bitcoin-sv-technical-standards-committee-recommends-first-technical-standard

Bitcoin SV Technical Standards Committee recommends first technical standard

 

Bitcoin Association for BSV, the Switzerland-based global industry organisation that works to advance business with the Bitcoin SV (BSV) blockchain and digital currency, today announces that the Bitcoin SV Technical Standards Committee (TSC), an industry-led standards organisation for the BSV ecosystem, , has progressed the Merkle proof standardised format to the recommended stage – the first BSV Technical Standard to reach this milestone.

Merkle proofs are vital to all uses of Simplified Payment Verification (SPV) described in the original Bitcoin whitepaper and form the foundation of most user interactions with the Bitcoin network. Because there are a wide variety of implementations transmitting and receiving Merkle proofs, a standardised format was proposed to improve interoperability of Merkle proofs between applications across the BSV ecosystem.

After first being proposed in June 2020 and passing an initial checkpoint review by the 10 Technical Standards Committee members, the proposed standard data format for Merkle inclusion proofs was drafted by a dedicated workgroup and subjected to several subsequent review phases – including an open public review – after which the standard was published in June 2021. Following the publication of the standard, the TSC has monitored the standard for adoption from businesses to determine its usefulness to the broader BSV ecosystem.

With the Merkle proof standardised format now in use across three prominent ecosystem applications – the Bitcoin SV node software, Merchant API (mAPI), ElectrumSV and ElectrumX – the TSC has determined that the standard has reached a sufficient level of adoption to progress to the recommended stage. The standardised format for Merkle proofs is now recommended for all businesses across the BSV ecosystem that utilise Merkle proofs in their application or service. The TSC will continue to monitor the standard for adoption, as well as any potential improvements or modifications that may be required to ensure that it remains useful and relevant for businesses that implement it.

The TSC was established to professionalise the development of Bitcoin technology in order to support major enterprise use and accelerate global adoption. It works to promote technical excellence and enhance interoperability across the BSV ecosystem through standardisation. The committee aims to facilitate industry participation and representation in the development of global standards that will promote technical excellence and enhance interoperability across the BSV ecosystem. To find out more, visit tsc.bitcoinassociation.net today.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Bitcoin Association for BSV Founding President Jimmy Nguyen said:

‘The work of the Bitcoin SV Technical Standards Committee is vital to professionalising the development of Bitcoin technology for business and ensuring that it is compatible, interoperable and useful. After nearly two years of work, the Merkle proof standardised format becoming the first standard to reach the recommended phase and see real adoption across the BSV ecosystem is a testament to the hard work that has been put in, the processes that have been developed – and more broadly – the importance of the TSC. I would like to extend my personal thanks to the TSC, the members of the Merkle proof standardised format working group and all of the individuals that have contributed to the success of the first BSV technical standard.’

Also commenting, Chair of the Bitcoin SV Technical Standards Committee Steve Shadders said:

‘The first BSV technical standard progressing to the recommended stage – the final stage for technical standards – represents a significant achievement for the Bitcoin SV Technical Standards Committee. The process to get to this stage has been lengthy, but the standard satisfying all of the criteria required to reach the recommended stage is significant and serves as validation, not only for the Merkle proof standardised format, but also for the TSC and the value it brings to the wider BSV ecosystem. Being the first technical standard to reach this stage, there have been several lessons learned throughout the process for the TSC and its working groups, which will benefit the development of all future technical standards – and more broadly – the BSV ecosystem.’

shortlist-of-six-semi-finalists-announced-in-4th-bitcoin-sv-hackathon-with-usd-$100,000-prize-pool-at-stake

Shortlist of six semi-finalists announced in 4th Bitcoin SV Hackathon with USD $100,000 prize pool at stake

 

Bitcoin Association, the Switzerland-based global industry organisation that works to advance business with the Bitcoin SV (BSV) blockchain and digital currency, has today announced a shortlist of six semi-finalists in the 4th Bitcoin SV Hackathon. The theme for this iteration of the competition is ‘peer-to-peer applications’, with a USD $100,000 (payable in BSV) prize pool staked for the winners.

