Al Piskun at 16:33, 2 October 2026

2026-10-02T16:33:38Z

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	\| description = BitBOINC is an active [[BOINC]] volunteer-computing project that hosts several independent research efforts, including searches for the private keys of long-unclaimed Bitcoin puzzle addresses, an attack on the Certicom ECC Challenge, and binary-lens gravitational microlensing modelling.		\| description = BitBOINC is an active [[BOINC]] volunteer-computing project that hosts several independent research efforts, including searches for the private keys of long-unclaimed Bitcoin puzzle addresses, an attack on the Certicom ECC Challenge, and binary-lens gravitational microlensing modelling.
	\| status = Active		\| status = Active
	\| category = Cryptography, astrophysics~~, distributed computing~~		\| category = Cryptography, astrophysics
	\| compute = CPU & GPU		\| compute = CPU & GPU
	\| dependencies =		\| dependencies =

Al Piskun: update apps

2026-10-02T14:09:48Z

update apps

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Al Piskun at 13:16, 30 September 2026

2026-09-30T13:16:05Z

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	\| size =		\| size =
	\| stats as of = {{Start date and age\|2026\|09\|30}}		\| stats as of = {{Start date and age\|2026\|09\|30}}
	\| average performance = ~~29312~~.~~72 GigaFLOPS~~		\| average performance = 29.312 TFLOPS
	\| active users = 39		\| active users = 39
	\| total users = 39		\| total users = 39

Al Piskun: update infobox stats

2026-09-30T13:13:09Z

update infobox stats

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	\| size =		\| size =
	\| stats as of = {{Start date and age\|2026\|09\|30}}		\| stats as of = {{Start date and age\|2026\|09\|30}}
	\| average performance =		\| average performance = 29312.72 GigaFLOPS
	\| active users =		\| active users = 39
	\| total users =		\| total users = 39
	\| active hosts =		\| active hosts = 113
	\| total hosts =		\| total hosts = 115
	\| rac =		\| rac =
	\| credit per day =		\| credit per day =

Al Piskun at 13:09, 30 September 2026

2026-09-30T13:09:12Z

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	\| category = Cryptography, distributed computing		\| category = Cryptography, distributed computing
	\| compute = CPU & GPU		\| compute = CPU & GPU
	\| dependencies = ~~[[BOINC]] client; GPU applications may require CUDA, OpenCL, or Metal support~~		\| dependencies =
	\| developer = Alperen Yavuz		\| developer = Alperen Yavuz
	\| author = Alperen Yavuz		\| author = Alperen Yavuz

Al Piskun: image

2026-09-30T13:08:23Z

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	Supported CPU platforms include Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android. GPU acceleration is available through NVIDIA CUDA, OpenCL implementations, and Metal on Apple Silicon, subject to application and hardware support.<ref name="launch" />		Supported CPU platforms include Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android. GPU acceleration is available through NVIDIA CUDA, OpenCL implementations, and Metal on Apple Silicon, subject to application and hardware support.<ref name="launch" />

	~~[[File:Bitboinc-banner.gif\|thumb\|The BitBOINC Banner]]~~

	==Security and handling of results==		==Security and handling of results==
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	The project also provides account registration, discussion forums, progress information, achievement badges, and user levels through its website.<ref name="home" /><ref name="launch" />		The project also provides account registration, discussion forums, progress information, achievement badges, and user levels through its website.<ref name="home" /><ref name="launch" />

			[[File:Bitboinc-banner.gif\|The BitBOINC Banner\|center]]

	==See also==		==See also==

Al Piskun: first light

2026-09-30T13:05:31Z

first light

New page

{{Infobox software
| name = BitBOINC
| logo = Bitboinc-banner.gif
| logo caption = BitBOINC project banner
| screenshot =
| caption =
| description = BitBOINC is an active [[BOINC]] volunteer-computing project that searches for the private keys of selected, long-unclaimed Bitcoin puzzle addresses.
| status = Active
| category = Cryptography, distributed computing
| compute = CPU & GPU
| dependencies = [[BOINC]] client; GPU applications may require CUDA, OpenCL, or Metal support
| developer = Alperen Yavuz
| author = Alperen Yavuz
| sponsor =
| maintainer = Alperen Yavuz
| released = {{Start date and age|2026|09|28}}
| completed = No
| discontinued =
| repository =
| programming language =
| operating system = Windows, Linux, macOS, Android
| size =
| stats as of = {{Start date and age|2026|09|30}}
| average performance =
| active users =
| total users =
| active hosts =
| total hosts =
| rac =
| credit per day =
| gpu performance =
| cpu performance =
| website = {{URL|https://bitboinc.athena.org.tr/}}
| license =
}}

'''BitBOINC''' is an active [[BOINC]]-based [[volunteer computing]] project that uses donated computer time to search for the private keys associated with selected, long-unclaimed Bitcoin puzzle addresses.<ref name="home">{{cite web
|url=https://bitboinc.athena.org.tr/
|title=BitBOINC
|publisher=Athena
|access-date=2026-09-30
}}</ref> The project is part of the Athena network and is operated by Alperen Yavuz.<ref name="home" />

