Did the term ZAP originate on stacker news?

Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #425 Recap Podcast

The Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #425 Recap Podcast, featuring Gustavo Flores Echaiz, Brandon Black, and Matt Morehouse, provides a deep dive into recent Bitcoin and Lightning Network development updates. Key news items covered include the disclosure of two Denial-of-Service (DoS) vulnerabilities affecting the Eclair Lightning implementation and a proposal to enhance wallet label synchronization, aiming to improve user experience and privacy. Discussions around potential consensus changes explored advanced topics such as the ongoing evaluation of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) output types for Bitcoin's future, proposals for block-wide signature aggregation using SNARKs for scalability and privacy, and a detailed analysis of chain length bounds in the context of BIP54 time warp fixes. The podcast also compared various covenant proposals for implementing secure Bitcoin vaults and introduced "depots" for probabilistic Lightning channels, a concept to potentially boost Lightning Network efficiency. The recap further highlighted recent releases and release candidates, specifically mentioning LND v0.21.4-beta.rc1 and LND v0.20.5-beta.rc1, signifying active development within the Lightning ecosystem. Lastly, the podcast detailed numerous notable code and documentation changes, citing several merged pull requests across critical Bitcoin infrastructure projects. This included a series of updates to Bitcoin Core (e.g., #29278, #35984, #35301, #36312, #36284, #35752, #35813), a significant update to BIPs (#2276), as well as important contributions to the Lightning Development Kit (LDK #4993) and the Lightning Network Daemon (LND #11173, #11190). These updates collectively underscore the continuous, rigorous development efforts within the Bitcoin protocol and its scaling layers.

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Zaps.bio — the link in bio that gets paid in Bitcoin

Descriptor syntax for hash preimages

The concept of 'descriptor syntax for hash preimages' refers to the development of a standardized language or format within the Bitcoin ecosystem for describing and managing cryptographic hash preimages. In Bitcoin, hash preimages are crucial components, particularly in constructs like Hashed Timelock Contracts (HTLCs) that form the backbone of the Lightning Network. These contracts require the revelation of a specific preimage to unlock funds, ensuring atomic swaps and secure payment channels. Bitcoin Output Descriptors, introduced in Bitcoin Core, already provide a compact and standardized way for wallets to describe and manage UTXOs and their spending conditions. Extending this descriptor syntax to specifically handle hash preimages would offer several significant advantages for Bitcoin protocol development and wallet functionality. It would enable wallets to more easily track, identify, and interact with funds locked by preimage-dependent scripts, such as those in HTLCs. This could simplify the construction and validation of complex Bitcoin scripts involving conditional payments, making it easier for developers to integrate advanced features like multi-party computations or sophisticated smart contracts. Furthermore, standardizing how preimages are referenced within descriptors would enhance interoperability between different Bitcoin implementations, tools, and services that rely on these cryptographic primitives for secure, conditional transactions.

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Buying pumpkins at a Square terminal with bitcoin (and failing)

The MIT Media Lab's snack machine now accepts payments via the Lightning Network

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ZOLAK bar opened a Vilnius accept only Bitcoin Lightning. No cards, no cash

The ZOLAK bar in Vilnius has reportedly opened with a strict 'Bitcoin Lightning only' payment policy, eschewing traditional payment methods such as credit cards and physical cash. This initiative positions the bar as a frontrunner in embracing a fully sovereign, censorship-resistant payment system, leveraging the speed and low fees of the Bitcoin Lightning Network for all transactions. The move highlights a growing trend of businesses integrating Bitcoin directly into their operational models, offering customers a way to transact outside conventional banking infrastructure and promoting the adoption of Bitcoin as a primary medium of exchange. This development signals a significant step towards greater financial autonomy and privacy for both merchants and consumers within the Bitcoin ecosystem, demonstrating the practical utility and feasibility of a Bitcoin-centric economy. The visible article content was truncated to "Comments".

Bitbox 02 Nova: Hardware wallet with lightning? New tutorial and breakdown.

The article offers a comprehensive tutorial and breakdown of the BitBox02 Nova hardware wallet, focusing intently on its capabilities and integration with the Bitcoin Lightning Network. It likely delves into the practical aspects of setting up and using the BitBox02 Nova for secure self-custody of Bitcoin, highlighting how its Lightning features enable faster, more efficient, and cost-effective transactions. The content probably guides users through specific steps to configure Lightning functionality, manage their Bitcoin funds directly from the hardware wallet, and strengthen their operational security and privacy practices. This resource would be valuable for Bitcoiners seeking to enhance their self-sovereignty through robust hardware wallet solutions and leverage the advanced payment capabilities of the Lightning Network.

Core Lightning warns attackers are targeting unpatched Bitcoin nodes

Core Lightning has issued an urgent security warning, indicating that attackers are actively targeting unpatched Bitcoin nodes running their software. Operators utilizing Core Lightning version 26.06.7 or any earlier versions are strongly advised to upgrade their nodes without delay. This alert underscores a critical vulnerability within the Lightning Network's infrastructure, emphasizing the necessity of immediate software updates to protect the network and its users from potential exploits by malicious actors.

Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #425

This week's Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #425 highlights two critical denial-of-service (DoS) vulnerabilities affecting older versions of Eclair (v0.13.1 and earlier), which have since been fixed in v0.14.0. The first vulnerability stemmed from inefficient feature bit parsing, where a single maximum-length init message could allocate 300 MB of memory and occupy a parsing thread for 300 ms, enabling attackers to quickly disconnect peers and exhaust memory. This was discovered using the `smite` LN fuzzer. The second DoS flaw was in gossip queries, where zlib decompression of legacy `query_short_channel_ids` messages lacked an output limit, allowing a 64 KB message to expand to 64 MB, potentially taking nodes offline. Both attacks required only a BOLT8 handshake. The newsletter also outlines a proposal for secure wallet label synchronization across devices and regular updates on Bitcoin consensus rule discussions and infrastructure software changes.

Research in Public #20: Stacker News paper accepted at WISE 2026

Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #424 Recap Podcast

This article is a recap podcast for Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #424, featuring discussions with Gustavo Flores Echaiz, Mike Schmidt, Ahmet Kurt, and Jan B. Key news includes a proposal for a post-quantum Lightning Network. The podcast addresses selected Q&A from Bitcoin Stack Exchange, covering topics such as the drawbacks of using a sum instead of SHA256 for amounts in Taproot signature messages, the necessity of resyncing after a post-BIP110 fork, and whether a Bitcoin node can build a partial UTXO set for validating new transactions. It also highlights recent releases and release candidates, including Bitcoin Core 32.0rc2, Core Lightning 26.06.8, and LDK v0.3-rc2. Furthermore, the recap details notable code and documentation changes across various projects, including Bitcoin Core (#34566), BIPs (#1951, #2224), Core Lightning (#9507, #9508, #9509, #9510, #9513), and LND (#11198, #11146, #11132), all directly contributing to the advancement of the Bitcoin protocol and Lightning Network.

Block brings Bitcoin Lightning payments to x402 for AI agents

Block, a company recognized for its commitment to Bitcoin, has announced the integration of Bitcoin Lightning payments with x402. This initiative aims to establish an open payment standard specifically designed to enable commerce between autonomous AI agents. By bringing Lightning Network capabilities to x402, Block is joining a consortium of prominent technology and finance firms, including Google, Microsoft, AWS, and Coinbase, in backing this standard. This development highlights a significant step towards leveraging Bitcoin's scaling solutions for emerging AI-driven economic models, facilitating efficient and low-cost transactions for agentic AI applications.

Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #424

Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #424 introduces a significant proposal for enhancing the Lightning Network (LN) with post-quantum security, dubbed PQLN. This initiative, detailed by Ahmet Kurt on Delving Bitcoin, aims to upgrade LN's offchain protocols to withstand quantum computer attacks, building upon prior layer-by-layer analyses. A supporting paper and a functional implementation based on rust-lightning are available for testing. The proposal specifically targets offchain components, deliberately avoiding modifications to onchain operations, which would necessitate Bitcoin consensus changes. Key modifications include: Gossip (BOLT7) is updated to distribute post-quantum keys (ML-DSA and ML-KEM) directly through node_announcement messages, which also carry ML-DSA signatures. channel_update messages include only the signature, and keys are pinned to prevent fraudulent substitutions. The channel_announcement message remains unchanged due to its reliance on onchain funding keys. Transport (BOLT8) is modified to implement a hybrid Noise handshake, utilizing two ML-KEM encapsulations—one for the pinned static key and another for a new ephemeral key to ensure forward secrecy, without employing in-band negotiation.

Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #423 Recap Podcast

The Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #423 Recap Podcast, featuring Mark Erhardt, Gustavo Flores Echaiz, and Mike Schmidt, delved into recent Bitcoin ecosystem developments. Key discussions covered news items such as Vardiff controllers for slowing miners, Utreexo improvements for initial block download, and a new BIP draft for unspendable internal keys. Updates to services and client software included BitBoxApp's integration of Spark-based Lightning payments, the Covenants.diy script editor, and the EntropyLab offline key calculator. The podcast also highlighted the Eclair 0.14.3 release and several significant code and documentation changes across Bitcoin Core, including pull requests #35445, #36076, #36150, #36174, #34743, #36081, #35975, and BIPs pull request #2241.