One of the premier events in Bitcoin Association’s developer education programme, Bitcoin SV Hackathons are global coding competitions designed to challenge developers to both learn about the technical power of Bitcoin’s original protocol and innovate on the fly. Within a set time period, participants – either as individuals or as part of a team – are tasked with developing an application on the BSV blockchain within the parameters of an overarching theme announced at the start of the competition.

The theme for this iteration of the competition is ‘peer-to-peer’ applications – not just payments, but any type of application that involves direct interaction between participants on the Bitcoin network.  This theme was chosen to refocus development of the ‘peer-to-peer’ aspect of Bitcoin’s original design; although ‘peer-to-peer’ is a key part of the title of Satoshi Nakamoto’s white paper, the P2P elements of Satoshi’s design were disabled and de-emphasised on the Bitcoin Core (BTC) network. Therefore, entrants were tasked with leveraging the recently released SPV Channels service as part of their application to facilitate P2P communication across the network, as well as interacting with the Bitcoin network directly via the Merchant API (mAPI).  Both SPV Channels and mAPI are tools uniquely offered on the BSV network.

The six semi-final entries are:

–  Alien Wallet – an SPV wallet with its own pay-to-order hash function
[Tim Middleton – Australia]

–  Bitcoin Phone – an app for broadcasting voice data over the Bitcoin network that leverages the non-finality of nSequence to enable close to real-time data streaming
[Joe Thomas – Canada]

–  BitCommit – an application for trustless fitness competitions using micropayments and smart contracts
[Gary Miller and Vince Miller – United States]

–  CATN8 – a micropayment-enabled online video platform with a full peer-to-peer SPV wallet implementation
[Marcel Gruber – CanadaDave Foderick – United States; Thor]

–  TimeKet – an SPV wallet combined with a reservation and payment validation system [Joonyeong Park – CanadaYoungjin Jang – JapanSeyoung Jang]

–  TKS Pnt – a point tokenisation system for use by merchants and their customers
[Meta Taro – Japan]

From this shortlist of semi-finalists, three finalists for the 4th Bitcoin SV Hackathon will be selected and announced on August 24.

The three finalists will be invited to present their projects at the upcoming CoinGeek New York conference, October 5 – 7. The Hackathon Final Round presentations will be on Day 1 (October 5) of the conference, with winners announced on Day 3 (October 7). The finalists will compete for a share of a USD $100,000 prize pool, paid in BSV – $50,000 for 1st place, $30,000 for 2nd, and $20,000 for 3rd.

Final placings will be determined by a combination of a final round judging panel and audience voting. To watch the final round presentations and have your say in who goes home with first prize and $50,000 in BSV, register to attend CoinGeek New York in-person or online at coingeekconference.com.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Bitcoin Association Founding President Jimmy Nguyen said:

‘This iteration of the Bitcoin SV Hackathon has once again turned in numerous strong entries, each with a unique take on how best to leverage the peer-to-peer aspects of Bitcoin’s original design and the BSV network’s new SPV Channels implementation of P2P capabilities. With a challenging theme and complex requirements to remind developers about the often-forgotten P2P aspect of Satoshi’s intended Bitcoin system, it’s been impressive to see the different approaches employed by our participants. I congratulate all the semi-finalists and look forward to seeing who are selected as the three finalists.’

Also commenting, nChain CTO Steve Shadders said:

‘Working with all-new technologies – just like we tasked participants in the 4th Bitcoin SV Hackathon with doing with SPV Channels – is never an easy proposition. But challenging situations often lead to innovative solutions, which we’ve certainly seen with the standard of entries in this year’s Hackathon. Having worked intimately on introducing the Bitcoin SV implementation of SPV Channels, I’ve been intrigued to see how developers would approach it – and for a first foray with this new technology, I’ve been impressed with the early returns we’ve seen so far.’

To watch the Hackathon finalist presentations and to learn more about exciting developments on the BSV blockchain, register to join CoinGeek New York live in-person or virtually on October 5-7.

highlights-from-day-1-of-coingeek-zurich

Highlights from Day 1 of CoinGeek Zurich

CoinGeek’s Zurich Conference 2021 kicked off yesterday (June 8), featuring a variety of presentations from speakers involved with blockchain technology and the Bitcoin SV ecosystem. The first day included a live demonstration of how Bitcoin can scale to offer almost limitless capacity.

