BTC Updates!!!!!!

According to CoinDesk, OP_CAT is a proposed upgrade for Bitcoin that aims to introduce Ethereum-like smart contract capabilities to the blockchain network. Despite having a number of supporters, OP_CAT is still in the early stages of gaining the necessary consensus to be integrated into Bitcoin's core software.

Layer-2 developer StarkWare, known for its work on the Starknet network atop Ethereum, has showcased the potential of OP_CAT on Bitcoin's testing environment, Signet. Using OP_CAT, StarkWare demonstrated how zero-knowledge proofs—a type of cryptography that compresses data or validates statements without compromising privacy—could be implemented on Bitcoin. This demonstration aimed to highlight the capabilities of OP_CAT, which could bring smart contract programmability to Bitcoin, a feature historically absent from the blockchain designed by Satoshi Nakamoto as a peer-to-peer payment system.

StarkWare has publicly supported the approval of OP_CAT, citing the clear benefits it could provide to the Bitcoin community and the broader blockchain ecosystem. The company emphasized the potential enhancements in privacy and data compression that zero-knowledge proofs could bring to Bitcoin if OP_CAT is adopted.