ZeusNode: The Bitcoin-Solana Interaction Establisher
The future of blockchain is undoubtedly multi-chain, a vision long discussed but often needs more secure solutions. While many have explored this through bridges and layers, safely using major assets like Bitcoin across multiple blockchains has remained challenging.
The industry has seen numerous exploits and hacks even with simpler approaches — like bridging assets from one chain to another or centralized custodianship.
The Permissionless Solution
Built on the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM), Zeus Network is forging a Permissionless, Trustless, and Decentralized path that creates secure and efficient interactions between Solana and Bitcoin.
But what makes this permissionless multi-chain vision possible? How can ZeusNode, the core of Zeus Network, bring us closer to a truly interconnected blockchain ecosystem?
Key Takeaways
- ZeusNode enables interactions between Bitcoin and Solana.
- Guardian is an entity of private key owners that sign transaction proposals.
- $ZEUS holders can delegate to Guardian to help Solana grow.
- ZeusNode and ZPL will bring not just BTC but various types of Bitcoin assets to Solana.
What is ZeusNode?
Cross-chain involving both assets and transactions, is essential to the multi-chain future for user experience optimization to manage assets between different ecosystems easily. ZeusNode does not just operate a blockchain or store transactions but is positioned to facilitate interaction between Solana and other blockchains.
Here’s the key difference between transactions and interactions:
- Transaction: An action on a single blockchain.
- Interaction: A series of Bitcoin and Solana transactions that fulfill pegging activities. (i.e. Deposit / Withdrawal.)
How does ZeusNode work?
ZeusNode is the core product of Zeus Network, it acts as the interaction establisher, providing a permissionless way for Solana to connect with other blockchains.
In this system, two critical roles enable this interaction:
- Operator: Collects, proposes, and relays transactions.
- Guardian: Signs the transaction proposals from ZeusNode.
Example: Cindy Wants to Mint 10 zBTC on Solana
To get zBTC on Solana, Cindy deposits 10 BTC, which will be securely locked in the Bitcoin Cold Reserve. The process then follows these steps to establish the interaction:
- Cindy deposits BTC into their own Hot Reserve.
- ZeusNode Operator collects the deposited BTC and proposes to lock it.
- ZeusNode Guardian approves and signs the locking proposal.
- BTC is locked in the Cold Reserve.
- zBTC is minted and stored in the Solana Vault.
- Cindy can then claim their zBTC from the vault.
Example: Cindy Wants to Withdraw 5 BTC to Bitcoin
Cindy wants to return 5 zBTC and receive BTC back on Bitcoin. The withdrawal process follows these steps to establish interactions:
- Cindy returns zBTC to the vault
- Cindy submits a BTC withdrawal request
- ZeusNode Operator collects withdrawal requests and proposes to unlock
- ZeusNode Operator initiates the unlocking process on the Bitcoin blockchain
- ZeusNode Guardian signs on the proposal of unlocking
- Cindy receives BTC from the Cold Reserve
- Once BTC is unlocked from Cold Reserve, the following steps will be processed on Solana: Finalize withdrawal requests after BTC is unlocked from Cold Reserve / Burn zBTC after BTC is unlocked from Cold Reserve
Guardians of the ZeusNode
To protect the integrity of this permissionless infrastructure, Zeus Network introduced the Guardians — signatories managed by multiple reputable institutions to ensure the system remains decentralized, secure, and efficient.
This structure ensures that Guardians cannot manipulate the signing process or compromise the proposals they process, upholding the integrity of cross-chain interactions. By decentralizing control, this system safeguards both the assets and the network, allowing for secure, permissionless interaction between Solana and other blockchains.
How Does Guardian Signing Work?
In the ZeusNode model, each transaction proposal is signed by the Guardian which enables interactions between Bitcoin and Solana.
Once a Guardian receives a transaction proposal from ZeusNode, they verify the status of both BTC and zBTC before invoking the ZPL (Zeus Program Library) to execute BTC lock <-> zBTC mint or BTC unlock <-> zBTC burn operations. This ensures a seamless and secure interaction between the two blockchains.
ZeusNode Guardian Delegation: $ZEUS Staking
Delegating $ZEUS to a ZeusNode Guardian supports both Solana and cross-chain liquidity. The more $ZEUS that is staked, the greater the liquidity from Bitcoin can flow in, enhancing the security of ZPL-assets.
By staking $ZEUS to ZeusNode Guardians, holders get rewarded by actively contributing to Solana’s growth and helping secure cross-chain interactions.
More details will be released close to mainnet beta launches, allowing any $ZEUS holder to participate in expanding Solana’s ecosystem.
ZeusScan: The Bitcoin-Solana Interaction Explorer
Transparently scan Bitcoin-Solana interactions, track ZeusNode metrics, and monitor ZeusNode Guardian activities.
- ZeusScan is now live: https://zeusscan.io/
Future of ZeusNode
- xyzBTC on Solana: Once BTC is on Solana, the ZeusNode infrastructure can support additional BTC standards, allowing multiple operators to bring their BTC to Solana.
- UTXO-based Blockchains: ZeusNode can read transactions on Bitcoin and other UTXO-based blockchains.
- Beyond Bitcoin: ZeusNode aims to facilitate interactions between Solana and other major blockchains, not just Bitcoin.
Conclusion
ZeusNode empowers Solana by providing a secure, permissionless infrastructure for cross-chain interactions, starting with Bitcoin. The potential for multiple ZeusNodes to handle interactions from other blockchains, including different BTC standards and UTXO-based chains, showcases this system’s scalability and future readiness.
