Adaptor Signatures

Definition ∞ Adaptor signatures are a cryptographic technique allowing a transaction to be signed conditionally, with the full signature only becoming public upon the disclosure of a specific secret. This method facilitates atomic swaps and off-chain protocols by enabling conditional payments and improving transaction privacy. Adaptor signatures contribute to transaction efficiency and reduce the need for trusted intermediaries in certain decentralized finance applications. They represent a significant advancement in enhancing the capabilities of blockchain transactions.
Context ∞ The application of adaptor signatures is gaining traction in scaling solutions and cross-chain interoperability, particularly in projects aiming for enhanced transaction privacy and efficiency. Discussions often center on their role in improving the practicality of layer-2 solutions and their security implications. Observing their deployment in new protocol updates will offer insight into their broader adoption.