CoinGeek’s Zurich Conference saw presentations by speakers whose experience encompassed a wide range of industries and technologies. These included Bitcoin Association founding President Jimmy Nguyen, Transmira CEO Robert Rice, Centi General Manager and Chairman Bernhard Müller, EHR Data Vice President of Integrations Meghann Chilcott and, of course, Bitcoin creator Dr Craig S Wright.

Viewers were also treated to several panel discussions on technical topics related to blockchain technology, accounting, sustainability, the future of money, and consumer payments.

The event played host to a limited number of attendees at its physical venue in Zurich, Switzerland and was broadcasted to nearly 30,000 viewers across the world over several different platforms including Twitter, Persicope, Facebook and YouTube.

In case you missed the first day of CoinGeek Zurich 2021 you can watch the full live stream of day one here.

CoinGeek Zurich is powered by Ayre Ventures and kindly sponsored by: Bitcoin Association, Boquan, Cozen O’Connor, EHR Data, Fabriik, nChain, Ontier, TAAL and Vaionex.

We have two more days of the conference with a packed agenda that continues to be free to access.

bitcoin-association-announces-4th-bitcoin-sv-hackathon-will-commence-june-14-with-$100,000-usd-prize-pool-at-stake

Bitcoin Association announces 4th Bitcoin SV Hackathon will commence June 14 with $100,000 USD prize pool at stake

 

Bitcoin Association, the Switzerland-based global industry organisation that works to advance business with the Bitcoin SV blockchain and BSV digital currency, today announces that the 4th Bitcoin SV Hackathon will commence on June 14, with a $100,000 USD (payable in BSV) prize pool staked for the winners. The competition will be run in partnership with leading enterprise blockchain research & development firm nChain, with sponsorship provided by digital currency conglomerate CoinGeek.

One of the premier events in Bitcoin Association’s developer education programme, Bitcoin SV Hackathons are global coding competitions designed to challenge developers to both learn about the technical power of Bitcoin’s original protocol and innovate on the fly. Within a set time period, participants – either as individuals or as part of a team – are tasked with developing an application on the Bitcoin SV blockchain within the parameters of an overarching theme announced at the start of the competition.

Following the success of the 3rd Bitcoin SV Hackathon, which extended the coding phase of the competition from 48 hours to 8 weeks and resulted in a record number of both participants and entries – with 418 people from 75 countries taking part and 42 final projects submitted for judging – this edition will once again feature an extended coding period. The coding phase of the competition will commence on June 14 and last until July 26.

At the end of the coding period, three finalists will be selected by a panel of expert judges.   One representative from each of the three finalists will be flown to present their submission live for final judging at the CoinGeek Conference expected in October 2021 (applicable travel rules and restrictions at the time permitting). The finalists will compete for a share of a USD $100,000 prize pool payable in BSV – $50,000 for 1st place, $30,000 for 2nd, and $20,000 for 3rd.

Entrants will be provided with access to a digital platform designed to facilitate collaboration between team members, as well as experts from nChain and even fellow competitors who will be available to provide advice throughout the competition period.

Registration is free and open now at bsvhackathon.net

Speaking on today’s release, Bitcoin Association Founding President Jimmy Nguyen, said:

“Developer education is a key component of the work we do at Bitcoin Association and one of the most exciting ways to incentivise developers to learn how to build applications on BSV is through competition such as our Bitcoin SV Hackathons. With $100,000 up for grabs, the stakes are high, the standard of entry continues to get higher with each Hackathon, and the innovation displayed by competitors never fails to impress. The unbounded scaling, huge transaction throughput and extensive data capabilities of Bitcoin SV make it the ultimate blockchain for developers to work with – resulting in a diverse assortment of projects each Hackathon. Previous participants have used Bitcoin SV Hackathons as a springboard to venture investment, turning their competition projects into real-world businesses, so I’ll be watching with great interest to see what new and exciting ideas emerge during this iteration of the competition.”

