Security firm Asymmetric Research will serve as a core security contributor to the Bitcoin Layer 2 protocol Stacks and join its signer network, according to an announcement made Tuesday. The firm has begun security auditing of the upcoming sBTC asset while participating in the protocol's delegation program.

Asymmetric Research, known for securing major protocols including Wormhole, Solana, and Cosmos, brings substantial expertise to the Bitcoin L2 landscape. The firm currently acts as the security partner for Jump Crypto and several prominent DeFi projects, while also contributing to Solana's new validator client, Firedancer.

The move strengthens the security infrastructure around sBTC, a forthcoming programmable Bitcoin asset scheduled for release in Q4 2024. sBTC aims to provide a trust-minimized, decentralized way to use Bitcoin in smart contracts and decentralized applications, maintaining a 1:1 backing with Bitcoin.

As a network signer, Asymmetric Research joins over 30 institutional node operators, including BitGo, Blockdaemon, Copper, and Figment, in securing the deposit and withdrawal process between BTC and sBTC. This extensive signer network represents one of the largest decentralized security implementations in the Bitcoin ecosystem.

"The value of building on Bitcoin comes down to security," said Mitchell Cuevas, Executive Director at The Stacks Foundation. "It's not enough to simply build on Bitcoin— ecosystems must prioritize securing activity at all layers as we collectively look to unlock the Bitcoin economy."

Jonathan Claudius, CEO at Asymmetric Research, commented on the collaboration: "Asymmetric Research is proud to participate in the Stacks ecosystem as it pioneers trust-minimized, decentralized assets like sBTC."

The security enhancement comes amid broader developments in the Bitcoin L2 space, where developers are working to activate Bitcoin's estimated $1.2 trillion in latent capital for decentralized finance applications. The integration of Asymmetric Research adds to existing security measures, including:

• A decentralized network of validators and signers

• 100% Bitcoin finality at the consensus level

• Multiple independent security audits

• An ongoing Immunefi bug bounty program

• Dedicated penetration testing throughout 2024

• Consultation with the Staking Defense League

The protocol's native token, STX, which functions as gas for transactions, was the first cryptocurrency to undergo an SEC-qualified sale in the United States. The ecosystem currently encompasses more than 30 contributing organizations, including developer tooling companies, wallet providers, and investment funds focused on Bitcoin layer 2 development.

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