Orchestrator node

Every blockchain needs nodes that make sure that the protocol runs smoothly and that transactions are being validated. On the Botanix EVM, we call them Orchestrator nodes.

So what do they do? The Orchestrator nodes are responsible for running the Botanix EVM and they provide liquidity both on the Bitcoin side as on the Botanix EVM side. When users bridge bitcoin to the Botanix EVM, the actual bitcoin resides safely in multi-signature wallets between different Orchestrators. Orchestrator nodes participate in the Botanix EVM and are the only entity able to construct new blocks, mint and burn the BTC on the Botanix EVM.

Anyone who wants can run an Orchestrator node after putting in a stake. In case of malicious operation, the bitcoin stake will be slashed. This means that Orchestrator nodes can lose part or all of their stake in case of bad behavior. The security of the Botanix EVM then follows the security models seen in Proof-of-Stake. As long as the number of adversarial collaborating actors is overwhelmed by the other Orchestrators, the security is mathematically guaranteed. If you're interested in running your own node, then we encourage you to read the docs for how to run a node (coming soon).

With every Bitcoin block, a new multi-signature wallet is created. The Orchestrators guarding this multisig wallet are randomly selected from our vast, decentralized network around the world.

Important remark

Botanix Labs has a vision that the Botanix EVM becomes a fully permissionless protocol. This goal will however be reached in different phases. At first, the staking pool will consist only of nodes run by Botanix Labs and trusted partners. In the second phase, we do not only allow staking pools but also other individual participants to join. In the last phase, the protocol will be completely permissionless. For more information, read chapter 4.6 in the whitepaper. If you want to learn more about the current state of the development, visit our Roadmap pages.