Skip to main content

ARK v0.3 | VTXO Tree Signing and New Onboarding Process

· 3 min read
Pietralberto Mazza
Pietralberto Mazza
Ark Labs
Louis Singer
Louis Singer
Ark Labs
João Bordalo
João Bordalo
Ark Labs

Photo by Johann Siemens Photo by Johann Siemens on Unsplash

Greetings, Arkonauts! 🚀

We're pleased to announce the release of Ark v0.3.0. This update introduces several security, efficiency, and functionality improvements, continuing our ongoing efforts to refine and enhance the Ark ecosystem.

✍️ VTXO Tree Signing​

This release introduces the implementation of MuSig2 for VTXO tree signing. This enhancement removes the need for trust between clients and the server when completing a round. Round participants now collectively sign and verify all transactions of the VTXO tree, contributing to a more decentralized and trustless process.

🚪 New Onboarding Process​

We've simplified the onboarding process so that users can now join Ark by simply sending funds to a boarding address. Once confirmed on-chain, users co-sign with the ASP while claiming the UTXO in a round.

🔧 Extended Functionality​

Enhanced Client SDK​

We've exported ListVtxos and GetTransactionHistory in the SDK, providing developers with more powerful tools to build on Ark.

Reversible Policy for Pending VTXOs​

Senders now have the option to revert a offline payment if the receiver fails to claim it. While the server doesn't yet expose an API for this, the groundwork has been laid in the output script.

Chain Offline Payments​

Change produced in offline payments is now immediately spendable without needing to be claimed. This improvement unlocks the ability to chain offline payments, allowing for more flexible and efficient off-chain transactions.

Bitcoin Wallet Restoration for Covenantless ASP​

We've added support for restoring the Bitcoin wallet in the covenantless Ark Service Provider (ASP). This feature enhances the robustness of the system, allowing for easier recovery and maintenance of the ASP's Bitcoin wallet.

🎯 Improved Efficiency​

Dynamic Fee and Dust Amount Handling​

Ark now dynamically fetches dust amounts and minimum relay fees based on chain activity, replacing hardcoded values. This improvement allows for more accurate and efficient transaction processing.

🧪 Improved Testing​

We've expanded our e2e testing suite to include adversarial scenarios. These tests ensure the server behaves correctly if clients attempt to cheat, further solidifying Ark's security model.

🛠️ Developer Experience​

CLI built with Ark SDK​

The Ark CLI is now built on top of the client SDK, serving as a reference implementation for developers.

API Renaming​

We've renamed several APIs to be more production-oriented, improving clarity and consistency across the platform.

🚀 Getting Started​

To start using Ark v0.3.0, update your installations and check out our updated documentation for detailed guides on the new features.

We're thrilled about these improvements and can't wait to see what you'll build with Ark v0.3.0. As always, we welcome your feedback and contributions to make Ark even better.

Happy building, Arkonauts!