BitVM – Bitcoin’s New Virtual Machine

When working with BitVM, a layer‑2 protocol that turns Bitcoin into a programmable platform by adding a virtual machine on‑chain. Also known as the Bitcoin Virtual Machine, it BM, and it lets developers write smart contracts, self‑executing code that runs without a middle‑man directly on Bitcoin’s security. The core idea is simple: BitVM uses a challenger‑verifier model to prove that a contract’s execution was correct, borrowing concepts from zero‑knowledge proofs, cryptographic methods that let one party prove a statement without revealing the data behind it. By doing so, it keeps Bitcoin’s block times stable while unlocking new use‑cases for decentralized applications, software that runs on a blockchain instead of a central server.