Testnet Stage 8: Enhancing UTXO Management, Compliance, and Scalability

by Panther Team

Before we announce the exciting new features available for testing in Stage 8, we want to express our sincere gratitude to our community of over 3,500 testnet users. Your dedicated testing and invaluable feedback have been instrumental to the success of our mission.

We are thrilled to announce the launch of Testnet Stage 8, introducing several key updates that significantly boost the protocol’s efficiency, compliance, and scalability. These updates include more streamlined test transactions, user blacklisting feature for Zone Managers, smarter Smart Contracts, and enhanced data management capabilities. 

Sign up for Panther’s testnet today. For more information on how to get started, click here. 

Streamlined UTXO Management

Stage 8 of the Panther dApp testnet streamlines the transaction process. Testers can now transact any portion of their balance in one transaction, eliminating extra steps.

As new deposits are made, the system automatically merges them with the largest existing test zAsset UTXO, creating one unified UTXO that reflects the total balance. For Zone Managers, this approach not only improves transaction efficiency but also simplifies balance management across the Zone, ensuring a smoother, more user-friendly experience for all participants.

Dynamic zAccounts Blacklisting: Enhancing Compliance

A critical compliance-supporting feature for Zone Managers is the ability to blacklist users who may not meet regulatory standards. This ensures that only compliant users are able to participate in a given Zone. 

This mechanism allows Zone Managers to control access to their Zone, effectively barring bad actors or non-compliant users from participating, thus enhancing the platform’s security and regulatory adherence.

Diamond Proxy Architecture: Smarter Smart Contracts

Panther has upgraded to the Diamond Proxy architecture to solve a key issue: Ethereum’s contract size limit. Previously, the PantherPool contract housed numerous functions—like zAsset activation and PRP claiming—which sometimes exceeded Ethereum’s 24.6-kilobyte limit.

The Diamond Proxy fixes this by breaking up the PantherPool contract into smaller, manageable components, each accessible via a single proxy that directs tasks to the correct contract. This ensures scalability as Panther adds new features like zTrade, bypassing size constraints. With Diamond Proxy, Panther is future-proofed, enabling smooth updates and seamless integration of new features.

Taxi Ring Buffer Logic: More efficient Data Management

Panther’s Taxi feature, designed for  faster transaction processing, uses a “ring buffer” system to improve blockchain data handling. The system cycles between two Merkle trees, each holding 128 pieces of data. When one tree fills up, the system switches to the second tree, resetting the first one for reuse. This process repeats, optimizing memory and making data management more efficient.

Only the root of the active tree is stored, reducing memory use. The system tracks where data has been used, so there’s no need to store old data, which simplifies queries and cuts storage needs.

This upgrade speeds up transactions and improves scalability, allowing Panther to handle more transactions with fewer resources. By focusing on current data, the system is faster and more efficient, making your experience smoother and quicker.

Simplifying Code for Better Efficiency and Future-Proofing

Stage 8 includes an important update to how Panther handles large numbers. Previously, it used two different methods, which made the code more complex and harder to manage. This back-and-forth caused unnecessary slowdowns and increased the risk of errors.

The process has been simplified by using one built-in method for handling large numbers. This makes the code easier to maintain and less reliant on external tools. Plus, it improves overall performance.

This change also sets us up for the future. The approach we’ve chosen is a core feature of modern web technologies and is expected to improve as the ecosystem evolves. By aligning with these standards, we’re ensuring our product remains efficient and sustainable in the long run.

In short, we’ve reduced complexity, boosted performance, and made our product ready for future growth.

Disclaimer

For the avoidance of doubt any tokens mentioned in this announcement or within the product are for testing purposes only and have no economic value, nor can they be exchanged for value. 

Participation on our incentivized testnet versions may result in you earning rewards, but such credits are not represented on any blockchain as tokens.