# David Tse

> David Tse is a Professor of Engineering at Stanford University and the co-founder of Babylon, a Bitcoin staking protocol. He is renowned for inventing the proportional-fair scheduling algorithm, a key technology in 3G/4G/5G cellular networks.

- Canonical URL: https://iq.wiki/wiki/david-tse
- Categories: People in crypto
- Tags: DeFi, Developer, Founder
- Created: 2026-02-10T15:18:43.130Z
- Last updated: 2026-08-04T20:17:32.529Z
- Source: IQ.wiki — the world's largest blockchain and crypto encyclopedia (https://iq.wiki)

---

**David Tse** is the co-founder of [Babylon](https://iq.wiki/wiki/babylon), a protocol designed to extend [Bitcoin's](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) security to other decentralized networks through a novel [staking](https://iq.wiki/wiki/staking) mechanism. Prior to his work in [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain), Tse invented the proportional-fair scheduling algorithm, a core technology used in 3G, 4G, and 5G cellular networks. [\[1\]](#cite-id-cH0P6wqJvjFh6EnX) [\[2\]](#cite-id-SGQJHfRH7fAduV0b)​

## Education

Tse earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo in 1989. He continued his studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he received a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1991 and a Ph.D. in the same field in 1994. [\[3\]](#cite-id-9sDmtxHUSjby3R9q)​

## Career

### Academic Career and Wireless Communications

Tse began his academic career as a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, from 1995 to 2014, where he received an Outstanding Teaching Award from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences in 2008. [\[2\]](#cite-id-SGQJHfRH7fAduV0b) In 2014, he joined Stanford University as the Thomas Kailath and Guanghan Xu Professor of Engineering, which served as a basis for working with [digital assets](https://iq.wiki/wiki/digital-assets). [\[3\]](#cite-id-9sDmtxHUSjby3R9q)​

In the field of wireless communications, Tse is best known as the inventor of the proportional-fair scheduling algorithm. This algorithm became a fundamental component of 3G, 4G, and 5G cellular technologies, significantly improving the speed and efficiency of mobile networks used globally. [\[1\]](#cite-id-cH0P6wqJvjFh6EnX) He is also the co-author of the seminal textbook *Fundamentals of Wireless Communication*. His research has garnered over 77,000 citations. [\[2\]](#cite-id-SGQJHfRH7fAduV0b)​

Beyond telecommunications, Tse has also designed assembly software used for processing and analyzing DNA and RNA sequencing data, which has been adopted by researchers for human genome analysis. [\[2\]](#cite-id-SGQJHfRH7fAduV0b)​

### Transition to Blockchain

Tse shifted his research focus to blockchain technology, driven by the belief that the "current control of information infrastructure by a handful of companies is detrimental to society." [\[1\]](#cite-id-cH0P6wqJvjFh6EnX) At Stanford, he initiated and leads a research group focused on blockchain scalability and security. The group has received over $6 million in research funding and collaborates with prominent industry organizations, including the [Ethereum Foundation](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum-foundation-ef), Protocol Labs, and [Cardano](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cardano-ada) (IOG). [\[2\]](#cite-id-SGQJHfRH7fAduV0b) His team made contributions to enhancing the security of the [Proof-of-Stake](https://iq.wiki/wiki/proof-of-stake) (PoS) [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum) [consensus](https://iq.wiki/wiki/consensus-mechanism) protocol. [\[1\]](#cite-id-cH0P6wqJvjFh6EnX)​

On his continual drive, Tse posted on X in July 2025, "Many professors my age have mentally retired. I worked 19 hours straight the other week, according to my wife. I'm too old for this. But we're breaking new ground at 2 AM while others play it safe. Don't know why I'm still grinding like a 25-year-old PhD student." [\[4\]](#cite-id-KD0JT3VNQLcTHVW4)​

### Babylon

Tse co-founded [Babylon](https://iq.wiki/wiki/babylon) with cryptography expert Fisher Yu to build a secure and decentralized world by extending [Bitcoin's](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) security to other [blockchains](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain). [\[5\]](#cite-id-4gpEO7F29Yj0JR2z) He also serves as an advisor to the investment firm Bain Capital Crypto. [\[2\]](#cite-id-SGQJHfRH7fAduV0b)​

