On April 2, Baiyu, the head of the CKB ecosystem and founder of SeeDAO, was invited to participate in an AMA in the official Binance Chinese group. Baiyu provided over 160,000 users in the group with a detailed introduction to the Bitcoin layer asset issuance protocol RGB++ and CKB's plans for this year. The content was very rich, and those who missed this AMA are welcome to read this written summary.
Here are the main points from the AMA:
Q1: Why did the team initially decide to create the RGB++ protocol?#
We believe that the key to the second-layer competition of Bitcoin lies in the first layer, and the core of first-layer competition is new protocols. We categorize new protocols into two types: one that utilizes UTXO characteristics and one that does not. Based on this, we chose protocols with UTXO characteristics, such as Atomicals, RGB, and Taproot Assets.
We decided to choose the RGB protocol because Cipher has a strong personal interest in RGB and has conducted in-depth research with Teacher A Jian. The RGB protocol is elegant and has many advantages, especially its ability to provide almost uncompromising scalability for Bitcoin. However, many years have passed, and it has not been widely adopted. The reasons are that the RGB protocol has several technical and product issues in practical applications, such as interactive operation issues, data availability (DA) issues, interoperability issues, and smart contract/script execution environment issues, among others.
Then we realized that this is exactly what CKB has been working on for the past four years. The difficulties or disadvantages of the RGB protocol can actually be directly solved on the blockchain, such as not relying on anyone's P2P network, sharing data, having a virtual machine that can verify transactions, and providing a non-interactive operational experience. This was also the earliest core idea of RGB++.
Q2: Can you briefly introduce what the RGB++ protocol is?#
First of all, RGB++ is a Bitcoin layer asset issuance protocol, on the same level as asset protocols like Ordinals, Runes, and BRC20. Our advantage lies in protocol design and technical level, which is the accumulation of years by the CKB team. The original RGB protocol required exchanging transaction history and data through a P2P network, which included using a new virtual machine and defining interactive logic, making off-chain logic complex and development slow. RGB++ aims to move all "smart" components of the original RGB protocol, such as P2P networks, virtual machines, and smart contracts, on-chain through isomorphic binding. In other words, RGB++ delegates the tasks that the off-chain client verification of the original RGB protocol needs to perform to a Turing-complete, UTXO model-based, and PoW consensus mechanism CKB blockchain.
Many people easily confuse RGB++ with the RGB protocol; in fact, they are two different concepts. RGB was initially proposed by Peter and is currently mainly managed by the LNP/BP Association and Dr. Maxim, who expanded it using the concept of one-time sealing. RGB++, on the other hand, introduces the possibility of other UTXO chains acting as RGB++ clients, with its core contribution being the concept of isomorphic binding. From CKB's perspective, we plan to be compatible with more protocols in the future.
Q3: What are the advantages and disadvantages of the RGB++ protocol?#
RGB++ has many advantages, such as enabling:
Non-interactive transactions: RGB++ utilizes CKB as a data hosting and computing platform, allowing both parties in a transaction to complete transfers asynchronously and non-interactively, resulting in a more user-friendly experience.
Transaction folding: RGB++ can correspond multiple CKB transactions to a single Bitcoin RGB++ transaction, allowing the low-speed, low-throughput Bitcoin chain to be scaled using the high-performance CKB chain.
BTC assets can interact directly with CKB chain assets without cross-chain: After establishing the mapping between Bitcoin UTXO and CKB Cell, RGB++ can achieve interoperability without the need for asset cross-chain.
Of course, there are also many points for improvement. First, the entire UTXO ecosystem is just getting started, as the focus has previously been on EVM, so early developers may find it a bit challenging to adopt Bitcoin programming. However, once they accept BTC script programming, CKB is significantly easier than Bitcoin. Secondly, RGB++ uses CKB as a client, and its privacy is currently not as good as RGB; we will introduce similar ZK technology to add privacy to RGB++ transactions in the future.
Q4: How friendly is the RGB++ protocol to developers?#
In fact, whether it is RGB or RGB++, the main work for developers is done off-chain, not on the Bitcoin chain. For RGB, most of the developer's work involves how to assemble RGB transactions, how to generate RGB proofs, how to write contracts on RGB, etc. The tasks on RGB++ are similar, but many issues are directly resolved by the CKB blockchain.
Taking DEX as an example, it becomes about how to create a DEX that can accept RGB++ assets on CKB; the development difficulty is not much different from developing other contracts on CKB. Currently, the development tools on CKB are relatively complete, and a skilled developer can get started after a few days of learning.
