This is a relatively new concept, where control on unlocking the locked bitcoins (in main chain) is given to the miners who can vote when to unlock them.
This is in contrast to sidechains, where consensus is validated though simple payment verification mechanism in order to transfer the coins back to the main chain.
How Bitcoin Can Enable Parallel Blockchains Through Merged Mining
Rootstock is a smart contract platform which has a two-way peg into bitcoin blockchain.
The core idea is to increase the scalability and performance of the bitcoin system and enable it to work with smart contracts.
Rootstock runs a Turing complete deterministic virtual machine called Rootstock Virtual Machine (RVM).
It is also compatible with the EVM and allows solidity-compiled contracts to run on Rootstock.
Smart contracts can also run under the time-tested security of bitcoin blockchain.
The Rootstock blockchain works by merge mining with bitcoins.
Why This Matters for Blockchain Technology
This allows Rootstock blockchain to achieve the same security level as Bitcoin.
This is especially true for preventing double spends and achieving settlement finality.
It allows scalability, up to 400 transactions per second due to faster block times and other design considerations.
The research paper is available at, should you want to explore it further https://uploads.strikinglycdn.com/files/ec5278f8-218c-407a-af3c-ab71a910246d/RSK%20Whi te%20Paper%20-%20Overview.pdf.
Key Points to Remember
- Drivechain This is a relatively new concept, where control on unlocking the locked bitcoins (in main chain) is given to the miners who can vote when to unlock them.
- This is in contrast to sidechains, where consensus is validated though simple payment verification mechanism in order to transfer the coins back to the main chain.
- Rootstock is a smart contract platform which has a two-way peg into bitcoin blockchain.
- The core idea is to increase the scalability and performance of the bitcoin system and enable it to work with smart contracts.
Going Deeper: Advanced Concepts
RSK has released the main network called Bamboo, RSK MainNet which is a beta currently.
Conclusion
Drivechain represents one of the many innovative layers that make blockchain technology so powerful and transformative. As distributed systems continue to evolve, a solid understanding of these core concepts becomes increasingly valuable — not just for developers, but for anyone building, investing in, or working alongside blockchain-powered systems.
Whether you are just starting your blockchain journey or deepening existing expertise, mastering these fundamentals gives you the tools to think clearly about decentralized systems and make smarter decisions in this rapidly evolving space.