Reflecting a bit on The Zap Wars

Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #422 Recap Podcast

The Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #422 Recap Podcast, featuring Mark “Murch” Erhardt, Mike Schmidt, Adam Gibson, and Rob Segers, delves into significant developments within the Bitcoin ecosystem. Key discussions included a new protocol for probabilistic coinjoin and covert betting, along with an update on the progress of silent payments light clients, both crucial for enhancing Bitcoin privacy and usability. The podcast also covered important software releases, specifically LDK v0.3-rc1 and v0.2.6 for the Lightning Network Development Kit, and BTCPay Server 2.4.4. Furthermore, the recap highlighted numerous notable code and documentation changes across core Bitcoin projects, including several pull requests merged into Bitcoin Core (e.g., #35949, #34931, #36048, #36123, #36176), Core Lightning (#9434), LND (e.g., #11061, #11125, #11064), and BTCPay Server (e.g., #7561, #7559), showcasing ongoing development and improvements to Bitcoin's foundational layers and applications.

Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #421 Recap Podcast

The Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #421 Recap Podcast features discussions from Mark “Murch” Erhardt, Gustavo Flores Echaiz, Mike Schmidt, and others, covering a range of technical Bitcoin and Lightning Network developments. Key news items included the proposal for using silent payments for miner payouts within coinbase transactions and the responsible disclosure of a denial-of-service vulnerability in Core Lightning (CLN). The podcast also delved into ongoing discussions about changing consensus, specifically focusing on continued work on Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) output types, the DropKick commit/reveal PQC rescue mechanism, the SHRINCS draft BIP, and demonstrations of BIP448 and CSFS/CTV applications. Furthermore, the recap highlighted recent releases and release candidates, including Core Lightning 26.06.7, LND v0.21.3-beta, and LND v0.20.4-beta. Lastly, notable code and documentation changes were discussed, referencing specific pull requests in critical projects such as Bitcoin Core (#36111, #36032), Core Lightning (#9435), Eclair (#3368, #3366), and LND (#11090), underscoring continuous innovation and improvements within the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #421

Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #421 highlights two key developments in the Bitcoin ecosystem. Firstly, `average_gary` presented an innovative idea on Delving Bitcoin for mining pools to pay miners using `silent payments` directly within the `coinbase transaction`. This method aims to significantly improve miner privacy by allowing them to share a static silent payment address through a `Stratum v2` encrypted channel, thereby avoiding the privacy risks associated with compromised pool databases holding `xpub`s. To adapt `BIP352 silent payments` for coinbase transactions, which lack input public keys, the pool generates an ephemeral private key to derive a sending public key (`A_send`). This `A_send` is then hashed with the block height to ensure uniqueness and prevent malicious grinding, before being included in the `coinbase scriptSig` for the miner to scan. Feedback is currently sought to formalize this proposal. Secondly, the newsletter reported the responsible disclosure of a critical `denial-of-service (DoS) vulnerability` impacting `Core Lightning (CLN)` nodes. `Erick Cestari` detailed this flaw on Delving Bitcoin, specifying that it affects `CLN versions prior to 25.09`.

Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #420 Recap Podcast

The Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #420 Recap Podcast featured discussions with Mark “Murch” Erhardt, Gustavo Flores Echaiz, and Mike Schmidt, joined by Níckolas Goline, Optout, Abubakar Sadiq Ismail, and Moonsettler. Key action items included a preparation alert for an upcoming Core Lightning (CLN) security release. News topics covered a discussion on universal opt-in replay protection, the HWI (Hardware Wallet Interface) repository transitioning into maintenance mode, and a request for comments regarding the use of block-range filters. Recent software releases highlighted BTCPay Server 2.4.3 and Eclair 0.14.2. The podcast also detailed notable code and documentation changes across several critical Bitcoin ecosystem projects. These included five specific Bitcoin Core pull requests: #34075, #35730, #35580, #35665, and #35933, signaling continuous protocol development. Additionally, significant updates were noted for various Lightning Network implementations, with Core Lightning #9374, Eclair #3342 and #3321, and LND #11008. The HWI project also saw a notable code change with #841, reflecting ongoing efforts in Bitcoin hardware wallet integration.

Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #420

This week's Bitcoin Optech Newsletter provides several crucial updates for the Bitcoin ecosystem. It relays an advance notice regarding a planned Core Lightning (CLN) security release, version v26.06.7. This security update will initially be released in an embargoed manner, meaning binaries will be available immediately but source code will be withheld for 14 days to mitigate potential exploitation. CLN operators preferring to wait for source code availability are advised to restart their nodes using the `--offline` flag to maintain onchain enforcement while preventing peer connections. The newsletter also summarizes a significant discussion on Delving Bitcoin concerning the implementation of a universal opt-in replay protection mechanism for potential future Bitcoin forks. This proposal, stemming from recent replay attack incidents on minority chains, suggests using the taproot annex to commit a 34-byte payload containing the previous block hash or, alternatively, a block height and hash suffix. Furthermore, the newsletter notes that the Hardware Wallet Interface (HWI) project, a critical tool for interacting with hardware wallets, is transitioning into maintenance mode. Lastly, it describes a request for comments on the use of block-range filters, along with regular announcements of new releases and release candidates for popular Bitcoin infrastructure software.