📰 A new research paper titled “BitVM: Compute Anything in Bitcoin” proposes a new method for performing complex calculations and smart contracts on the Bitcoin network. This model does not require changes to Bitcoin's consensus rules, and all heavy transactions are done off-chain, while the on-chain footprint remains small. Potential applications include verifying computational proofs for Bitcoin contracts, bridging cross-chain assets, and running direct prediction markets on Bitcoin. However, BitVM is limited to a two-sided setting between only a prover and validator, and more research is needed for real-world use.