Bitcoin Research Prize


What is this?

The Bitcoin research prize is an award to recognize outstanding results that advance Bitcoin and the Lightning Network.
The results can be in cryptography, theoretical computer science, network theory, economics and neighboring fields.
A committee of leading researchers will choose the winners annually


Criteria for nomination

Accepted to a peer-reviewed venue
Published after January 1st, 2020
Relevant to Bitcoin or the Lightning Network

Nomination deadline

September 1, 2024


Prize Committee

Ittay Eyal (Technion)
Aviv Zohar (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Ethan Heilman (BastionZero)
Neha Narula (MIT)
Giulia Fanti (Carnegie Mellon University)
Dongning Guo (Northwestern University)
Ling Ren (UIUC)
Matthew Weinberg (Princeton University)
Eli Ben Sasson (StarkWare)
Pedro Moreno-Sanchez (IMDEA Software Institute)
Jordi Herrera-Joancomartí (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)
Cristina Perez-Solà (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)
Jeremy Clark (Concordia University)
Aniket Kate (Purdue University)
Philipp Jovanovic (UCL)
Jonas Nick (Blockstream Research)
Sanket Kanjalkar (Block)
Thaddeus (Tadge) Dryja (Lightspark)
Martin Zumsande (Bitcoin Core)


Q&A

How related to Bitcoin/LN does the paper need to be?

The paper does not need to be Bitcoin or Lightning Network focused, being applicable is enough.
General results with wide influence are excellent candidates

Is self nomination allowed?

Yes. Note that the “Nominator” field in the submission form is optional





Previous editions


    Prize Committee

      Ethan Heilman (BastionZero)
      Neha Narula (MIT)
      Tim Ruffing (Blockstream Research)
      Pieter Wuille (Chaincode Labs)
      Aviv Zohar (HUJI)

    Prize Winner

      Bitcoin's Latency–Security Analysis Made Simple by Dongning Guo and Ling Ren