The Reed Network Upgrade is coming soon, cutting BTC withdrawal costs by 60%, increasing PowPeg pegnatories for stronger security, and setting the stage for the Union Bridge, a next-gen, trust-minimized way to move Bitcoin into Rootstock.
Check out the Rootstock roadmap to learn more about what’s coming!
What is the Reed Network Upgrade bringing to Rootstock?
The Reed Network Upgrade is coming soon to mainnet, bringing major improvements to how Bitcoin moves between Bitcoin and Rootstock. It delivers stronger security, better decentralization, and sets up the next generation of trust-minimized bridging.
By increasing the number of PowPeg pegnatories from 9 to 20, Reed makes the bridge more secure and less dependent on any single participant. This creates a safer and more reliable way to move BTC into Rootstock.
Reed also prepares the network for the Union Bridge, a new bridge powered by BitVMX technology that will allow Bitcoin transfers to be verifiable and programmable. When live, Union will open the door to more efficient Bitcoin yield opportunities, new financial products, and open DeFi, all backed by Bitcoin’s proof-of-work and Rootstock’s smart contract layer.
Key improvements with Reed
- 60% Cheaper Peg-Outs: Segwit PowPeg integration reduces BTC withdrawal costs, making Rootstock more affordable to use.
More Decentralized Security: Expands PowPeg pegnatories from 9 to 20, with plans to grow to 60 in the future. - Ready for Future Upgrades: Prepares for the Union Bridge and other major upgrades planned for later in 2025.
- Performance Gains (Testnet): Parallel transaction execution and new cryptographic tools are being tested for faster transactions and lower gas costs.
Why this matters for Rootstock users
Reed makes Rootstock more affordable, more secure, and ready for the next step in Bitcoin bridging. For Bitcoin users, this means stronger asset protection, lower costs, and a network ready to support bigger and better Bitcoin DeFi.
Stay tuned for the mainnet launch and see how Reed takes Bitcoin – Rootstock bridging to the next level.