Also commenting, nChain CTO Steve Shadders, said:

“There is no better entry point for developers into the Bitcoin SV ecosystem than the Bitcoin SV Hackathons. With a huge cash prize at stake and expert support from nChain staff at the ready, Bitcoin SV Hackathons are a great opportunity to test new ideas, try new techniques and learn how to leverage the blockchain in new and unique ways. The standard of entry has been higher and higher with every iteration of the competition, so I’m looking forward to seeing the entries from all around the world in what I’m sure will be our most competitive Bitcoin SV Hackathon to date.”

bitcoin-association-appoints-new-ambassadors-for-japan-and-the-south-pacific-to-advance-bitcoin-sv

Bitcoin Association appoints new ambassadors for Japan and the South Pacific to advance Bitcoin SV

 

Bitcoin Association, the Switzerland-based global industry organisation that works to advance business with the Bitcoin SV (BSV) blockchain, today announces that it has appointed two new Ambassadors for the Asia-Pacific region as part of its global ambassador programme, with George Siosi Samuels appointed as Ambassador for the South Pacific and Masumi Hamahira appointed as another Ambassador for Japan.

Bitcoin Association Ambassadors are experienced professionals from the Bitcoin SV ecosystem who work to raise awareness and improve understanding of the Bitcoin SV blockchain and BSV digital currency, as well as the power of the original Bitcoin protocol to support a massively scaled distributed data network for the world. With today’s additions, there are now 22 Bitcoin Association Ambassadors representing 23 different countries and territories.

George Siosi Samuels is the managing director of Faiā, a community tech consultancy working to bridge gaps between communities and technology, particularly in small and developing nations and regions. Faiā is working together with BSV ecosystem companies nChain and Elas Digital to help the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu build – using the BSV blockchain – the world’s first national digital ledger to become the world’s first paperless society.  In addition, Samuels is the founder of Honā, a BSV blockchain-based social accountability platform that can be utilised across a range of different use cases, including the ability to improve the productivity of remote workers worldwide.  Honā was voted the #1 judges’ choice during the Draper University Pitching Competition run by venture capitalist Tim Draper’s organisation.

Masumi Hamahira is a veteran financial executive, having spent 22 years working for MUFG – the world’s fifth-largest bank – including in Malaysia.  An expert in the requirements of Islamic Finance, Hamahira also serves on the board of directors for the Chartered Institute of Islamic Finance Professionals (CIIFP). Supporting BSV initiatives in his individual capacity (rather than on behalf of MUFG or CIIFP), Hamihara is an initial member of the Bitcoin SV Technical Standards Committee and already serves as Bitcoin Association’s Ambassador for Malaysia.   Having relocated from Malaysia to Tokyo, Japan, Hamahira now will also act as a Bitcoin Association Ambassador in Japan (adding to efforts of Ken Shishido, the Association’s first appointed Ambassador for the country).

Speaking on today’s announcement, Bitcoin Association Founding President Jimmy Nguyen, commented:

“As Bitcoin SV continues to demonstrate its utility across a variety of business use cases all over the world, especially in countries in Asia-Pacific, we continue to expand our global Bitcoin Association team to help spread the word and support the ongoing BSV growth story. Both George and Masumi have demonstrated ability as leaders in their respective business fields and as strong advocates for BSV, making them ideal candidates to be new Bitcoin Association Ambassadors for the Asia-Pacific region.”

Speaking on his appointment as Bitcoin Association Ambassador to the South Pacific, George Siosi Samuels, said:

“I see huge potential for the Pacific region, not just for BSV adoption, but for the underlying utility of the technology and its ability to offer leapfrogging development that will facilitate future social, cultural and economic growth. While the Pacific region is often overlooked because of its remoteness, I believe that our Pacific nations will be able to draw on our history as master ocean explorers and translate that into mastering the new digital ocean enabled by Bitcoin technology.”

Speaking on his appointment as a Bitcoin Association Ambassador to JapanMasumi Hamahira, said:

“I foresee Bitcoin SV as a driver for innovation as a global public blockchain protocol in the same way that the Internet protocol did, just as I see great potential in Japan for sophisticated corporates to use BSV in new and unique ways. In my new role, I will work to enhance the awareness of BSV among regulators, lawyers, industry associations, developers and academia by leveraging my network as a global banker and working so that we see the beautiful dawn of Bitcoin SV from the Land of the Rising Sun.”

bitcoin-association-launches-introduction-to-bitcoin-development-online-course-at-bitcoin-sv-academy

Bitcoin Association launches Introduction to Bitcoin Development online course at Bitcoin SV Academy

 

Bitcoin Association, the Switzerland-based global industry organisation that works to advance business with the Bitcoin SV blockchain, today announces the official launch of the Introduction to Bitcoin Development course at Bitcoin SV Academy. The course is available free of charge and can be accessed from today at http://bitcoinsv.academy.

