy a co-signer enforces, not the co-signer itself. A co-signer that signs only when a predicate holds is a known way to emulate covenants today. Towns described the… --- ## [Public key recovery for EC leaves in P2MR (BIP-360)](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/public-key-recovery-for-ec-leaves-in-p2mr-bip-360/2603)
**Author:** [@starius](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/starius)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [October 27, 2026, 3:12pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/public-key-recovery-for-ec-leaves-in-p2mr-bip-360/2603 "2026-10-27T15:12:27Z")
Public key recovery for EC leaves in P2MR This note describes a possible BIP-360 optimization using EC public key recovery. The idea is to have a P2MR output with a cheap EC leaf and an expensive PQ leaf. The EC leaf is… --- ## [K-of-N threshhold key generation scheme by limited shared secrets](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/k-of-n-threshhold-key-generation-scheme-by-limited-shared-secrets/2623)
**Author:** [@ZmnSCPxj](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/ZmnSCPxj)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [October 27, 2026, 3:12pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/k-of-n-threshhold-key-generation-scheme-by-limited-shared-secrets/2623 "2026-10-27T15:12:02Z")
Introduction The FROST scheme is based on Verifiable Secret Sharing, where signers first perform Shamir Secret Sharing in homomorphic space, then each signer stores the generated share it has of the final key. However, … --- ## [BIP 119 CTV activation client](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/bip-119-ctv-activation-client/2242)
**Author:** [@1440000bytes](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/1440000bytes)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [October 27, 2026, 3:11pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/bip-119-ctv-activation-client/2242 "2026-10-27T15:11:52Z")
Since there were no objections to the activation parameters shared in the last email, I have updated the website with the repository link for activation client and added some FAQs. Repository: GitHub - ctv-activation/ac… --- ## [Shielded Bitcoin: Private Transfers on the Bitcoin L1](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/shielded-bitcoin-private-transfers-on-the-bitcoin-l1/2912)
**Author:** [@nemothenoone](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/nemothenoone)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2026, 8:38pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/shielded-bitcoin-private-transfers-on-the-bitcoin-l1/2912 "2026-10-26T20:38:23Z")
No soft forks. No operators. No bridges. A plain-language companion to our paper “Shielded Bitcoin: Private Transfers on the Bitcoin L1” (Clara Shikhelman, Mikhail Komarov, Aleksei Moskvin). Bitcoin provides strong owne… --- ## [Silent Payments coinbase](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/silent-payments-coinbase/2833)
**Author:** [@marathon-gary](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/marathon-gary)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2026, 8:38pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/silent-payments-coinbase/2833 "2026-10-26T20:38:20Z")
I’ve been wondering how a mining pool might pay out miners to different addresses directly in the coinbase (and generally about “fun” things to do with a coinbase tx). Ocean pool currently pays miners in the coinbase\[1\] … --- ## [Scaling Noncustodial Mining Payouts with CTV](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/scaling-noncustodial-mining-payouts-with-ctv/1753)
**Author:** [@vnprc](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/vnprc)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/scaling-noncustodial-mining-payouts-with-ctv/1753 "2026-10-26T20:37:47Z")
GM I have been thinking a lot about mining pools lately. It’s fun because the design space of architectures, protocols, and payout mechanisms is wide open. One useful mental framework I have found is to categorize minin… --- ## [SuperScalar: an implementation report](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/superscalar-an-implementation-report/2705)
**Author:** [@8144225309](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/8144225309)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2026, 8:37pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/superscalar-an-implementation-report/2705 "2026-10-26T20:37:02Z")
SuperScalar puts many self-custodial Lightning clients behind a single on-chain UTXO, with no soft fork and no trust in the coordinating LSP. It is @ZmnSCPxj’s design (SuperScalar with pseudo-Spilman leaves, t/1242); thi… --- ## [P2share: how to turn any network (or testnet!) into a bitcoin miner](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/p2share-how-to-turn-any-network-or-testnet-into-a-bitcoin-miner/2093)
**Author:** [@VzxPLnHqr](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/VzxPLnHqr)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2026, 8:36pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/p2share-how-to-turn-any-network-or-testnet-into-a-bitcoin-miner/2093 "2026-10-26T20:36:50Z")
Hi everyone, I have been thinking about this topic for a while and wanted to share it here for discussion. TL;DR: I wonder if there is some under-investigated territory where we can have efficient decentralized mining p… --- ## [Cost-backed Sybil resistance for self-issued identifiers](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/cost-backed-sybil-resistance-for-self-issued-identifiers/2984)
**Author:** [@groundinglab](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/groundinglab)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2026, 3:55pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/cost-backed-sybil-resistance-for-self-issued-identifiers/2984 "2026-10-26T15:55:30Z")
Open systems issue identifiers without an associated resource cost. The marginal cost of an additional public key approaches zero, so bulk production incurs almost no incremental cost while the accepting party bears the … --- ## [Towards A K-of-N Lightning Network Node](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/towards-a-k-of-n-lightning-network-node/2395)
