Update and open questions on FinalisCore (deterministic BFT finality + confidential UTXOs from genesis)

Testnet-2 has been operational since 24 October 2026, introducing the transition of the leader Verifiable Random Function (VRF) to RFC 9381. While the mainnet is yet to be launched and testnet coins hold no real-world value, detailed status updates and a streamlined one-command node setup are accessible on the official repository and project website.

The current development phase emphasizes rigorous independent critique of several foundational claims before advancing to mainnet deployment. The first principal claim asserts that, under specified Byzantine fault tolerance and asynchronous network conditions—specifically where faulty nodes f are less than one third of total nodes n (f < n/3)—no more than one state transition can be finalized per block height. This mechanism is thoroughly documented in the technical specification 'spec/TWO_PHASE_FINALITY.md' and implemented within 'src/node/node_consensus.cpp' and 'src/consensus/canonical_derivation.*'.

A second critical guarantee focuses on the integrity of confidential transactions. Utilizing Pedersen commitments combined with range proofs via secp256k1-zkp, the architecture ensures that transaction confidentiality does not permit unauthorized creation of value. Homomorphic balance checks, excess authorization verifications, and mandatory non-negative range proofs together underpin this safeguard. Further elaboration is available in 'spec/CONFIDENTIAL_UTXO_SPEC.md', specifically sections 3, 4, 7, and 15, with implementation spanning 'src/crypto/confidential.' and 'src/utxo/validate.'.

Deterministic derivation forms the basis for committee selection, checkpointing, and reward distribution, which rely exclusively on the finalized chain history without permitting speculative or unconfirmed views. Technical details can be referenced in 'CHECKPOINT_DERIVATION_SPEC.md', 'COMMITTEE-SELECTION.md', and 'ECONOMICS.md'. Comprehensive documentation, including the complete list of protocol assertions, recommended reading sequence, and verification procedures, is maintained in 'docs/REVIEWING.md'.

Security remains a priority, with findings potentially influencing ongoing protocol development. Sensitive security issues should be reported privately as outlined in 'SECURITY.md', while other feedback channels include direct communication or submission as GitHub issues. All code, specifications, and the whitepaper are centralized in the FinalisCore repository. The initiative also invites participation from additional independent validators on testnet-2, and encourages questions or counter-examples to further strengthen the protocol’s robustness.