Difference between revisions of "Blockstream"

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* Location: Montreal, founded in 2014.
* Location: Montreal, founded in 2014.
* The company is focused on developing [[Bitcoin (BTC)|bitcoin]] applications specifically [[Sidechain|sidechains]] with its [[Liquid]], as well as other applications. Blockstream has raised $76M to date from investors including [[Khosla Horizons Ventures]] and [[Mosaic Ventures]].
* The company is focused on developing [[Bitcoin (BTC)|bitcoin]] applications specifically [[Sidechain|sidechains]] with its [[Liquid]], as well as other applications. Blockstream has raised $76M to date from investors including [[Khosla Horizons Ventures]] and [[Mosaic Ventures]].
* “Creating ways to handle bitcoin micropayments and a technology called sidechan that offers firms more flexibility handling bitcoin transfers. Working with Intercontinental Exchange.”
* ''“Creating ways to handle bitcoin micropayments and a technology called sidechan that offers firms more flexibility handling bitcoin transfers. Working with Intercontinental Exchange.”''
* Blockstream is one of the largest contributors of funding for [[Bitcoin Core]].
* Blockstream is one of the largest contributors of funding for [[Bitcoin Core]].


== Projects ==
== Projects ==
* [[Liquid Sidechain|Liquid sidechain]]; On October 12, 2015, Blockstream announced the release of its Liquid sidechain which could allow for the transfer of assets between the sidechain and the main blockchain
* [[Liquid Sidechain|Liquid sidechain]]; On October 12, 2015, Blockstream announced the release of its Liquid sidechain which could allow for the transfer of assets between the sidechain and the main blockchain. The firm claims over $1.8 billion in assets, including stablecoins, tokenized bonds and securities, have been issued on Liquid to date ([https://www.theblock.co/post/321074/blockstream-funding-layer-2-mining-bitcoin-treasury 14-10-2024]), with over 3,844 BTC (around $250 million) locked onchain.
* [[Elements Project]]; Blockstream released an open source codebase and testing environment for its sidechains product to public under open source license.The Elements Project is a community effort to create and test new extensions to the Bitcoin protocol, whose early contributions include Confidential Transactions by Gregory Maxwell, and Segregated Witness by Pieter Wuille.
* [[Elements Project]]; Blockstream released an open source codebase and testing environment for its sidechains product to public under open source license.The Elements Project is a community effort to create and test new extensions to the Bitcoin protocol, whose early contributions include Confidential Transactions by Gregory Maxwell, and Segregated Witness by Pieter Wuille.
* Blockstream has released source code for the [[Smart Contract|smart contracts]] on [[blockchain]] language [[Simplicity]]; Simplicity has been built to be compatible with Blockstream’s [[Elements]] platform, Elements is an [[Open Source|open source,]] [[sidechain]]-capable blockchain platform
* Blockstream has released source code for the [[Smart Contract|smart contracts]] on [[blockchain]] language [[Simplicity]]; Simplicity has been built to be compatible with Blockstream’s [[Elements]] platform, Elements is an [[Open Source|open source,]] [[sidechain]]-capable blockchain platform
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''"In 2019, Blockstream launched Blockstream Pool and announced it had been previously mining for a select few high-profile clients like [[Fidelity]]. Blockstream said it [https://blockstream.com/2021/01/27/en-blockstream-purchase-25m-usd-of-bitcoin-mining-hardware-from-microbt/ bought] $25 million worth of mining machines from [[MicroBT]]. The machines are to be deployed through Blockstream's facilities in Canada and the U.S."''
''"In 2019, Blockstream launched Blockstream Pool and announced it had been previously mining for a select few high-profile clients like [[Fidelity]]. Blockstream said it [https://blockstream.com/2021/01/27/en-blockstream-purchase-25m-usd-of-bitcoin-mining-hardware-from-microbt/ bought] $25 million worth of mining machines from [[MicroBT]]. The machines are to be deployed through Blockstream's facilities in Canada and the U.S."''