**Author:** [@ZmnSCPxj](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/ZmnSCPxj)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2026, 1:16pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/towards-a-k-of-n-lightning-network-node/2395 "2026-10-26T13:16:49Z")
Subject: Towards A K-of-N Lightning Network Node Z. jxPCSnmZ Introduction With the Nested MuSig2 Paper recently released, we want to consider: can we make a multisig self-custodial wallet with Lightning Network integra… --- ## [What does "post-quantum" actually mean for a Bitcoin L2 when settlement still happens on a non-PQ L1?](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/what-does-post-quantum-actually-mean-for-a-bitcoin-l2-when-settlement-still-happens-on-a-non-pq-l1/2715)
**Author:** [@Hal\_03](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/Hal_03)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [October 26, 2026, 8:51am UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/what-does-post-quantum-actually-mean-for-a-bitcoin-l2-when-settlement-still-happens-on-a-non-pq-l1/2715 "2026-10-26T08:51:38Z")
I’m working on a Post-Quantum State-Channel payment method on Bitcoin, and building it raised a question I think matters beyond my specific case. You can make every off-chain component of a system post-quantum, signatur… --- ## [Best critiques of BIP300/drivechains?](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/best-critiques-of-bip300-drivechains/2969)
**Author:** [@andrewclicks](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/andrewclicks)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [October 25, 2026, 1:15pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/best-critiques-of-bip300-drivechains/2969 "2026-10-25T13:15:46Z")
I’m doing my best to understand the upcoming eCash fork, what are some of the best written critiques you have found, whether about the fork itself, BIP300 (drivechains), or blind merged mining? One of the better sources… --- ## [TCP hole punching for Bitcoin nodes behind home NATs?](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/tcp-hole-punching-for-bitcoin-nodes-behind-home-nats/2497)
**Author:** [@0xB10C](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/0xB10C)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [October 23, 2026, 6:11pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/tcp-hole-punching-for-bitcoin-nodes-behind-home-nats/2497 "2026-10-23T18:11:19Z")
While @willcl-ark and I were discussing Did the number of reachable nodes in residential ISPs increase since Bitcoin Core v30.0? - Observations - Bitcoin Network Operations Collective, which indicates that making -natpmp… --- ## [A Novel Post-Quantum Approach: "Proof-Of-Decay" (Cryptographic Half-Life) for Unmigrated Dormant UTXOs](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/a-novel-post-quantum-approach-proof-of-decay-cryptographic-half-life-for-unmigrated-dormant-utxos/2970)
**Author:** [@bitKingAE](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/bitKingAE)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [October 23, 2026, 2:21pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/a-novel-post-quantum-approach-proof-of-decay-cryptographic-half-life-for-unmigrated-dormant-utxos/2970 "2026-10-23T14:21:27Z")
\### Context & Problem Statement As the Bitcoin community discusses how to protect the network from future quantum attacks, we are largely stuck between two bad options for old, exposed-key outputs (like early P2PK or lo… --- ## [Bounds on chain length with BIP-54 timewarp fixes](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/bounds-on-chain-length-with-bip-54-timewarp-fixes/2899)
**Author:** [@sipa](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/sipa)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [October 21, 2026, 9:29pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/bounds-on-chain-length-with-bip-54-timewarp-fixes/2899 "2026-10-21T21:29:50Z")
1. Timewarp fix rules BIP-54 proposes (among other things) two rules to curb undesirable tricks that can be played with block header timestamps: The timestamp of the first block of a retarget period must not be more … --- ## [Variable payout amounts for BABE (as applied to Lichen)](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/variable-payout-amounts-for-babe-as-applied-to-lichen/2963)
**Author:** [@AdamISZ](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/AdamISZ)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [October 18, 2026, 10:04pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/variable-payout-amounts-for-babe-as-applied-to-lichen/2963 "2026-10-18T22:04:49Z")
Quick background for those who haven’t read BABE. It starts with Groth16 verification. For these purposes you just need to understand that a prover can prove that an arbitrarily complex statement is true in an O(1) and… --- ## [Cassis, a new simple scheme for generic multi-layer multi-hop HTLC routing](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/cassis-a-new-simple-scheme-for-generic-multi-layer-multi-hop-htlc-routing/2952)
**Author:** [@andunie](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/andunie)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [October 8, 2026, 6:09pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/cassis-a-new-simple-scheme-for-generic-multi-layer-multi-hop-htlc-routing/2952 "2026-10-08T18:09:24Z")
Bitcoin payments are now spread across many so-called “layers”, and there isn’t a sufficiently generic way to make payments between them. In most cases, each layer has to run a Lightning node, and its users are more or l… --- ## [Anchoring an SPV light client on another chain: checkpoint trust, retargeting and reorg handling](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/anchoring-an-spv-light-client-on-another-chain-checkpoint-trust-retargeting-and-reorg-handling/2939)
