【Full original, not AI-generated】
Let’s sort out RGB for everyone. It may not be completely correct—please point out any mistakes.
What is RGB?
The RGB protocol is a client-side verification and smart contract/asset issuance protocol built on top of the Bitcoin protocol layer. It allows developers to issue assets and execute complex smart contracts on Bitcoin by leveraging the security of the Bitcoin network and the high throughput of the Lightning Network, without changing the consensus of the Bitcoin mainnet and without occupying storage space on the Bitcoin chain.
The key feature is that contract code and state-change data are only transmitted and verified between the transaction parties and are not stored in Bitcoin blocks. Only the holder and the recipient need to verify the complete history of that specific asset; other unrelated nodes have no knowledge at all.
In plain words: the books are settled privately; the anti-counterfeit seal is anchored on-chain, and the transaction is only known to you and me.
What are the pros and cons of RGB?
Pros
① Absolute nativeness
No need to change the underlying Bitcoin code
② Extreme privacy
On-chain there is only a string of meaningless hash commitments.
③ High scalability and zero-gas competition
All smart contract logic and transactions are executed off-chain in plaintext, and do not consume block space
Perfectly supports the Lightning Network
④ No global state pollution
RGB is a local-state chain. When A and B transact, it has absolutely no effect on C and D.
Disadvantages
① Data availability and data loss risk
Off-chain data can only be saved by the users themselves. If a user’s wallet gets damaged and there is no backup of the off-chain history data, then even if they have the private key, they permanently lose that RGB asset (because they can’t prove the asset’s historical legitimacy to the next recipient).
② Asynchronous and two-way interaction experience
Traditional transfer: one-way delivery (input address — click send).
RGB transfer: requires two-way interaction. Receiver B needs to first generate an invoice with a blinded UTXO and send it to A. A then generates and sends the off-chain data to B. Only after B verifies everything correctly on the local client can A broadcast the BTC transaction on-chain. If B is offline, the transfer is hard to complete smoothly. If you’ve used Lightning Network, you should know this is quite troublesome—I also don’t know whether these two are similar.
③ Extremely high development barrier
Developers cannot directly reuse the existing Solidity / EVM ecosystem architecture.
Contracts must be written based on the AluVM, and you must develop the client logic using Rust. You also need to handle extremely complex foundational infrastructure yourself, such as state synchronization, off-chain storage, P2P transmission, blind address construction, and more.
Summary: it’s too much like Bitcoin itself—elegant and rigorous, but hard for ordinary people to use.
RGB split
Camp A
LNP/BP / Maxim route
Maxim Orlovsky (
@dr_orlovsky
） is an early core developer of RGB and an important architecture designer.
On the GitHub release page, you can see that he signed the RGB v0.12 RC version.
The LNP/BP Standards Association has been involved in RGB development for the long term.
Key point:
RGB v0.12
More complex smart contract capabilities
zk direction
More strict protocol design
Camp B:
RGB Protocol Association roadmap
By:
Bitfinex
Fulgur Ventures
Plan ₿ Network
Boosty Labs
KaleidoSwap
ThunderStack (later Utexo)
LNFI, etc., participated in founding
Camp B:
RGB Protocol Association roadmap
By:
Bitfinex
Fulgur Ventures
Plan ₿ Network
Boosty Labs
KaleidoSwap
ThunderStack (later Utexo)
LNFI, etc., helped found it
Key point: first launch with an ecosystem—wallets—Lightning—business applications
RGB v0.11.1 mainnet
Tether’s choice?
Tether has indeed publicly said it plans to issue USDT on the RGB network in the future.
The most formal original text comes from Tether’s official press release.
Link: https://tether.io/news/tether-to-launch-usdt-on-rgb-expanding-native-bitcoin-stablecoin-support/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
@dr_orlovsky
https://tether.io/news/tether-to-launch-usdt-on-rgb-expanding-native-bitcoin-stablecoin-support/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
The official announcement says “on RGB,” but it doesn’t mention RGB v0.12, and it also doesn’t mention LNP/BP RGB.
But what it cited was “RGB recently reached mainnet with its 0.11.1 release.”
This direction is quite clear, but it doesn’t rule out possible changes later. Once it’s really finalized, it’ll be very hard to change. There won’t be two versions released, so keep an eye on it.
PPRGB status
RGB’s first cultural symbol / meme—long active, and the community has been运营 for many years
The greatest value of memes is to create users.
The biggest problem with RGB right now isn’t the protocol—it’s that nobody uses it.
At least PPRGB has “people discussing RGB.”
I’ve already tried my best to understand it before writing a super minimal version. If you still can’t understand it, then I can’t do anything about it.
Just keep an eye on RGB and bitvm.