Solv Protocol, the leading on-chain Bitcoin asset manager overseeing more than $1 billion in assets, is thrilled to announce a significant architecture upgrade for SolvBTC. This upgrade solidifies its Bitcoin mainnet execution layer to FROST, a threshold signature scheme pioneered by the Zcash community. FROST provides institution-grade multisignature security independently of the Bitcoin network itself.
The primary goal of this upgrade is to enhance the security and governance of Bitcoin without making any changes to the network. By transitioning SolvBTC’s Bitcoin execution model from Solv’s Staking Abstraction Layer (SAL) to a FROST Network-powered custody, this upgrade strengthens operational security as SolvBTC scales.
Solv Protocol Redefines Bitcoin Governance with FROST Technology
FROST is renowned for its security and efficiency, having been published on the public cryptography ePrint network. Solv’s upgrade signifies a significant step in implementing this model into production on the Bitcoin infrastructure. Alongside FROST, SolvBTC introduces a Vault Pool, Indexer, Auditors, and governed smart-contract controls to facilitate BTC issuance and redemption with increased throughput and oversight.
Ryan Chow, CEO and co-founder of Solv Protocol, stated, “Institutions assess operational risk and change-control risk. FROST enhances execution privacy, but what truly matters to institutions is governance akin to traditional finance systems. This includes separation of duties, policy-based approvals, audit trails, and time-delayed upgrades, making it favored by risk committees.”
Ensuring Bitcoin Security Through FROST2 Innovation
Solv’s transition to a FROST-based signing network enhances security by distributing approval among independent parties, reducing single points of failure while maintaining standard Bitcoin signatures on-chain. CTO and co-founder of Solv Protocol, Will Wang, emphasized the focus on cryptographic innovation, stating, “For 5 years, Solv has prioritized cryptographic innovation.”
“Our recent research enhances the FROST2 algorithm, elevating its security level to TS-SUF-4, the highest security classification. This advancement is expected to accelerate the adoption of FROST2 across the Bitcoin ecosystem, enabling the industry to build more efficient and secure multisignature networks.”
SolvBTC becomes more accessible for institutional venues and DeFi protocols to integrate, streamlining composability and enhancing mint and redeem flows as Bitcoin finance evolves. In essence, SolvBTC establishes a new foundation for executing Bitcoin securely and at scale.