**Author:** [@sebas](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/sebas)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [October 7, 2026, 9:12am UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/anchoring-an-spv-light-client-on-another-chain-checkpoint-trust-retargeting-and-reorg-handling/2939 "2026-10-07T09:12:18Z")
I work on Writz Protocol, an open-source lending protocol where BTC collateral stays on Bitcoin and loans are issued as USDC on Stellar. I would like critique of the Bitcoin-facing parts, because that is where I least wa… --- ## [PQC output type discussion](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/pqc-output-type-discussion/2749)
**Author:** [@sipa](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/sipa)\ **Replies:** 38\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2026, 5:01pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/pqc-output-type-discussion/2749 "2026-10-02T17:01:25Z")
This topic of PQC transaction output types in Bitcoin has been discussed in many different places, but often in somewhat unrelated threads. So I’m creating this thread in the hope to have those discussions in one place. … --- ## [Is the pre-finality double-spend race intrinsic to single-owner coins?](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/is-the-pre-finality-double-spend-race-intrinsic-to-single-owner-coins/2929)
**Author:** [@Hal\_03](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/Hal_03)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [October 2, 2026, 7:11am UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/is-the-pre-finality-double-spend-race-intrinsic-to-single-owner-coins/2929 "2026-10-02T07:11:28Z")
I’ve been trying to solve the pre-finality race problem: Alice (payer) can pre-broadcast a spend of her own coin an instant before paying Bob (payee), so her spend anchors first and Bob’s payment becomes a double-spend. … --- ## [PQLN: Post-Quantum Security for the Bitcoin Lightning Network's Off-Chain Surfaces](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/pqln-post-quantum-security-for-the-bitcoin-lightning-networks-off-chain-surfaces/2893)
**Author:** [@ahmet-kurt](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/ahmet-kurt)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [October 1, 2026, 2:35pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/pqln-post-quantum-security-for-the-bitcoin-lightning-networks-off-chain-surfaces/2893 "2026-10-01T14:35:14Z")
Hi everyone, This is my first post here. I’m Ahmet Kurt from East Texas A&M University doing research mainly on Lightning and its various applications. We built PQLN, a hybrid post-quantum (PQ) extension of Lightning w… --- ## [Stats on compact block reconstructions](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/stats-on-compact-block-reconstructions/1052)
**Author:** [@0xB10C](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/0xB10C)\ **Replies:** 59\ **Last updated:** [September 29, 2026, 8:23pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/stats-on-compact-block-reconstructions/1052 "2026-09-29T20:23:32Z")
I’ve recently looked at compact block reconstruction statistics from the debug.log’s of my monitoring nodes. Particularly, at how many blocks require an extra getblocktxn → blocktxn round-trip as the node does not know a… --- ## [Forwardable Peerswap Incentives, And Closing Surreptitious Communications Tunnels](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/forwardable-peerswap-incentives-and-closing-surreptitious-communications-tunnels/2917)
**Author:** [@ZmnSCPxj](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/ZmnSCPxj)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2026, 10:42pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/forwardable-peerswap-incentives-and-closing-surreptitious-communications-tunnels/2917 "2026-09-28T22:42:38Z")
Subject: Forwardable Peerswap Incentives, And Closing Surreptitious Communications Tunnels Introduction Forwardable Peerswaps is a proposed protocol for managing Lightning Network liquidity. It has the following advant… --- ## [BIP Proposal: Stateless PSBT Coordination (Blind Relay)](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/bip-proposal-stateless-psbt-coordination-blind-relay/2369)
**Author:** [@scarlin90](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/scarlin90)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2026, 11:09am UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/bip-proposal-stateless-psbt-coordination-blind-relay/2369 "2026-09-28T11:09:46Z")
Hi everyone, I’m seeking conceptual and technical feedback on a draft BIP for Stateless PSBT Coordination, designed to solve the communication gap in multisig setups without relying on trusted, stateful servers. Curren… --- ## [Depots: Theft-Proof, Self-Custodial Bitcoin For Billions Of Users](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/depots-theft-proof-self-custodial-bitcoin-for-billions-of-users/2892)
**Author:** [@JohnLaw](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/JohnLaw)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2026, 4:09pm UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/depots-theft-proof-self-custodial-bitcoin-for-billions-of-users/2892 "2026-09-26T16:09:26Z")
UPDATE: The initial post had formatting problems, apparently due to discord cut-and-paste size limits. A correctly formatted version is available as the 9th entry on this thread. TL;DR ----- In order to allow many bill… --- ## [Standardizing an exposure classification for existing outputs (pre-BIP)](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/standardizing-an-exposure-classification-for-existing-outputs-pre-bip/2866)
**Author:** [@duncan0k](https://delvingbitcoin.org/u/duncan0k)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [September 26, 2026, 7:36am UTC](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/standardizing-an-exposure-classification-for-existing-outputs-pre-bip/2866 "2026-09-26T07:36:35Z")
BIP 360 gives us an output type whose key stays off-chain until a script-path spend, and BIP 361 proposes a phased sunset of legacy signature verification. Both presuppose something no BIP currently specifies: a shared a… [Next page](https://delvingbitcoin.org/c/protocol-design/7.md?page=1)