How to understand the Entangled Rollup Network launched by @ProjectZKM? In short: it is an interactive communication unified liquidity network built on the zkVM universal execution layer. At a time when the BTC layer2 track is extremely lacking in native cross-chain solutions, can we also regard it as a BTC layer2 solution that can achieve native cross-chain migration of assets? Next, let me talk about my understanding from a technical perspective:

1) ZKM is a general-purpose ZK execution layer. Through ZK technology, the calculation layer and the verification layer are separated. The calculation layer can perform efficient operations in the off-chain environment, and only upload the proof to the chain to verify whether the result is correct on the chain. By providing a modular ZK execution layer for each chain, ZKM can give full play to the decentralized trust potential of ZK technology, making it a Zero layer general execution layer. As an "upstream" technical service provider, it provides ZK technical support for various heterogeneous chains that require trust.

Entangled Rollup Network is a generalized interoperable layer launched by ZKM. Based on the ZK execution layer + verification layer, it constructs a decentralized relay network, which is responsible for cross-chain information communication and asset settlement between different chains.

ZKM can be regarded as an underlying hard-core technology framework, and the Entangled Rollup Network will implement the execution and verification capabilities of zkVM in some cross-chain settlement and communication application scenarios.

Between EVM homogeneous chains or heterogeneous chains that support smart contracts, the Entangled Rollup Network only needs a set of relay protocols to manage smart contracts on different chains to achieve unified scheduling and management of assets. However, between Non-EVM BTC chains that do not support smart contracts, it is the key to test whether the Entangled Rollup Network cross-chain solution can unleash the potential of zkVM.

2) From a longer-term perspective, the Entangled Rollup Network is an interoperable network that can eventually make Ethereum a universal settlement layer, similar to the IBC relay network of Cosmos, which can achieve cross-chain asset and communication capabilities in a complex environment of the entire chain. Because it can indeed achieve "trust" between heterogeneous chains based on the modular execution layer design of zkVM.

I have specifically mentioned in a previous article that zkVM enables the emerging Ethereum layer2 project @MetisL2 to attach a ZK special router to OP-Rollup, a hybrid Rollup capability that can quickly withdraw. This is an innovative breakthrough that zkVM can achieve in the Ethereum ecosystem, which can realize the construction of a ZK cross-chain trust mechanism between the Ethereum mainnet and layer2.

In theory, ZKM's universal ZK execution layer capabilities can use Ethereum as a unified settlement (universe) center, and the Entangled Rollup Network will accordingly become a relay network connecting a multi-chain environment, which can build a unified liquidity network center for different chains.

Putting aside what ZKM and Entangled Rollup Network can achieve in the long term, from a more vertically focused perspective, we can also view Entangled Rollup Network as just a BTC layer2 that can give the BTC main chain native asset migration capabilities. It can provide Native BTC cross-chain services for hundreds of BTC layer2 projects, and become a shared interoperability layer for the BTC layer2 ecosystem.

3) Taking the BTC layer2 cross-chain scenario as an example, how does Entangled Rollup Network implement Native BTC cross-chain? How it works? As ZKM Founder @kevinliub said below, an absolutely secure BTC layer2 cross-chain solution should have two key factors:

1. Assets on the BTC mainnet should be script-controlled through multi-signatures;

2. The BTC layer2 Sequencer should be decentralized, and there should be a challenger mechanism involving the mainnet script. Specifically:

Step 1: If a user wants to conduct cross-chain transactions with BTC layer2, he needs to first create a delegation transaction on the BTC main network, that is, a Commitment, promising to entrust the assets to the Entangled Rollup Network for "custody". The delegation transaction will be monitored and recorded by the Entangled network nodes;

Step 2: zkVM off-chain generates the corresponding state root and records the state transfer process of the delegated transaction, and generates the corresponding Wrapped BTC on the Entangled network;

Step 3: The Entangled network will create a proof transaction on the BTC mainnet based on the information in the user's entrusted transaction, including the Proof and state root Hash generated by the zkVM execution and saved in the Bitcoin mainnet OP_Return data;

Step 4: zkVM generates a Proof certificate which will be verified through the Proof Network to prove that the state migration data in the process is authentic and valid.

Step 5: The Entangled Rollup Network has a fully decentralized Sequencer transaction sorting and processing system. The Sequencer node will stake BTC margin on the main network and stake corresponding governance tokens within the network to participate in network governance;

Step 6: When users withdraw BTC from BTC layer2 back to the main network, after a series of status verification and confirmation, they can obtain the assets stored in the BTC main network by the Entangled node, thereby achieving a safe exit of the native assets.

4) Overall: Entangled Rollup Network allows users to achieve secure cross-chain and transfer of assets through a set of trusted and secure Peg-in and Peg-out mechanisms. The technical concept is no different from the RGB native protocol, which relies on publishing a state Commitment to the main network and locking assets through subsequent state commitment Unlock. The difference is that RGB is based on a decentralized client P2P network, while Entangled Rollup Network needs to build a trusted relay network through a set of pledges and using zkVM.

The question is, what if the Sequencer tampers with the state migration data before Peg-out, causing the ledger to be in chaos? Therefore, the Sequencer must be decentralized, and there must be a challenger mechanism that constantly challenges the security and effectiveness of the Sequencer's work.

Entangled Rollup Network defines this challenge mechanism as OCP (Optimism Challenge Process). Any user and node can pass the transaction data status fragment of the layer2 network to the main network at any time to challenge the commitment locked by the main network script. If the layer2 data is inconsistent with the main network commitment, the challenge is successful and the assets staked by the node on the main network will be confiscated. In this way, the decentralized sequencer will not be subjectively malicious.

that's all.

As mentioned above, ZKM’s interoperable network can theoretically be used in a full-chain environment, becoming the underlying infrastructure of a new generation of “chain abstraction”; of course, it can also be used in the BTC layer2 field, which is currently thriving but has no native asset cross-chain solution. The latter is perfect for serving the BTC interest-earning track.

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