News · Bitcoin
Draft proposal introduces Pay-to-Merkle-Root outputs to strip internal key path spends while retaining script tree functionality.
Key point 1 of 3
01
BIP 360 proposes Pay-to-Merkle-Root (P2MR), a soft-fork output type eliminating Taproot's internal key path to block long-exposure quantum attacks.
Key point 2 of 3
02
The standard commits directly to the Merkle root of a script tree, using the proposed address prefix bc1z instead of Taproot's bc1p.
Key point 3 of 3
03
Short-exposure mempool attacks remain unmitigated by P2MR and will require dedicated post-quantum signatures in a future proposal.
Context
Quantum computing development has raised long-term security questions for elliptic curve cryptography, prompting institutional and standards bodies to set post-2030 migration…
Why it matters
Bitcoin developers and script users gain a proposed output type that retains complex smart contracts and tapscript while shielding public keys from persistent on-chain exposure.
What to watch
Community feedback on the BIP 360 draft and the authors' planned subsequent proposal regarding post-quantum signature schemes.
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