Native & Union: Trust-Minimized Bitcoin Interop

We are thrilled to announce a strategic partnership between Native and Union, a modular ZK interoperability layer, to bring a new level of security and efficiency to the Bitcoin ecosystem. This collaboration will focus on creating trust-minimized bridges that empower users to move assets across different Bitcoin Layer 2 (L2) solutions and the broader multi chain ecosystem (Ethereum, Ethereum L2s …), without relying on centralized intermediaries.

Challenges with current Bitcoin bridges

Bitcoin, the world’s most secure and decentralized blockchain, has long been limited by its scripting capabilities, preventing the development of robust DeFi applications and other complex financial instruments directly on the network. While various Bitcoin L2 solutions are emerging to address scalability and programmability issues, the challenge of securely transferring assets between these solutions has persisted.

Bitcoin bridges rely on custodians or multi-sig arrangements, introducing significant risks, such as centralization, political exposure, and potential security vulnerabilities. This kills the “not your keys not your coins” ethos. For Bitcoin OGs, whales, institutions, and everyday Web3 users, these risks are unacceptable, limiting their participation in DeFi and other decentralized applications.

Native and Union: A Zero Trust Solution

Native is revolutionizing the Bitcoin ecosystem by introducing a Zero Trust native Bitcoin Application Platform. Our platform leverages advanced Two-Party Computation Multi-Party Computation (2PC-MPC) cryptography to build a non-collusive Bitcoin interoperability and programmability that provides direct access and control over Bitcoin assets, including BTC, Runes, Ordinals etc. This Zero Trust Architecture ensures that users retain full control of their assets without relying on additional trust assumptions. With our unique Zero Trust Architecture, we uphold “not your keys not your coins” ethos to the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Union delivers decentralized trust minimized bridges for L1 Blockchains and rollups, across any ecosystem. A decentralized trust minimized bridges are based on consensus verification and they don’t require an intermediary, a committee, or an honest majority assumption to ensure that funds can’t be stolen - we only need to trust the chains that we bridge between (rather than trusting the bridge operators). Based on an efficient zero-knowledge cryptography and consensus verification, Union stands at the forefront of cross-chain communication and interoperability built on top of the Inter Blockchain Communication Protocol (IBC).

Thanks to the advanced Natives’ Zero Trust Architecture, Union is able to deliver a trust minimized bridge to the Bitcoin ecosystem. Native & Union innovative technology ensures that assets can be transferred across Bitcoin L2s securely, without the need for trusted intermediaries or custodians.

BLISS: The Backbone of Seamless Interoperability and Liquidity aggregation

BLISS is a comprehensive framework designed to ensure seamless interoperability and scalability within the Bitcoin ecosystem. Native powers trust-minimized bridges, providing a secure and efficient way for assets to move across different Bitcoin L2 solutions and other blockchains. This framework not only facilitates communication between disparate networks but also consolidates liquidity into a unified pool.

“Interchain Communication is essential for the future of web3 (DeFi, social, identities…). Bitcoin, for a long time, was left beyond without a secure solution to serve the web3 world. Our partnership with Union is a significant step forward in ensuring that users can move their assets across networks with the highest level of security and decentralization. Together, we’re enabling a new era of trustless interoperability, confronting the risks of centralization and security vulnerabilities, unlocking the huge potential of Bitcoin.” — Robert, Co-founder of Native

Key Benefits of the Partnership

1. Enhanced Security: By combining Native’s Zero Trust Architecture with Union’s modular interoperability, we’re offering a bridge solution that eliminates the need for centralized trust.

2. Investor Confidence: With a trust-minimized bridge, large Bitcoin holders can participate in DeFi with greater confidence.

3. Unified Liquidity: This partnership will also address the issue of fragmented liquidity in the Bitcoin ecosystem.

4. Broader Adoption: With increased security and unified liquidity, the combined solution will drive broader adoption of Bitcoin-based DeFi applications.

“We’re incredibly excited to play a pivotal role in unlocking the full potential of Bitcoin through our partnership with Native. By combining our modular interoperability layer with Native’s innovative Zero Trust Architecture, we are breaking down the barriers that have held Bitcoin back from fully integrating with the Web3 world.” — Union Founder Karel Kubat

Looking Ahead

The Native and Union partnership marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the Bitcoin ecosystem. By addressing the critical issues of trust, security, and liquidity, we are paving the way for a new era of Bitcoin innovation. Together, we are not just filling gaps but setting new standards for what’s possible with Bitcoin.

For more information about Union, visit https://union.build For more information about Native, visit https://www.gonative.cc/

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