The Bitcoin mainnet is not Turing-complete and cannot run complete smart contracts, but CKB is a UTXO-based smart contract platform, which brings Turing-complete smart contracts to RGB++ assets. It is even possible to create an AMM similar to Uniswap on CKB, allowing everyone to engage in various meme plays in the BTC ecosystem.
RGB++ assets can operate without cross-chain bridges, so developers do not need to consider cross-chain aspects, which is also an advantage. Additionally, in response to many developers wanting to create BTC L2, we are preparing a UTXO Stack around RGB++, similar to OP Stack, which can launch chains with one click and come with RGB++ asset capabilities, allowing direct interaction with BTC L1.
Q5: When will the RGB++ protocol go live, and what are the future plans?#
The RGB++ protocol has already been deployed on the BTC testnet, and testing is currently very active, with high attention from the inscription community. As far as I know, many studio friends are preparing for it. Everyone is welcome to experience this different BTC protocol. The mainnet launch will happen in the next few days. It is also a coincidence that I came here to share today; the team is working overtime on development.
In addition, there will be necessary infrastructure such as L2 DEX, wallets, and browsers that support RGB++ assets. After the mainnet launch, many projects are expected to use RGB++ to issue Bitcoin layer assets, which may present many good opportunities, so everyone is welcome to stay tuned.
Later, we will also release a series of SDKs, conduct code audits and open-source projects, and carry out scalability research, etc. We have already released the roadmap for RGB++, and specific milestones can be viewed in the roadmap below:
Finally, everyone is welcome to follow the Twitter account of CELL Studio (@ckbcell) to get the latest updates on RGB++ in real-time.
Q6: What does the isomorphic binding concept proposed by CKB's co-founders mean, and how do you plan to implement it?#
This is a very good question, and it is quite technical. I am not a developer, but I can try to briefly introduce it.
Every Bitcoin transaction has an output, and every RGB transaction requires adding OP_RETURN to the Bitcoin output to include some hash data, referred to as a commitment. If this commitment happens to be the hash of a transaction on another public chain, and the inputs and outputs of this transaction are isomorphic to the inputs and outputs of the Bitcoin transaction, and if the UTXO of the input and output on that chain has Turing-complete computational and state storage capabilities, then the Bitcoin transaction is completely bound to the transaction on that chain.
The CKB blockchain meets these conditions, so executing a Bitcoin transaction is equivalent to executing that transaction on the CKB chain, and the state change of the Bitcoin transaction is equivalent to the state change of that transaction on the CKB chain, and it complies with the contract constraints on CKB. This is the isomorphic binding technology. Of course, there are many technical details involved, such as how to ensure the consistency of these two transactions and how to prevent double spending, etc. I won't elaborate here, but interested friends can read the RGB++ Light Paper, which contains detailed diagrams and examples.
Q7: Can RGB++ be compatible with the Lightning Network, and why did CKB choose to deploy RGB++?#
RGB++ can be compatible with the Lightning Network, and we are also considering collaborating with the Lightning Network team, although they mainly focus on payments and limited scripting capabilities. However, this depends on the progress of the BTC Lightning Network protocol, and theoretically, it is easy to integrate RGB++. We believe that bringing these functionalities to CKB and empowering it at the smart contract level is the most appropriate way.
Additionally, CKB will also build its own Lightning Network, which will eventually connect with the Lightning Network on Bitcoin.
As for why CKB chose to deploy RGB++, CKB is an open, permissionless public chain where anyone can deploy any protocol. As mentioned in previous answers, the inspiration for RGB++ comes from the RGB protocol, and the approach is to replace the client verification in the original RGB protocol with blockchain. So, which blockchain should be chosen to replace client verification? This blockchain must meet the following requirements: UTXO model, Turing-completeness to support smart contracts, and preferably a PoW mechanism to ensure security. After filtering based on these conditions, only CKB remains, so RGB++ chose CKB.
It is important to emphasize again that the RGB++ protocol originates from CKB, but it is an independent layer protocol. The future of RGB++ is limitless, aiming to become the ERC20 standard for Bitcoin layer, expanding BTC.
Q8: What are CKB's plans for 2024?#
I am the head of ecology and market, so I will briefly introduce CKB's plans for this year from the product and market perspectives.
Currently, the most important thing is the RGB++ protocol, whose contract code has been deployed and is undergoing intensive testing. Interested friends can also participate in the testing of the testnet; specific information can be followed on CELL Studio's Twitter. After completing RGB++, we may consider supporting other UTXO protocols, such as Atomicals and Taproot Assets. Additionally, we plan to implement support for BRC20 or other assets through the inscription bridge, and we are looking for partners to build these inscription cross-chain bridges.