== Team, etc. ==
== Team, Partners and Funding ==
 
=== Team ===
* Employees: 50
* Employees: 50
* List of devs can be [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YKBTIXdF6yF4XPp-3NeWxttUFytf8WFY1y8tZF7c17A/htmlview#gid=0 found here].
* List of devs can be [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YKBTIXdF6yF4XPp-3NeWxttUFytf8WFY1y8tZF7c17A/htmlview#gid=0 found here].
* Allen, Christopher; co-author of IETF Transport Layer Security
* Allen, Christopher; co-author of IETF Transport Layer Security
* [[Adam Back|Back, Adam]], president & co-founder (Was part of [[The Hong Kong Agreement|Hong Kong consensus]])
* [[Adam Back|Back, Adam]], president & co-founder (Was part of [[The Hong Kong Agreement|Hong Kong consensus]])
 
*[[Matt Corallo|Corallo, Matt]]; co-founder, Bitcoin Core dev, Nick: BlueMatt
* [[Matt Corallo|Corallo, Matt]]; co-founder, Bitcoin Core dev, Nick: BlueMatt
* [[Chris Decker]]; engineer ([https://www.coindesk.com/bitcoins-lightning-network-is-growing-increasingly-centralized-researchers-find 20-2-2020])
* [[Chris Decker]]; engineer ([https://www.coindesk.com/bitcoins-lightning-network-is-growing-increasingly-centralized-researchers-find 20-2-2020])
* [[Mark Friedenbach|Friedenbach, Mark]]; co-founder
* [[Mark Friedenbach|Friedenbach, Mark]]; co-founder
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* Wilkins, Jonathan; co-founder
* Wilkins, Jonathan; co-founder
* [[Pieter Wuille|Wuille, Pieter]], Dr.; Co-founder blockstream, Nick: Sipa, Bitcoin Core developer, put forth the [[Segregated Witness|SegWit]] proposal and is the primary author of libsecp256k1, a library for efficient elliptic curve cryptography for use in Bitcoin.
* [[Pieter Wuille|Wuille, Pieter]], Dr.; Co-founder blockstream, Nick: Sipa, Bitcoin Core developer, put forth the [[Segregated Witness|SegWit]] proposal and is the primary author of libsecp256k1, a library for efficient elliptic curve cryptography for use in Bitcoin.
* [[Cory Fields|Fields, Cory]]; BTC core dev/blockstream employee, Nick: cfields  
* [[Cory Fields|Fields, Cory]]; BTC core dev/blockstream employee, Nick: cfields
* Willen, Glenn; BTC core dev/blockstream employee, Nick: gwillen
* Willen, Glenn; BTC core dev/blockstream employee, Nick: gwillen
* Sanders, Gregory; BTC core dev/blockstream employee, Nick: instagibbs
* Sanders, Gregory; BTC core dev/blockstream employee, Nick: instagibbs
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* Strateman Patrick; BTC core dev/blockstream employee, Nick: phantomcircuit
* Strateman Patrick; BTC core dev/blockstream employee, Nick: phantomcircuit
* Togami, Warren; BTC core dev/blockstream employee
* Togami, Warren; BTC core dev/blockstream employee
*Michael Minkevich; COO ([https://www.theblock.co/post/321074/blockstream-funding-layer-2-mining-bitcoin-treasury 14-10-2024]).


=== Old employees ===
=== Old employees ===
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* Ben Gorlick and Johnny Dilley quited Blockstream to join with a startup called Crowd Machine (cloud computing) where they no serve as the CTO and Chief of system architecture, respectively.
* Ben Gorlick and Johnny Dilley quited Blockstream to join with a startup called Crowd Machine (cloud computing) where they no serve as the CTO and Chief of system architecture, respectively.


== Partnerships, investors, etc. ==
=== Partners ===
* [[Hyperledger]], Member of the initiative
* [[Hyperledger]], Member of the initiative
* Investors include: [[AME Cloud Ventures]], [[AXA Strategic Ventures]], [[Blockchain Capital LLC]], [[Innovation Endeavors]], [[Khosla Ventures]], [[Mosaic Ventures]], [[Reid Hoffman]] (Total funding: 77.5 mil)
*Member of [[Bitcoin Associated Switzerland]]
* (Former) sponsor of [[Coin Center]] (as of 6-2019 not on the website anymore)
*Blockstream and [[Jack Dorsey]]’s Block joined forces and announced in April that they would build a solar- and battery-powered Bitcoin mine in Texas using solar and storage technology from [[Tesla]] ([https://cointelegraph.com/top-people-in-crypto-and-blockchain-2023/adam-back 3-2023]).
* Member of [[Bitcoin Associated Switzerland]]
 
