Leading global cryptocurrency exchange, Bitget, has announced that it is launching its Proof of Reserves Page, which will demonstrate to users that we are a full-reserve exchange, as supported by its Proof of Reserves (“PoR”), using the cryptographic-audited Merkle tree method, and that users’ assets stored on the platform are safeguarded.
The Proof of Reserves page provides users with a wealth of information on the topic, including several core elements such as “Merkle Validator”, the monthly snapshots presenting the balance of the reserve pools, user education on Proof of Reserves and the importance of being fully reserved, as well as how the Merkle tree supports and proves the authenticity and consistency of the data presented by Bitget. Snapshots of reserve wallets on the platform and the user’s assets serve as reassuring evidence and demonstrate that their assets are held at least at a 1:1 ratio.
To further enhance transparency and ensure the accuracy of the information on the page, Bitget is also launching a new tool, “Merkle Validator”, for users to perform self-audit with their own accounts. The feature allows users to verify the security of their funds in a few simple steps. Users are able to verify the status of their assets’ “Merkle leaf” under the Merkle tree data structure. Bitget is also committed to carrying out regular audits of the PoRs to make sure the balances and the status of user assets within its reserves stay up to date.
Gracy Chen, Managing Director of Bitget, comments, “Bitget actively responds to the market concerns, and even before FTX filed for bankruptcy, on Nov 9th, we had already promised to publish our Merkle tree Proof-of-Reserves within a month’s time. Today, we are proud to fulfil our promise. The release of the Proof of Reserves and the Merkle tree data equips users with updated and informational insights on the financial status of Bitget and enhanced control on their assets stored on the platform, which is echoed in our commitment of maximum transparency and top-notch protection policies for users.”
“The crypto industry is under close scrutiny after the scandals and collapses of some giant crypto firms. The desire of users to invest and store assets on a secure platform has seen its high, as Bitget has witnessed an increase in users recently. With the rollout of the Proof of Reserves page, Bitget not only demonstrates well-rounded protection for users, but also will continue to advocate more initiatives aiming to offer safe adoption of cryptocurrency worldwide and a sustainable and trustworthy environment in the crypto universe,” adds Gracy.
Aside from the POR release, Bitget has launched various initiatives to help rebuild the market’s confidence, such as launching the USD 5 million Builders Fund for users affected by the FTX incident, increasing the Protection Fund to USD 300 million, and most recently, investing 20 million in a series of campaigns with Lionel Messi.
What is Proof of Reserves?
Proof of Reserves refers to an auditing procedure that is verifiable through cryptographic proofs, checks of public wallet ownership, and recurring audits to certify the holdings of an exchange.
The custodian provides transparency and proof of the existence of on-chain reserves and that the total amounts of those coins held and effectively at the disposal of the platform exceeds or is equal to the sum of all users’ holdings of those coins.
To achieve this, Bitget stores the hash of each user’s account assets in a leaf node on the Merkle tree.
Each user can verify that their funds are included in the Merkle tree by checking the total amount of users’ assets stored in the Merkle tree leaf nodes.
The open-source code of the platform’s proof of its 100% solvency program has also been published to GitHub.