Besides RGB++, there is also the Spore protocol for creating digital objects across the entire chain. The first project based on the Spore protocol is Unicorn, launched by the SeeU community, which is about to open its map. The Spore protocol will give rise to many gameplay options, so everyone can look forward to it. We anticipate bringing a full-chain game, Autonomous Worlds, to the Bitcoin world, from DOB — Game — AW.
Later, we will also launch UTXO Stack services to support one-click issuance of UTXO chains, helping other project parties quickly build a Bitcoin L2. Chains issued through UTXO Stack can use RGB++ to connect with Bitcoin layer assets.
In addition, the team led by Jan is researching the Lightning Network, and we plan to build a Lightning Network on CKB, which will connect with the Lightning Network on Bitcoin. We expect good news by the end of the year, and this progress is currently exceeding expectations. An MVP Demo is expected in the third quarter. The theoretical challenges have been resolved, and what remains are engineering issues.
On the market side, we held Bitcoin Singapore in March, and in early April, we will co-host a Bitcoin-themed conference with Wanxiang and Bitcoin Magazine at the Wanxiang Blockchain Summit in Hong Kong. During Token2049, we will also participate in some activities in Dubai, hoping to communicate with friends from Binance on-site. We will also hold activities in South Korea, Vietnam, Japan, and other places, and we will also conduct some activities in North America to connect the overseas community with the Chinese community.
Q9: How can the RGB++ super protocol ensure transaction security for users?#
The security of RGB++ can be discussed in two scenarios.
The first scenario is L1 transactions, where the "holder" of the RGB++ transaction's UTXO is the Bitcoin UTXO. This means that only by consuming Bitcoin UTXO can one operate or update the RGB++ UTXO. In this case, although each RGB++ transaction synchronously initiates a CKB transaction, its security is unrelated to CKB; CKB is only used for DA and state disclosure. In this case, the security of RGB++ L1 transactions fully inherits the security of Bitcoin, which is the longest-running and most secure PoW chain to date.
The second scenario involves leaping assets issued through RGB++ from the Bitcoin chain to the CKB chain. The leap operation is conducted through contracts, not through traditional multi-signature bridge cross-chain. The risk point of the leap is block reorganization, which can be avoided by waiting for a few more blocks for confirmation. On the Bitcoin chain, six block confirmations are considered irreversible. The relationship between PoW confirmations and security is not linear; the difficulty of overturning PoW blocks increases exponentially with the advancement of blocks. Therefore, to achieve the same level of security as six block confirmations on Bitcoin, only about 24 block confirmations are needed on the CKB blockchain, and the average block time for CKB is about 10 seconds, so the time for 24 block confirmations is actually much shorter than the time for six block confirmations on Bitcoin.
After assets leap to CKB, subsequent transactions are called L2 transactions, which occur 100% on CKB, and their security is the responsibility of CKB. CKB has adopted the same, time-tested PoW consensus mechanism as Bitcoin from the beginning, maximizing security and decentralization. Currently, the mining machines for CKB are produced by Bitmain, the largest AISC mining machine manufacturer in the world, and CKB's current total network hash rate exceeds 300 PH/s, setting a historical high. It is extremely difficult to forge or reconstruct a PoW chain because it requires recalculating the hash power of each block, so we can trust the security of the CKB blockchain.
Q10: Does RGB++ only serve to connect L1 and L2 in practice?#
No, RGB++ can not only help users issue assets on the Bitcoin layer, but the issued assets can also leap to the CKB chain, which is Turing-complete. Therefore, assets issued through RGB++ can also participate in dApps and DeFi applications on CKB.
The isomorphic binding technology proposed by RGB++ can also bind or map assets issued by Bitcoin layer asset issuance protocols such as Runes, Atomicals, and Taproot Assets to CKB's Cells, providing these assets with Turing-complete contract expansion and performance expansion without cross-chain and without sacrificing security.
Open Q&A Session#
Q1: What is the vision of RGB++? How does it shape a new model for Bitcoin L2 assets?#
The vision of RGB++ is to help BTC become the best asset issuance platform. On the ETH network, the market value of ETH is about four to five hundred billion dollars, and the value of ERC20 and NFT assets is also in the hundreds of billions. However, due to historical, cultural, and technological reasons, Bitcoin layer assets only amount to tens of billions. If we calculate based on 30%, there is still a space for asset issuance worth hundreds of billions. Therefore, the core of RGB++ is to become a layer standard, helping project parties issue assets and communities launch fairly, easily connecting with other BTC L2s.
