SPV
Simple Payment Verification - lightweight Bitcoin transaction verification using Merkle proofs.
Simple Payment Verification (SPV) allows a transaction receiver to confirm that the sender has control of the source funds of the payment they are offering, without needing to download the entire blockchain. This is achieved using Merkle proofs.
Key Characteristics
Lightweight
No need to download the entire blockchain for verification
Merkle Proofs
Uses cryptographic proofs to verify transaction inclusion
Payment Verification
Confirms sender has control of source funds
Efficient
Reduces bandwidth and storage requirements significantly
How SPV Works
1. Block Headers
SPV clients download only block headers, not full blocks
2. Merkle Path
Request Merkle path for specific transactions of interest
3. Proof Verification
Verify transaction inclusion using Merkle proof and block header
Role in RGB++
SPV is crucial in RGB++ for validating Bitcoin transactions on CKB. The SPV service provides Bitcoin transaction proofs to CKB, enabling the verification of Bitcoin UTXO operations within RGB++ smart contracts without requiring full Bitcoin nodes.
Advantages
- • Reduced Storage: Only requires block headers (~80 bytes per block)
- • Lower Bandwidth: Minimal data download requirements
- • Faster Sync: Quick synchronization with the network
- • Mobile Friendly: Suitable for resource-constrained devices