Introduction to Bitcoin Development is part of the Bitcoin Development stream of Bitcoin SV Academy and has been designed to equip application developers with the skills, tools and techniques required to build applications on the Bitcoin SV network. The course covers Bitcoin as a data protocol – including reading, writing and advanced functionalities with the Bitcoin ledger, payment protocols, token protocols and smart contracts. At the conclusion of the course, participants will be tested on their knowledge through an online examination, with a course certificate available upon successful completion for those who have demonstrated proficiency and understanding of the subject matter.

Bitcoin SV Academy is an online education platform for Bitcoin which offers academia-quality, university-style courses and learning materials in three distinct streams, Bitcoin Theory, Bitcoin Development and Bitcoin Infrastructure. Developed and run by Bitcoin Association, Bitcoin SV Academy has been created to make learning about Bitcoin – the way creator Satoshi Nakamoto designed it – accessible, accurate and understandable.

The launch of Introduction to Bitcoin Development today follows the successful rollout of Introduction to Bitcoin Theory – the first course to be launched on Bitcoin SV Academy – in December 2020. Later this year, the first module in the Bitcoin Infrastructure stream Introduction to Bitcoin Infrastructure is due to launch, followed by intermediate and advanced level courses across the three streams.

Visit bitcoinsv.academy today to find out more.

Speaking on today’s announcement, Bitcoin Association Founding President Jimmy Nguyen, commented:

“Education is an integral component of the work that we do at Bitcoin Association, helping both individuals and enterprises understand the capabilities of the original Bitcoin system envisioned by its creator Satoshi Nakamoto. Bitcoin SV Academy is a cornerstone of that strategy, providing the most accurate and accessible resources for learning about Bitcoin available anywhere. Following the successful launch of Bitcoin SV Academy and our first course last December, I’m delighted to today unveil our first developer-centric offering, which will provide the critical first steps in upskilling and inspiring the next wave of developers and engineers innovating with Bitcoin and blockchain technology.”

Also speaking, Steve Shadders, Technical Director of the Bitcoin SV Infrastructure Team, said:

“Any technology is only as good as the people who understand it and know how best to leverage it. That’s true for Bitcoin too, which is capable of so much more than it’s ever previously been allowed to demonstrate. With the Introduction to Bitcoin Development course, participants will get a taste of the vast development potential offered by Bitcoin and learn how those unique characteristics can be applied to build the next-generation of applications & digital services.”

bitcoin-association-appoints-first-china-based-technical-outreach-specialist-to-increase-enterprise-awareness-of-bitcoin-sv

Bitcoin Association appoints first China-based technical outreach specialist to increase enterprise awareness of Bitcoin SV

 

Bitcoin Association, the Switzerland-based global industry organisation that works to advance business with the Bitcoin SV blockchain, today announces that it has appointed Aaron Zhou as its first China-based technical outreach specialist. Zhou’s hire is the latest addition to a growing team of technical and business outreach professionals within Bitcoin Association, dedicated to improving enterprise engagement and increasing awareness of the capabilities of Bitcoin SV as a data network protocol.

In his new role, Zhou will work alongside Bitcoin Association’s global team and China-based staff to engage with business, technology and government leaders across China, educating them about the benefits of building on the Bitcoin SV public ledger and the technical tools available for doing so, as well as the growing ecosystem of companies and products using its network. In addition to his role with Bitcoin Association, Zhou will also join nChain – a leading global blockchain research & development firm – as a software engineer, where he will be a part of the Bitcoin SV Infrastructure team.

Zhou makes the move to his new roles from IBM in Beijing, where he most recently worked as a Java developer and DevSecOps engineer. A long-standing, active member of the Bitcoin SV community, in his own time, Zhou has made contributions to the open-source BitSV Python library, collaborated on several Bitcoin SV application development projects, as well as conducted Bitcoin Association-sponsored workshops and webinars on blockchain technology to educate fellow developers.

