P2WOTS: Post Quantum UTXO Winternitz Signatures

Posted by murch

May 27, 2026/16:44 UTC

The email discusses critical aspects of how unique identifiers for Unspent Transaction Outputs (UTXOs) are generated and the implications of address reuse in blockchain transactions. Each UTXO is assigned a unique identifier through a counter mechanism, ensuring that each gets a distinct Winternitz one-time signature public key (wots_pk). This mechanism is crucial for maintaining the integrity and security of transaction outputs within the blockchain network.

However, the generation of the output script from the UTXO index does not prevent the problem of address reuse. Address reuse happens when the same output script is sent funds more than once. This scenario presents a security risk as the recipient might have to either compromise their private key to access the funds or opt to ignore the subsequent payments to maintain their privacy and security. The discussion highlights that this proposal fails to address the recurring issue of address reuse, which has been brought up multiple times.

The tone of the responses and the repetitive nature of the inquiries indicate a lack of satisfactory progress on addressing these concerns, suggesting a need for further refinement and consideration in the proposal's approach to managing UTXO identifiers and preventing address reuse within the blockchain framework.

Link to Raw Post
Bitcoin Logo

TLDR

Join Our Newsletter

We’ll email you summaries of the latest discussions from high signal bitcoin sources, like bitcoin-dev, lightning-dev, and Delving Bitcoin.

Explore all Products

ChatBTC imageBitcoin searchBitcoin TranscriptsSaving SatoshiDecoding BitcoinWarnet
Built with 🧡 by the Bitcoin Dev Project
View our public visitor count

We'd love to hear your feedback on this project.

Give Feedback