RGB++ will soon become independent, with a separate open-source association to update and maintain the RGB++ protocol. We believe that Bitcoin layer can become the best asset issuance platform!
Q2: What advantages does CKB have in the competition of BTC L2? What are the future plans?#
CKB L2 is a native UTXO+PoW solution that brings a new paradigm to Bitcoin layer through RGB++. This is the advantage we have accumulated over the past four years. All our strategies are open and public, but it is difficult for the market to imitate them in a short time. Our understanding of BTC is as follows, and we have four directions planned for the end of the year:
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RGB++ ecosystem. From issuing asset NFTs and FTs on the first layer to developing dApps on CKB L2, similar to Uniswap and PSBT applications, and then using our UTXO Stack to create BTC L2 Appchains. This is a complete product line. We will support the ecosystem. Currently, OpenStamp is using UTXO Stack to issue a BTC L2 chain, and they have just completed financing.
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Full-chain gaming ecosystem. Around our innovative Spore DOB protocol, we aim to create a completely different philosophical universe on the entire chain. From digital objects to on-chain games to autonomous worlds. We hope everyone can find meaning and belonging while playing in Web3 games. We will also support this ecosystem.
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Integrating social protocols like Nostr, and even combining with RGB++, to integrate native asset sending and payment in Web3 social protocols. There are teams developing in this area.
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Our biggest move this year, which is also the crown of the entire Bitcoin world: Lightning Network + stablecoins. We plan to launch CKB's L2 Lightning Network in the second half of the year.
Q3: Does the CKB team focus more on technological development or on promotion and marketing to expand market awareness?#
First of all, in the Chinese-speaking community and even the global Web3 community, no one should doubt the technical strength of the CKB team. We have survived on this one advantage until this wave of market growth. We will continue to focus on technology, following the native technical path of Bitcoin and expanding the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Of course, in the past, we were overly focused on technology, which led to perceptions of being too "pure" or "nerdy," not engaging with the market. This is something we need to change. We must stand tall! At the beginning of the year, I personally joined CKB as the head of marketing to turn this situation around, finding a balance between technical persistence and market promotion. Good technology paired with good marketing brings value to everyone!
Based on the market arrangements I mentioned above and the fact that CKB has increased sevenfold since the beginning of the year, reaching as high as tenfold at one point, I believe everyone is noticing our changes. We look forward to your attention to CKB.
Q4: Does CKB have any internal testing or testing activities for upcoming projects?#
This question is about how to engage with the CKB ecosystem. It may not be a wealth code, but I would like to share some CKB ecosystem projects that I am paying attention to.
First, the first token of the RGB++ protocol is currently very hot in the market, and everyone is paying attention. In Bitcoin layer protocols, "First is first" is very important, so everyone can keep an eye on it.
Secondly, we have launched the Spore DOB protocol, which is an upgrade similar to NFTs. A community project has created Unicorn Box, totaling 2,105 units, and they have many gameplay options. The Nervape white list is also currently very popular.
The UTXO Stack project will soon announce financing news, and everyone can pay attention to its future development; it will be similar to BTC's OP+EigenLayer, with staking and re-staking features.
Finally, of course, pay attention to the CKB native token, and everyone is welcome to trade it on Binance. By the way, we may also launch a CKB PoW mining pool together with Binance, so stay tuned!
Q5: I am researching NFTs, Web3, virtual worlds, and blockchain games. Can you tell me what advantages CKB will have in this field in the future?#
This question is likely from a developer, and it aligns with the developers we need. Please DM me, and I will answer it.
To be honest, I personally had high expectations for AW (Autonomous Worlds) in this round of the Ethereum bull market. I believe AW is an upgrade of the metaverse and a new world that everyone with Web3 ideals truly wants to build here. However, due to Ethereum's overall poor performance in this round and the past emphasis on various finance aspects while neglecting gameplay and genuine social needs, AW is currently in a low state, but this is an opportunity for Bitcoin.
CKB has proposed a concept different from NFTs — Digital Objects, abbreviated as DOBs. We believe that Bitcoin's uniqueness lies in its UTXO model, which is physical and simulates the physical world. Digital objects should also exist on-chain without relying on more infrastructure. Digital objects can be born and die, overcoming the infinite replication characteristic of copies. Spore DOBs will soon have new developments, so please stay tuned.
In summary, we will focus on issuing DOBs using RGB++ on the Bitcoin layer, and these DOBs will build communities similar to Loot, as digital objects are naturally composable, can cross chains, and can build games without permission, ultimately forming diverse Autonomous Worlds, thriving together.
We will invest resources and energy in the Game and AW tracks, and teams are already developing, so feel free to contact us.