The expansion of the Bitcoin Association team comes as interest and uptake of Bitcoin SV continues to grow across China and around the world. As the only blockchain protocol which adheres to creator Satoshi Nakamoto’s original design and vision for Bitcoin – both as a peer-to-peer electronic cash system and global data ledger for enterprise – Bitcoin SV is quickly becoming the enterprise network of choice for both businesses and developers. With the ability to scale unbounded and support huge volumes of transactions, in addition to its micropayment, smart contract, tokenization and data functionalities, Bitcoin SV is the only blockchain capable of serving as the world’s public data ledger for payments and enterprise data applications.

Speaking on today’s appointment, Bitcoin Association Founding President Jimmy Nguyen, said:

‘With enterprise interest in Bitcoin SV continuing to grow, Bitcoin Association are delighted to have Aaron join our technical outreach team to help meet the growing demand of the market. Aaron’s experience at IBM working with software systems at large scale will be a valuable addition to our Association, as we continue our work to educate enterprises about why Bitcoin SV is the most powerful distributed data ledger to support all of their blockchain applications.’

Commenting on his hire, Aaron Zhou said:

‘After being part of the Bitcoin SV community for several years, I’m delighted to have the opportunity to make my passion my profession and join Bitcoin Association as well as nChain. As the only blockchain which scales unbounded and offers the data capabilities businesses require, Bitcoin SV represents a major opportunity for enterprise-level development. I’m excited to start working with the business, government and developer communities across China to help them understand this potential and develop innovative solutions that leverage the unique capabilities of Bitcoin SV.’

bitcoin-association-to-host-bitcoin-sv-application-development-conference-in-shenzhen,-china-on-october-24

Bitcoin Association to host Bitcoin SV application development conference in Shenzhen, China on October 24

 

Bitcoin Association, the Switzerland-based global industry organisation that works to advance business with the Bitcoin SV blockchain, today announces that it will host a Bitcoin SV application development conference in Shenzhen, China on October 24.

Titled ‘Bitcoin SV: Building Innovative Blockchain Applications’, the half-day conference will be hosted in partnership with Chinese Bitcoin SV gaming platform, SatoPlay in the Nanshan District of Shenzhen. With a focus on developing applications for Bitcoin SV, the event will feature sessions led by businesses building directly on its blockchain, including SatoPlay founder Gu Lu and ShowPay founder Sunny Fung. The games industry will be well represented at the event, with the Head of Elder GamesGuo Jia, also set to feature and present on the integration of blockchain technology with the games industry.

Registration is free and open now at: http://bitcoinassociation.mikecrm.com/e86Cr9O

The conference is the latest in a series of developer initiatives Bitcoin Association has hosted across China this year. Last month, Bitcoin Association partnered with Chinese Bitcoin SV wallet company, Dot Wallet, to host the second edition of DotCamp for BSV (following the first edition in January).

In August, Bitcoin Association hosted its inaugural Chinese-language Bitcoin SV DevCon virtually in partnership with CSDNChina’s largest online software developer community, attracting more than 7,000 participants over the weekend-long event. Bitcoin Association also partners with CSDN to host the Bitcoin SV Developer Zone, a dedicated open learning platform on the CSDN website to learn about working on the Bitcoin SV blockchain.

Speaking on today’s announcement, Bitcoin Association Founding President Jimmy Nguyen, commented:

“As our community continues to grow across China, Bitcoin Association are committed to providing opportunities for learning and development to foster further innovation and entrepreneurship on the Bitcoin SV blockchain. This weekend in Shenzhen, we look forward to welcoming developers, entrepreneurs and business leaders from one of the world’s leading finance and technology hubs.”

Also commenting, Gu Lu, Founder of SatoPlay, said:

“The conference in Shenzhen will focus on building applications for the Bitcoin SV blockchain, with some especially interesting presentations from developers in China’s gaming industry. At SatoPlay, we are an open gaming platform that is actively creating game-specific services powered by Bitcoin SV, including on-chain game assets and verifiable on-chain logic. We want to demonstrate what is possible for the gaming industry using Bitcoin SV, with this weekend’s conference set to offer an excellent entry point for those looking to learn more and take their first steps.”