The BOB project has made strides in Bitcoin scalability with the testing of its first BitVM-powered Bitcoin bridge prototype, developed in collaboration with Fiamma. This prototype aims to facilitate trust-minimized bridging of BTC, marking a crucial advancement in the chain's scaling process. Alexei Zamyatin, co-founder of BOB, emphasized that Bitcoin security and reducing reliance on centralized entities are vital for Bitcoin layer-2 solutions. The prototype is set to launch on the BOB testnet in early 2025 before moving to mainnet post-audits. Additionally, BOB plans to integrate a bitcoin staking service to enhance its network. The community's deliberation on Bitcoin soft fork upgrades, such as OP_CTV and OP_CAT, indicates a growing need for consensus on scaling. While OP_CTV has gained moderate support, OP_CAT remains contentious. Zamyatin acknowledges that reaching consensus will become increasingly challenging as Bitcoin usage grows. These upgrades may eventually enable advanced functionalities, including native zk-verifiers, crucial for secure Bitcoin scaling.

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