BTCSQ
Bitcoin Squared (BTCSQ).
TODO - BEING UPDATED IN PROGRESS FOR MAINNET
Contents
Overview
BTCSQ is reference implementation of the Bitcoin codebase secured to Bitcoin using VeriBlock® Proof-of-Proof® ("PoP®") in an entirely Decentralized, Trustless, Transparent, and Permissionless ("DTTP®") manner.
See:
- Official landing page: https://veriblock.org/labs/btcsq/
- Explorers:
- BTCSQ MainNet: https://explore.btcsq.veriblock.org/
- VBK: https://explore.veriblock.org/
- Issues Board:
- Github:
Get Package
Windows:
- TODO
Linux:
- TODO
How to get started
See Detailed walkthrough: HowTo_Mine_BTCSQ
How to PoW Mine
Use any Sha256D miner.
See:
- HowTo_run_NiceHash_for_BTCSQ
- PoW_Pools_BTCSQ - PoW mining pools
- HowTo_Mine_BTCSQ#How_To_PoW_Mine_BTCSQ
How to PoP Mine
BTCSQ introduces PoP mining for Bitcoin based altchains, so PoP mining is a great place to start. It doesn't require expensive hardware.
Anyone can PoP mine:
- Download the package:
- This includes the BTCSQ daemon, APM, and VeriBlock NodeCore daemon.
- Start the BTCSQ daemon (like you would start a bitcoin daemon)
- Start the NodeCore daemon. (You can sync from scratch, but the bootstrap downloader will probably be faster)
- Let both daemons sync
- Start the APM miner, connect it to the BTCSQ daemon and NodeCore daemon
- Run the APM GUI at: http://localhost:8081/index.html
- Populate your APM with tVBK from this free faucet: https://testnet-faucet.veriblock.org/
- Start mining!
License
For any blockchain which launch based on the BTCSQ codebase and pops up to VeriBlock (which then pops to Bitcoin) - there is the standard MIT license. Very Easy.
For any new blockchains which launch based on the BTCSQ codebase, and for some reason do not pop up to VeriBlock, the license will require 10% of their total emissions to holders of BTCSQ at the time they launch.
Useful Links
- Altchain_PoP_Rewards
- Altchain_PoP_Health_Monitor
- WhitePaper (VBK PoP): http://bit.ly/vbk-wp-pop
Social Channels
This is initially a project incubated in VeriBlock Labs (and therefore uses VeriBlock social channels)
- Discord - https://discord.gg/wJZEjry
- Twitter - https://twitter.com/VeriBlock
TestNet
BTCSQ had an incentivized testnet: Join_BTCSQ_Testnet, which ended on Dec 7, 2021.
A new TestNet may eventually be spun up.
FAQ
What are the blockchain economics?
TODO - for MainNet
See: BTCSQ_Emissions
As vBTC is a reference of BTC... the economics are very similar to BTC:
- Block reward -> 5 vBTC
- PoP / PoW percentage? -> 50% PoW / 50% PoP
- Halving schedule -> 1,050,000 blocks (4 years)
- Block time -> 2 minutes
- What is the PoW algorithm -> Sha256D
What is the PoP Payout interval?
150 BTCSQ blocks.
What are the PoP Rounds and Keystone?
There are 4 rounds: 1,2,3,4, with 4 being the keystone (having a larger reward).
Note that VBK NodeCore has 20 round indices (with 4 rounds) due to 30-second block times. See: HowTo_run_PoP_Miner#VeriBlock_.22Rounds.22
How does BTCSQ help VeriBlock?
BTCSQ greatly helps VeriBlock, as it is the reference implementation (formerly codename vBTC) that all future altchains can copy. Before other altchains would be ready for mainnet, most efficient to have BTCSQ first be mainnet-ready.
Work out the bugs first in one reference, "pave the way", and make it easier for all others.
Much of the framework is shared:
- APM
- NodeCore (which has much altchain support)
- C++ Library
- Code patterns in the BTC-based daemon
- Reusable integration test suite