The company disclosed that the chains are designed with distinct features, such as a merge-mining system that allows miners to potentially earn Bitcoin-denominated revenue from transactions on sidechains while continuing to mine Bitcoin on the base layer.
Marathon Digital, a leading cryptocurrency mining firm based in the United States, has announced the launch of Anduro, a multi-chain sidechain network designed to enhance the functionality of Bitcoin (BTC).
According to a company announcement, Anduro, the first of its kind, is designed to revolutionize the Bitcoin ecosystem by offering a platform for developers to build different sidechains, tapping into the security and decentralization of the blockchain.
Marathon Launches Anduro
While Marathon has played a significant role in incubating Anduro, the network is designed to be driven and led by the community. It aims to systematically incorporate decentralized governance, with a primary focus on becoming the most dependable and developer-centric layer-two network for Bitcoin.
The first two sidechains to be built on Anduro are currently in the developmental stage. However, Marathon said the projects can be further developed by open-source contributors.
These chains, named Coordinate and Alys, offer distinct solutions for the Bitcoin network. Coordinate is focused on optimizing the UTXO stack for Ordinals, while Alys is being designed as an EVM-compatible network for asset tokenization.
The company disclosed that the chains are designed with distinct features, such as a merge-mining system that allows miners to potentially earn Bitcoin-denominated revenue from transactions on sidechains while continuing to mine Bitcoin on the base layer.
This unique approach is expected to attract miners and developers, fostering innovation and growth within the Bitcoin ecosystem.
“We believe Anduro is one of those ideas that provides value to Bitcoin holders and application developers, all while reinforcing the long-run sustainability of Bitcoin’s proof-of-work,” said Fred Thiel, Marathon’s Chairman, and CEO.
Marathon Acquires Two Mining Facilities
Thiel said that the introduction of Anduro expands Marathon’s technology stack, potentially introducing a new source of fee revenue. He emphasized that by enhancing Bitcoin’s functionality, Anduro could boost Bitcoin’s adoption, leading to mutual benefits for Marathon and the broader Bitcoin ecosystem.
The company is dedicated to providing solutions to enhance the capabilities of the Bitcoin network.
Last week, Marathon launched Slipstream, a new offering designed to expedite the processing of complex transactions. Slipstream aims to simplify the confirmation of large or “non-standard” Bitcoin transactions, reducing the delays and complications often encountered during such processes.
Marathon’s Slipstream operates by adding eligible complex transactions to the members’ pool or mempool for mining, provided they meet the miner’s minimum fee threshold and adhere to the network’s consensus rules. Mempools serve as waiting rooms for Bitcoin transactions.
In December, the company acquired two operational mining sites from Generate Capital, totaling 390 megawatts of capacity, for approximately $179 million.
The acquisition bolstered Marathon’s Bitcoin mining portfolio, which currently stands at 584 megawatts, with 97% of its capacity provided by third-party data centers.