Bitcoin Core developer reignites sidechain debate in latest proposal

Drivechains focus on employing sidechain technology to augment Bitcoin by adding new features and functionalities

article-image

Mabeline72/Shutterstock, modified by Blockworks

share

After a long hiatus, Bitcoin Core developer Luke Dashjr has submitted a rough draft for implementing drivechains, a complex but promising addition to the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Drivechains allow the creation of sidechains, which are linked to the main Bitcoin network but remain separate and can operate independently, with different rules and functionalities.

Luke DashjrSource: LinkedIn

The innovation could boost the adaptability of Bitcoin by providing room for experimentation without compromising the security and stability of the primary network, or so the thinking goes.

The draft proposal, consisting of 17 commits, focuses on reimplementing drivechains using a UTXO-like model, according to a post in the Bitcoin Core repository on GitHub on Tuesday. 

Essentially, the main goal of the change is to create a new version of drivechains, with a design that’s modeled after the way Bitcoin tracks transactions and ownership.

The concept was first publicly introduced in 2014 in a paper titled “Enabling Blockchain Innovations with Pegged Sidechains,” published by Adam Back, Matt Corallo, Dashjr and others.

The method would utilize existing database structures rather than creating a separate database for sidechains, aiming for a cleaner and more reviewable approach, Dashjr said.

However, the proposal has not been without criticism. Other contributors have already raised concerns, with one reviewer — “Russeree” — expressing doubts about the proposed consensus method, fearing potential errors or manipulation by miners. 

The pull request also indicates some incomplete areas, and Dashjr acknowledges the proposal cannot be deployed in its current form. This leaves room for further development, refinement, and possibly a shift in approach based on community feedback, he said.

“Despite providing and continuing this implementation, I myself do not thereby endorse or otherwise comment on the proposal itself,” Dashjr said.

Eric Wall, a prominent venture capitalist, focusing on investments in crypto and blockchain-related projects, called it the “most interesting development in Bitcoin,” this year.

Dashjr’s draft is still in the early stages, with the developer inviting feedback from the community.

Dashjr does not possess commit access to the Bitcoin repository, meaning others who do will have to sign off on the changes, following Bitcoin Core’s development consensus process. But he stands as the contributor with the longest tenure, having more than 500 of his commits merged, Wall added.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Javits Center North | 445 11th Ave

Tues - Thurs, March 24 - 26, 2026

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Unlocked by Template.png

Research

The march toward an interoperable and onchain-by-default internet depends on reliable messaging and value transfer across heterogeneous domains. Crosschain protocols now process >$1.3T in combined annual transfer volume and secure tens of millions of user interactions, yet no single design dominates.

article-image

The goal, per Santiago Santos, is to make crypto a relatable piece of tech for people who may not even understand it

article-image

Stripe stablecoin unit aims to operate under a federal charter enabling regulated stablecoin issuance and custody services

by Blockworks /
article-image

Will TradFi make crypto better or create more problems than it solves?

article-image

Subtle decisions by risk curators saved Aave from significant turmoil

article-image

The new Rootstock Institutional unit aims to connect professional investors to Bitcoin-native yield and liquidity strategies anchored in BTC’s security layer

by Blockworks /
article-image

DOJ files record civil forfeiture against more than 127,000 BTC linked to scam activity

by Blockworks /