<p>Smart contract functionality for Bitcoin is being planned via Rootstock:</p>

<p><a href="https://coins.newbium.com/post/292-what-is-rootstock-cryptocurrency" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://coins.newbium.com/post/292-what-is-rootstock-cryptocurrency</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-24T22:07:28.747Z
2016-12-24T22:07:28.747Z
TimmyH2016
<p>Improvements are made to Bitcoin's scripting language via <a href="https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Bitcoin Improvement Proposals</a>, or "BIPs." Not all BIPs are focused on script, but some are. New op codes are introduced and agreed upon by developers and miners. Recent examples of this are <a href="https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0065.mediawiki" rel="nofollow noreferrer">BIP 65</a> and <a href="https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0068.mediawiki" rel="nofollow noreferrer">BIP 68</a>. One of the benefits of <a href="https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0144.mediawiki" rel="nofollow noreferrer">BIP 144</a>, or "Segregated Witness," is that its adoption should make scripting upgrades even easier.</p>

<p>It is important to note that a more sophisticated language alone may not solve all your smart contract problems. The other major hurdle is statefulness. Bitcoin natively supports two states: spent and unspent. Ethereum and Rootstock support a wider variety of states, which I believe Bitcoin would either have to hard fork or build via side chains.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-19T20:51:40.620Z
2016-12-19T20:51:40.620Z
Steve Ellis
<p>there is no such improvement planned for the protocol, only the expected BIP are listed in  <a href="https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/README.mediawiki" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/README.mediawiki</a>.
but you should understand why in bitcoin only a limited scripting mechanism is used instead a VM with a contract language as for Ethereum (security reasons). the project <a href="http://www.rsk.co/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">RSK</a> aims to provide such opportunity through a sidechain, so explore it.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-12T17:21:28.973Z
2016-12-12T17:21:28.973Z
Badr Bellaj
<p>I am a noob, so please bear with me.</p>

<p>I'm wondering whether the Bitcoin Core team plans to integrate a smart contract feature evolving the Bitcoin scripting language in a more sophisticated one in the near for far future.</p>

<p>Afaik, the only work currently done is on sidechains. Any clues?</p>

<protocol><bitcoin-core-development><smartcontracts>
bitcoin smartcontract feature
Arslan Smal
# bitcoin smartcontract feature

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-12-12)

I am a noob, so please bear with me.

I'm wondering whether the Bitcoin Core team plans to integrate a smart contract feature evolving the Bitcoin scripting language in a more sophisticated one in the near for far future.

Afaik, the only work currently done is on sidechains. Any clues?

**Tags:** protocol, bitcoin-core-development, smartcontracts


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-12-12. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

there is no such improvement planned for the protocol, only the expected BIP are listed in <https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/README.mediawiki>.
but you should understand why in bitcoin only a limited scripting mechanism is used instead a VM with a contract language as for Ethereum (security reasons). the project [RSK](http://www.rsk.co/) aims to provide such opportunity through a sidechain, so explore it.


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### Answer by username_1 on 2016-12-24. Score: 1

Smart contract functionality for Bitcoin is being planned via Rootstock:

<https://coins.newbium.com/post/292-what-is-rootstock-cryptocurrency>


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### Answer by username_2 on 2016-12-19. Score: 1

Improvements are made to Bitcoin's scripting language via [Bitcoin Improvement Proposals](https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/), or "BIPs." Not all BIPs are focused on script, but some are. New op codes are introduced and agreed upon by developers and miners. Recent examples of this are [BIP 65](https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0065.mediawiki) and [BIP 68](https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0068.mediawiki). One of the benefits of [BIP 144](https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0144.mediawiki), or "Segregated Witness," is that its adoption should make scripting upgrades even easier.

It is important to note that a more sophisticated language alone may not solve all your smart contract problems. The other major hurdle is statefulness. Bitcoin natively supports two states: spent and unspent. Ethereum and Rootstock support a wider variety of states, which I believe Bitcoin would either have to hard fork or build via side chains.


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