BitBOINC distinguishes its work from [[Bitcoin]] mining. It does not create new coins, mine blocks, or contribute to the operation or security of the Bitcoin network. Instead, it searches a fixed set of publicly known addresses whose private keys were deliberately placed within specified numerical ranges as a public challenge.<ref name="about">{{cite web
|url=https://bitboinc.athena.org.tr/about.php
|title=About BitBOINC
|publisher=Athena
|access-date=2026-09-30
}}</ref>

==History==

BitBOINC was publicly announced on 28 September 2026. The project initially described its applications as being rolled out in stages while applications for different operating systems, processor types, and graphics processors were compiled and tested.<ref name="welcome">{{cite web
|url=https://bitboinc.athena.org.tr/forum_thread.php?id=3
|title=Welcome
|publisher=BitBOINC
|date=2026-09-28
|access-date=2026-09-30
}}</ref>

On 29 September 2026, the project announced that both of its search applications were active. It also announced support for Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android on CPUs, together with GPU support using NVIDIA CUDA, OpenCL, and Apple Silicon Metal.<ref name="launch">{{cite web
|url=https://bitboinc.athena.org.tr/forum_thread.php?id=18
|title=BitBOINC is fully up and running
|publisher=BitBOINC
|date=2026-09-29
|access-date=2026-09-30
}}</ref>

==Research and computation==

===Bitcoin puzzle addresses===

The project works on a series of Bitcoin addresses created as a public cryptographic challenge. According to BitBOINC, the puzzles were numbered sequentially, with the private key for puzzle number ''n'' placed somewhere in an ''n''-bit range. The series extends to puzzle number 160, although many of the larger puzzles remain unsolved.<ref name="about" />

The search is based on the relationship between a Bitcoin private key and its corresponding public key and address. In simplified form, a candidate private key ''k'' is transformed into a public key using elliptic-curve multiplication:

:<math>P = kG</math>

where ''G'' is the generator point of the elliptic curve used by Bitcoin. The resulting public key is then processed to derive an address. A candidate is successful only when the derived address matches the target address.

The project does not publish the precise subranges already searched. It instead publishes aggregate progress information, because revealing the searched locations could allow unrelated searches to avoid the same regions.<ref name="about" />

===Applications===

BitBOINC currently provides two search applications:

* '''Potamos''' performs a sequential search, testing private keys one at a time. The project describes this method as exhaustive but practical mainly for smaller key ranges.<ref name="about" />
* '''Keraunos''' uses [[Pollard's kangaroo algorithm]], a discrete-logarithm search method. BitBOINC states that Keraunos can be used when the public key for a target has already been exposed on the Bitcoin blockchain, such as when the address has previously sent a transaction.<ref name="about" />

Only one target is processed at a time for each application. When a target is solved, or when the project determines that another party has claimed its coins, the server can move to the next target in the queue.<ref name="about" />

As of 29 September 2026, BitBOINC reported that Keraunos was working on puzzle number 140 and Potamos was working on puzzle number 71.<ref name="launch" />

==Volunteer computing==

BitBOINC distributes work through [[BOINC]]. A volunteer installs the BOINC client, attaches it to the BitBOINC project, and allows the client to run tasks according to the volunteer's resource preferences. The project states that any computer with a supported CPU or GPU can participate.<ref name="home" />

The project reports that returned results are independently checked before being accepted and credited. It also announced that its credit calculation had been changed to use a native BOINC-style calculation based on the work performed by the participant's hardware.<ref name="launch" />

Supported CPU platforms include Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android. GPU acceleration is available through NVIDIA CUDA, OpenCL implementations, and Metal on Apple Silicon, subject to application and hardware support.<ref name="launch" />

[[File:Bitboinc-banner.gif|thumb|The BitBOINC Banner]]

==Security and handling of results==

BitBOINC states that its application reads the work packet supplied by the project and writes its result within the BOINC slot directory. It also states that the application does not open its own network connections, with communications handled by the BOINC client.<ref name="about" />

If a private key is found, the project says that the result is encrypted immediately using RSA-4096 with OAEP padding. According to the project, only the encrypted result is stored by the server, while the corresponding decryption key is kept offline by the project operator.<ref name="about" />

The project further states that it has no automated code path for transferring funds. Its published procedure is for a person to retrieve and decrypt the result offline, independently verify that the key corresponds to the target address, and then manually transfer any funds.<ref name="about" />

BitBOINC describes a proposed distribution of recovered funds among platform operation, science projects, nature and environmental protection, and participating volunteers. The volunteer share is described as a weighted random drawing among recent contributors to the particular puzzle rather than as an equal payment to every participant.<ref name="about" />

==Community==

BitBOINC provides project support through the [[Libera.Chat]] IRC network. Its listed channel is <code>#bitboinc</code>, and the project recommends the Rhizome client for users who do not already use an IRC client.<ref name="home" />

The project also provides account registration, discussion forums, progress information, achievement badges, and user levels through its website.<ref name="home" /><ref name="launch" />

==See also==

* [[BOINC]]
* [[Volunteer computing]]
* [[Bitcoin]]
* [[Public-key cryptography]]
* [[Pollard's kangaroo algorithm]]
* [[CUDA]]
* [[OpenCL]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}