=== Funding ===
* Raised again [https://www.theblock.co/post/321074/blockstream-funding-layer-2-mining-bitcoin-treasury $210M], to drive [[Layer Two|L2]] growth and expend its Bitcoin treasury.
*Blockstream has [https://decrypt.co/119929/blockstream-raises-125-million-for-bitcoin-mining raised $125 million] to break further into Bitcoin mining (25-1-2023).
*[https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2021/08/24/blockstream-raises-210m-acquires-mining-chip-manufacturer-spondoolies/ Raisied] $210M and acquired mining chip Manufacturer Spondoolies (24-8-2021).
*[https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2021/08/24/blockstream-raises-210m-acquires-mining-chip-manufacturer-spondoolies/ Raisied] $210M and acquired mining chip Manufacturer Spondoolies (24-8-2021).
*(Former) sponsor of [[Coin Center]] (as of 6-2019 not on the website anymore)
*Investors include: [[AME Cloud Ventures]], [[AXA Strategic Ventures]], [[Blockchain Capital LLC]], [[Innovation Endeavors]], [[Khosla Ventures]], [[Mosaic Ventures]], [[Reid Hoffman]] (Total funding: 77.5 mil)


[[Category:Companies/Organisations]]
[[Category:Companies/Organisations]]

Latest revision as of 03:39, 16 October 2024

Basics

  • Location: Montreal, founded in 2014.
  • The company is focused on developing bitcoin applications specifically sidechains with its Liquid, as well as other applications. Blockstream has raised $76M to date from investors including Khosla Horizons Ventures and Mosaic Ventures.
  • “Creating ways to handle bitcoin micropayments and a technology called sidechan that offers firms more flexibility handling bitcoin transfers. Working with Intercontinental Exchange.”
  • Blockstream is one of the largest contributors of funding for Bitcoin Core.

Projects

  • Liquid sidechain; On October 12, 2015, Blockstream announced the release of its Liquid sidechain which could allow for the transfer of assets between the sidechain and the main blockchain. The firm claims over $1.8 billion in assets, including stablecoins, tokenized bonds and securities, have been issued on Liquid to date (14-10-2024), with over 3,844 BTC (around $250 million) locked onchain.
  • Elements Project; Blockstream released an open source codebase and testing environment for its sidechains product to public under open source license.The Elements Project is a community effort to create and test new extensions to the Bitcoin protocol, whose early contributions include Confidential Transactions by Gregory Maxwell, and Segregated Witness by Pieter Wuille.
  • Blockstream has released source code for the smart contracts on blockchain language Simplicity; Simplicity has been built to be compatible with Blockstream’s Elements platform, Elements is an open source, sidechain-capable blockchain platform
  • Is open sourcing its Proof-of-Reserve tool for increased transparency; most proof-of-reserve operations require substantial transactions that put exchanges at high security risks; Blockstream's innovative tool uses common sense and UTXO values to prove the extent of reserves; however, revealing UTXO values themselves is not a safe method, a problem Blockstream is currently working to rectify
  • From the Bitcoin Optech Newsletter #69 (23-10-2019):

"Blockstream Green Tor support: Version 3.2.4 of the Blockstream Green Wallet adds built-in Tor support for both iOS and Android. While Tor was supported in previous Android versions, it required a separate application whereas both Android and iOS versions are now bundled with Tor support."

"In 2019, Blockstream launched Blockstream Pool and announced it had been previously mining for a select few high-profile clients like Fidelity. Blockstream said it bought $25 million worth of mining machines from MicroBT. The machines are to be deployed through Blockstream's facilities in Canada and the U.S."

Team, Partners and Funding

Team

Old employees

  • Bitcoin developer Mike Hearn quit the Bitcoin project over a dispute involving a failed block size increase, which Hearn claimed was being opposed by Maxwell of Blockstream.
  • Ben Gorlick and Johnny Dilley quited Blockstream to join with a startup called Crowd Machine (cloud computing) where they no serve as the CTO and Chief of system architecture, respectively.

Partners

Funding

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