Bit Protocol

Decentralized IP Proof of Existence on Bitcoin.

Stamp your files, code, and ideas to the Bitcoin blockchain as immutable proof that you had them at a specific point in time. No disclosure. No gatekeepers. No subscription fees.

✅ Verified on Bitcoin Testnet — txid: b98761beaf2b4e8fb60b3fe6ee767f2cb9347fb785f8b57e02328b00cef4ab4c

pip install bit-protocol
bit init
bit stamp my-whitepaper.pdf --utxo=<txid>:<vout>
bit verify my-whitepaper.pdf --txid=<txid>

Why

Problem	Bit Protocol
Patents cost $10K+ and take years	Stamp in seconds for cents in fees
Trade secrets have no legal protection if leaked	Prove possession without disclosure
Bernstein.io costs $54–$329/mo	Open-source, self-host, free
Vendor lock-in	Your keys, your node, your stamps
Centralized registries can be seized or shut down	Bitcoin is permissionless and unstoppable

How It Works

Your file → SHA-256 hash → OP_RETURN payload → Bitcoin tx → Immutable proof
                      ↓
              Local SQLite cache

OP_RETURN Schema

| 3 bytes  | 1 byte  | 1 byte  | 32 bytes   | 4 bytes   | ≤42 bytes |
| Protocol | Version | Type    | SHA-256    | Key FP    | Metadata  |
| "BIT"    | 0x01    | 0x01-04 | File hash  | Key ID    | JSON      |

Total: 41–83 bytes — fits within Bitcoin's original OP_RETURN limit and is forward-compatible with Bitcoin Core v30's 100KB expansion.

Quickstart

1. Install

pip install bit-protocol

2. Generate your identity

bit init

Creates a secp256k1 keypair at ~/.bit/key.pem.

3. Get testnet BTC

Send some tBTC to your address (shown by bit status) from a testnet faucet.

4. Stamp a file

bit stamp myfile.pdf --utxo=<txid>:<vout>

5. Verify

bit verify myfile.pdf --txid=<txid>

6. Check your stats

bit status

Real Example (Testnet)

# Generate key (one-time)
bit init

# Stamp a file
bit stamp whitepaper.pdf --utxo=62256e0bda6e7972...:0

# Output:
# ✓ Stamped to Bitcoin testnet!
#   txid: b98761beaf2b4e8fb60b3fe6ee767f2cb9347fb785f8b57e02328b00cef4ab4c
#   View: https://blockstream.info/testnet/tx/b98761beaf2b4e8fb60b3fe6ee767f2cb9347fb785f8b57e02328b00cef4ab4c

# Verify
bit verify whitepaper.pdf --txid=b98761beaf2b4e8fb60b3fe6ee767f2cb9347fb785f8b57e02328b00cef4ab4c

# Output:
# ✓ MATCH — PROVEN: You possessed this exact file at block time.

Commands

Command	Description
bit init	Generate your identity key
bit status	Show identity, wallet, and stamp count
bit stamp <file>	Stamp a file to Bitcoin
bit verify <file> --txid=<id>	Verify a file against an on-chain stamp
bit search <query>	Search your local stamp database

Options

bit stamp file.pdf --type=source_code     # Tag content type
bit stamp file.pdf --mainnet              # Use Bitcoin mainnet
bit stamp file.pdf --utxo=abc123:0        # Specify UTXO for fees
bit stamp --text "my idea" --utxo=abc:0   # Stamp from text, not file
bit stamp file.pdf --meta='{"v":"1.0"}'   # Attach metadata
bit stamp file.pdf --fee=5000             # Custom fee in satoshis

Public Index (optional)

Share stamps with the network via an optional public index:

docker compose up -d
curl http://localhost:8787/health

# Record a stamp
curl -X POST http://localhost:8787/stamp \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"hash":"abc...","txid":"def...","content_type":"document","key_fingerprint":"abcd1234"}'

# Look up a stamp
curl http://localhost:8787/stamp/abc...

# Search
curl "http://localhost:8787/search?q=abc&field=hash"

Pre-commit Hook (optional)

Auto-stamp files on every commit:

cp scripts/pre-commit.sh .git/hooks/pre-commit
chmod +x .git/hooks/pre-commit

Stamps all staged .md and .pdf files. Edit the hook to change tracked extensions.

Roadmap

• Core protocol schema
• CLI (init, stamp, verify, search)
• Bitcoin testnet broadcast
• Local SQLite database
• Public index API
• Pre-commit git hook
• Live on-chain verification
• PyPI release (pip install bit-protocol)
• GitHub Action for CI stamping
• VS Code extension
• UTXO scanner (auto-select inputs)
• HD key derivation (BIP32/BIP44 for IP families)
• Fractional IP tokenization
• Multi-chain support (Ethereum, Solana)

Development

git clone https://github.com/washingtoneimae-dot/bit.git
cd bit
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install -e ".[dev]"
pytest tests/ -v

Strategy

Bit Protocol is the Linux to Bernstein's Windows — an open-source protocol that any developer can self-host, customize, or contribute to.

	Bernstein	Bit
Model	Closed SaaS	Open Core
Price	$54–$329/mo	Free (self-host)
Keys	Account-based	Self-sovereign
Registry	Centralized	Bitcoin + optional index
Legal	WIPO-recognized	Community-built
Tokenization	None	Planned (fractional IP)

The strategy: free self-host → developer adoption → prior art shield → network of interoperable registries that no single entity controls or can ignore.

License

MIT