Boundless will connect Ethereum and Base with Bitcoin - ForkLog: cryptocurrencies, AI, singularity, future

# Boundless will connect Ethereum and Base with Bitcoin

The Boundless team, developing ZK infrastructure from RISC Zero, introduced a method of using Bitcoin to verify resource-intensive zero-knowledge proofs.

Prover networks are the only model for rollups that deliver all-inclusive pricing with guaranteed capacity to handle proving

With Boundless, rollups get exactly what they pay for: proofs generated on-demand, with predictable costs and confidence that capacity will always be… https://t.co/oMbM3NSLTi

— Boundless (@boundless_xyz) January 20, 2026

The new “cross-chain verification system” will enable the first cryptocurrency to serve as a settlement layer.

Initially, the solution will connect the Ethereum mainnet and the Base L2 network with Bitcoin. This will essentially open access to the security of the most decentralized blockchain for popular smart contract platforms.

“Fundamentally, this is not about turning Bitcoin into Ethereum. On the contrary, it’s about executing in Ethereum style, secured by Bitcoin, rather than running on it,” — said Boundless CEO Shiv Shankar in an interview with The Block.

According to him, the network of the first cryptocurrency acts as the final verifier and settlement layer for ZK, which “can express many complex computations.”

This event marks a new stage in the development of zero-knowledge cryptography. The technology, which first gained mass adoption specifically in the blockchain industry, allows verifying the correctness of complex computations without revealing transaction data. Developers use ZK proofs to scale networks and enhance privacy.

The verification system from Boundless is built on Bitcoin Virtual Machine (BitVM). This framework for off-chain computation verification in the Bitcoin network has previously sparked active discussions within the community.

The BitVM concept was introduced in 2023, with a full launch taking place in mid-2025. The technology brings smart contract functionality to Bitcoin without requiring changes to its code or consensus rules.

“What BitVM opens up and what Boundless creates is the ability to attach real computations to Bitcoin without any modifications,” — emphasized Shankar.

According to the announcement, Citrea — a native ZK rollup based on Bitcoin — has joined the initiative. The development is on par with second-layer solutions and concepts like OP_CTV, which aim to scale the network and add new capabilities to the first cryptocurrency.

A Challenging Task

According to the expert, ZK proofs have become faster, cheaper, and more reliable, reaching “readiness for industrial use.” However, native integration of this technology into the Bitcoin network remains a complex engineering challenge.

“We are here to do difficult things, not easy ones. […] Bitcoin does not have native verification primitives, so everything has to be expressed through its scripting model. Verification in Bitcoin is more limited because it’s more honest,” — Shankar explained.

Boundless operates on the zkVM toolkit from RISC Zero. The project plans to expand support beyond Ethereum and Base networks.

The initiative lays the groundwork for turning Bitcoin into a “common security layer” for the entire blockchain ecosystem.

As part of this strategy, in August, Boundless integrated with the cross-chain protocol Wormhole to connect EVM networks with Solana.

Recall that Billions Network CEO Evin McMullen called ZKP technology the foundation of a new era of reliable artificial intelligence and digital identity.