Dogecoin could rival Ethereum and Solana if a new network upgrade proposal is approved and implemented. The proposal, codenamed OP_CHECKZKP, was put forward by DogeOS, aiming to introduce zero-knowledge proofs (zk-proofs) and activate zk-rollups, a Layer-2 scaling form.
The explosive potential of Dogecoin
Jordan Jefferson, the founder of #DogeOS , stated that this proposal would transform Dogecoin from a simple payment chain into a robust foundational layer, opening up a wave of developer activity. For the first time, builders will be able to deploy scalable applications, games, and DeFi protocols on the Dogecoin network, all settled on DOGE. This will unlock possibilities for zk-rollups, bridging, and new use cases that were previously unattainable.
Although $DOGE is the eighth largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization and the second largest proof-of-work chain after Bitcoin, it has fewer daily active addresses than networks like Bitcoin Cash, Stellar, and $LTC . If the proposed soft fork upgrade is successful, this number could increase as more capabilities are granted to developers.
DogeOS has noted "significant interest" from hundreds of groups wanting to develop on Dogecoin, and believes that the upgrade will help attract these developers. Timothy Stebbing, director of the Dogecoin Foundation, also supports this proposal, arguing that the ability to integrate with ZK L2 will help Dogecoin focus on becoming the fastest, best, and most enjoyable blockchain, as well as a medium of exchange for all humanity.
However, this is just the beginning of the Dogecoin network upgrade process. The proposal will undergo a series of technical evaluations, community discussions, and testing through GitHub. Subsequently, the upgrade will be deployed on the testnet for security testing, and finally, Dogecoin miners will be notified to handle the soft fork upgrade.