Seoul Protocol Upgrade Brings Strengthened Institutional Security to Tezos and Enables 63x Network Efficiency Gains

Successful activation of the blockchain’s 19th protocol upgrade also enhances overall performance and the user experience for people staking on the chain

The Tezos protocol has been successfully upgraded, following an on-chain governance process with broad participation from bakers (validators) and community members. Seoul, the 19th upgrade to the Tezos protocol, delivers significant enhancements to institutional capabilities, network performance, and the staking user experience.

With the introduction of protocol-native multisig (multisignature) functionality for Tezos accounts, the Seoul upgrade addresses institutional demand for stronger and more flexible account security than what is possible with the single-key security model used by most blockchains. Up until now, collectively managed accounts have required external solutions and workarounds that can limit functionality and introduce new risks.

“With protocol-native multisigs, one can co-manage accounts without depending on external solutions — a real leap forward in usability, security, and affordability,” said Yann Régis-Gianas, Head of Engineering at Nomadic Labs, who added: “Offering multisigs at the protocol level also allows more users  to benefit from institutional-grade security that might be too costly for them otherwise.”

The Seoul upgrade also brings large efficiency gains to the Tezos blockchain itself.  Through a feature known as ‘aggregated attestations’, engineering teams have been able to dramatically reduce the bandwidth and storage requirements for a key part of validating the blockchain – by up to 63x, or from approximately 900 MB per day to just 14 MB per day. 

The achievement paves the way for lower latency and faster finality on the Tezos network.

“Using powerful cryptographic tools, we are able to make Tezos more user-friendly, faster, and more secure at the same time. It’s another big step towards realizing the ambitious goals in the Tezos X roadmap,” said Yann Régis-Gianas, Head of Engineering at Nomadic Labs. 

Both the multisig functionality and the efficiency improvements rely on the use of BLS signatures, which allows for multiple cryptographic signatures to be combined into a single signature without compromising security or verifiability.

Finally, the Seoul upgrade lays the groundwork for a simplified staking experience by enabling 1-click unstaking. Users must still wait 4 days for the protocol to unfreeze staked funds for security reasons, but the funds now become available automatically after the waiting period, instead of the user having to finalize the unstake process manually. 

The Seoul upgrade was jointly developed by teams at Nomadic Labs, Trilitech, and Functori, with a focus on institutional readiness and operational efficiency. Having passed its seventh year of operation since mainnet launch, the Tezos protocol continues to demonstrate its unique self-amending capabilities through successful upgrades that keep pace with evolving user needs.

About Tezos

Tezos is an open-source and energy-efficient blockchain designed to empower institutions, developers, and businesses and facilitate value transfer in a digital environment. It is designed for the scalable deployment of decentralized applications. As one of the first Proof of Stake blockchains, Tezos is globally supported and valued for its strong governance, long-term upgradability, and smart contract capabilities. For more information about Tezos, visit http://www.tezos.com.