Obscura Hardfork: Bulletproofs++, Smaller Proofs, and a Path to Sustainable Scaling

Beldex’s latest upgrade, Obscura, goes live on Dec 7, 2025, at block height 4939540. While the hardfork includes several network upgrades, it primarily introduces Bulletproofs++, which improves upon the existing Bulletproofs. 

Over the years, Beldex has implemented several major upgrades. The most important milestones include its transition from Proof of Work to Proof of Stake consensus in 2021, and the introduction of the Beldex Name Service through the Bern Hardfork in 2024. 

While the PoS upgrade sought to enhance network scaling, improve efficiency, and support the growing suite of on-chain privacy-preserving dApps, by improving the consensus, the Bern hardfork introduced privacy-focused digital identities and domain names.

Obscura advances the scaling side of these upgrades by introducing Bulletproofs++, a non-interactive zero-knowledge proof system. Bulletproofs++ are succinct, more space-efficient proofs that reduce transaction size by approximately 38% compared to standard Bulletproofs, enabling lighter blocks and more efficient verification.

Obscura is the 20th major Beldex upgrade, activated after the Hermes hardfork went live in August last year. 

How Do Bulletproofs Work?

Bulletproofs are non-interactive zero-knowledge range proofs. They allow Beldex masternodes to verify that a transaction amount is within a valid range (positive), without revealing the amount itself. A key advantage of Bulletproofs is their logarithmic scaling: proof size grows very slowly even as the number of outputs increases.

This makes them significantly more efficient than earlier range-proof systems. They are well-suited for blockchains like Beldex that obscure transaction amounts.

Why Is the Obscura Hardfork Important?

Private transactions contain cryptographic proofs that naturally increase data size. As blockchain usage grows, these proofs become one of the main contributors to long-term chain weight. Obscura addresses this challenge directly by introducing a more efficient proof system designed to reduce storage overhead and improve verification performance across the network. 

By integrating Bulletproofs++, Obscura ensures that Beldex can maintain strong transactional privacy while keeping block sizes manageable, lowering the operational burden for masternode operators, reducing barriers to participation, and improving overall network responsiveness. 

Bulletproofs++ Implementation in Beldex

Beldex uses a fixed block size, ranging between 300 kB and 600 kB depending on dynamic conditions. This introduces clear scaling boundaries: if transaction proofs grow too large, a block can reach its capacity quickly, limiting throughput.

With earlier proof systems like Borromean proofs and even with the standard Bulletproofs, large private transactions could rapidly exhaust available block space. While Beldex’s PoS consensus improves block verification efficiency, long-term and sustainable scaling requires reducing proof sizes at the source.

Bulletproofs++ directly address this:

• More transactions fit within each block, increasing throughput.
• Proof generation and validation become faster, improving node performance.
• The overall block load decreases, supporting sustainable chain growth.

This implementation, combined with the upcoming enhanced VRF consensus (currently in development), will further strengthen transaction verification, improve proving times, and increase resilience across the network.

What Obscura Unlocks for Beldex

Bulletproofs++ represents more than a cryptographic improvement. It is a step toward sustainable scalability for privacy-preserving networks. As Beldex continues to grow, reducing transaction overhead becomes essential to ensure it is aligned and ready for mass adoption.

Obscura ensures that Beldex can support higher adoption while remaining efficient, cost-effective, and secure. These optimizations build a stronger foundation for the network and for the expanding suite of privacy-first dApps and services running on Beldex.