Dogecoin Introduces Ethereum-Style Contracts with DogeOS Testnet Launch
The Dogecoin community is in for a surprise as the project's developers have been working on a new application layer called DogeOS, which brings Ethereum-style smart contracts to Dogecoin without altering the base chain. The testnet, called Chikyū, is an EVM-compatible zero-knowledge rollup that allows developers to deploy complex applications on top of Dogecoin.
The team behind DogeOS, led by Jordan Jefferson, aims to give Dogecoin an on-chain economy beyond tipping and transfers. The testnet currently has a validator set and a permissioned sequencer, but Dogecoin itself does not yet verify the rollup's zero-knowledge proofs. The team has proposed a Dogecoin Core change to enable native proof verification, but it has not been adopted yet.
The goal of DogeOS is to introduce utility one level above the Dogecoin base layer, keeping the Layer 1 ledger 'pure.' The testnet is currently available for experimentation, and developers can start building on top of it. The project's early teams are working on various applications, including trading, lending, stablecoins, options, prediction markets, launchpads, and games.