BIP-322 Message Signatures
Bitcoin Improvement Proposal 322 (BIP-322) provides a standardized way to create message signatures for any Bitcoin address type, enabling secure ownership verification without revealing private keys.
What is BIP-322?
BIP-322 is a Bitcoin Improvement Proposal that defines a standard for signing arbitrary messages for any Bitcoin script. Unlike older message signing methods that only worked with Legacy addresses, BIP-322 supports all address types including SegWit and Taproot.
Key Benefits:
- ✅ Works with all Bitcoin address types (Legacy, SegWit, Taproot)
- ✅ Provides cryptographic proof of address ownership
- ✅ No private key exposure or Bitcoin transfer required
- ✅ Industry-standard approach endorsed by the Bitcoin community
- ✅ Future-proof design compatible with new Bitcoin features
How BIP-322 Works
1. Message Creation
A standardized message is created containing the text to be signed and address information
2. Signature Generation
The wallet creates a cryptographic signature using the private key associated with the address
3. Verification
Anyone can verify the signature mathematically proves ownership of the Bitcoin address
Technical Process:
Wallet constructs a virtual Bitcoin transaction that would spend from the address
The message is embedded in this virtual transaction using OP_RETURN
Wallet signs this virtual transaction with the appropriate signature method
The signature can be verified by anyone using standard Bitcoin script validation
Supported Bitcoin Address Types
Legacy (P2PKH)
Addresses starting with 1
✅ Full BIP-322 support
✅ Compatible with all wallets
SegWit (P2SH-P2WPKH)
Addresses starting with 3
✅ Full BIP-322 support
✅ Lower transaction fees
Native SegWit (P2WPKH)
Addresses starting with bc1
✅ Full BIP-322 support
✅ Lowest transaction fees
Taproot (P2TR)
Addresses starting with bc1p
✅ Full BIP-322 support
✅ Enhanced privacy features
Wallet Compatibility
Full Support
- • Sparrow Wallet
- • Electrum (latest)
- • Bitcoin Core
- • BlueWallet
Partial Support
- • Wasabi Wallet
- • Samourai Wallet
- • Some hardware wallets
- • Older wallet versions
Not Supported
- • Very old wallets
- • Some web wallets
- • Custodial services
- • Exchange wallets
💡 Pro Tip
If your wallet doesn't support BIP-322 yet, consider using Sparrow Wallet or Electrum for ReserveBTC verification. You can import your private key or seed phrase temporarily for signing, then remove it afterward.
Security Considerations
✅ Safe Practices
- • Never share your private keys
- • Only sign messages you understand
- • Use wallets from trusted sources
- • Verify signature contents before signing
- • Keep wallet software updated
- • Use hardware wallets when possible
❌ Avoid These
- • Signing unknown or suspicious messages
- • Using custodial wallets for signing
- • Sharing signatures publicly
- • Using unverified wallet software
- • Signing with paper wallet tools online
- • Reusing signatures across platforms
BIP-322 in ReserveBTC
Current Implementation Status
BIP-322 signature verification is currently implemented as a mock for testnet purposes. Full cryptographic verification will be implemented before mainnet deployment.
ReserveBTC is designed to use BIP-322 signatures for Bitcoin address ownership verification, enabling users to prove ownership without transferring Bitcoin to smart contracts.
Planned Message Format
Bitcoin Address: [your-btc-address]
EVM Address: [your-evm-address]
Timestamp: [unix-timestamp]
Oracle-Based Process
- 1. User proves Bitcoin address ownership
- 2. Oracle adds address to monitoring list
- 3. Oracle monitors Bitcoin balance changes
- 4. Tokens auto-minted/burned on balance changes