Bitcoin and decentralized finance (DeFi) continue to strengthen their connection. In this context, Mintlayer, a Layer-2 protocol, has decided to collaborate with Salus, a Web3 security services platform, to develop Thunder Network, a Layer-3 solution built on BTC. This collaboration promises advancements in scalability, privacy, and transaction speed.
What Does the Partnership Bring?
Thunder Network will offer the ability to use Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) features in a Bitcoin-based application. This will allow developers to create decentralized applications (DApps) while leveraging Bitcoin’s robust infrastructure. The partnership could lead to a broader ecosystem and more use cases in the crypto world.
The partnership aims to integrate zero-knowledge (ZK) technology into L3 rollups, marking a significant step in Bitcoin’s Blockchain ecosystem integration. Rollups are independent Blockchains where users perform transactions and transfer this data to Ethereum. Mintlayer and Salus aim to provide a seamless, high-performance, secure, and private user experience on Thunder Network while preserving Bitcoin’s decentralization principles.
Mintlayer Founder Enrico Rubboli commented on the matter:
“Partnering with Salus is a significant step in our mission to revolutionize Bitcoin’s scalability. By integrating ZK, Thunder Network will enhance transaction speed and privacy while providing strong EVM capabilities for building applications on Bitcoin. We are excited to collaborate with Salus to unlock Bitcoin’s full potential and shape the future of DeFi.”
Layer-3 Market is Growing
The Layer 3 market has a market value of $713 million and a 24-hour trading volume of $65.6 million. Prominent L3 projects include Degen (Base), Xai, Orbs, Aavegotchi, and Dream Machine Token.
However, Layer-3 has not generated widespread excitement among significant crypto figures. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin noted that L3 faces technical challenges such as data availability and bandwidth.