#### Founding and Mission

The central mission of [Babylon](https://iq.wiki/wiki/babylon) is to transform [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) from a passive store of value into a productive, yield-generating asset. [\[6\]](#cite-id-2pimCXpQqpCoMhyE) The project aims to unlock [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin)'s large capital base to secure emerging PoS chains and other decentralized systems. This is achieved through a "[Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) staking" protocol that allows [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) holders to stake their BTC and earn yield without moving their assets to another chain via a bridge, which can introduce security risks. [\[1\]](#cite-id-cH0P6wqJvjFh6EnX) The project was built using the Cosmos SDK to leverage its modularity and sovereignty for implementing the protocol's unique security mechanisms. [\[4\]](#cite-id-KD0JT3VNQLcTHVW4)​

#### Technology and Innovation

Babylon's protocol is designed to be "Trustless by Design," operating as a non-custodial system. [\[5\]](#cite-id-4gpEO7F29Yj0JR2z) It utilizes advancements from [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin)'s Taproot upgrade, including Tapscript and Schnorr signatures, to create secure [staking](https://iq.wiki/wiki/staking) contracts directly on the [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain). Key cryptographic innovations include: [\[5\]](#cite-id-4gpEO7F29Yj0JR2z)​

* **Extractable One-Time Signatures (EOTS):** A mechanism that ensures validators can be held accountable, making malicious
  behavior like double-signing slashable.
* **Signature Aggregation:** A technique to optimize on-chain data and reduce transaction costs.
* **Adaptor Signatures:** A primitive that enables the trustless slashing of a malicious staker's assets.

In October 2025, Tse announced that [Babylon](https://iq.wiki/wiki/babylon) had created a proof-of-concept for a "[Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) trustless vault" system. This system uses BitVM3 to allow users to lock native [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) and use it as collateral on other chains, such as [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum). The process is controlled by cryptographic proofs of external [smart contract](https://iq.wiki/wiki/smart-contract) states, which are verified on the [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) network. An experimental version of the resulting asset, an [NFT](https://iq.wiki/wiki/non-fungible-token-nft) called VaultBTC, was tested on the lending protocol [Morpho](https://iq.wiki/wiki/morpho). While the system aims to be trustless, reports noted that its early design relied on whitelisted liquidators and external price oracles like [Band Protocol](https://iq.wiki/wiki/band-protocol) and [Pyth Network](https://iq.wiki/wiki/pyth-network). [\[7\]](#cite-id-hXQYltOIPcfE6zkO)​

#### Funding and Milestones

​[Babylon](https://iq.wiki/wiki/babylon) has secured significant funding through multiple rounds:

* **March 2023:** Raised 8.8 million). The previously-listed 70 million Series B (May 2024, led by [Paradigm](https://iq.wiki/wiki/paradigm)) remain unchanged and are retained in the article. [\[8\]](#cite-id-X7eApYR922q8nim6)
* **May 2024:** Raised $70 million in a round led by [Paradigm](https://iq.wiki/wiki/paradigm). [\[1\]](#cite-id-cH0P6wqJvjFh6EnX)
* **January 2026:** [a16z crypto](https://iq.wiki/wiki/a16z-crypto) led a BABY. [\[6\]](#cite-id-2pimCXpQqpCoMhyE)

​[Babylon](https://iq.wiki/wiki/babylon) commenced its phased mainnet launch in August 2024. The initial staking cap of 1,000 BTC was filled within hours. [\[8\]](#cite-id-X7eApYR922q8nim6) A subsequent duration-based staking round in October 2024 attracted 24,000 BTC in stakes in under two hours, with Tse calling the demand "way beyond our expectations." [\[8\]](#cite-id-X7eApYR922q8nim6) In December 2024, a single anonymous user staked 10,000 BTC. [\[4\]](#cite-id-KD0JT3VNQLcTHVW4)​

The project's codebase has been audited by security firms including Coinspect, Zellic, and Cantina, and it has integrated with institutional custodians like [Anchorage Digital](https://iq.wiki/wiki/anchorage-digital), Ceffu, HexTrust, and Cobo. [\[5\]](#cite-id-4gpEO7F29Yj0JR2z)​

## Research and Publications

### BABE Protocol

On January 18, 2026, Tse and his team announced the BABE (BAbylon-BErkeley) protocol, a new method for verifying Groth16 [zero-knowledge](https://iq.wiki/wiki/zero-knowledge-proofs-zkps) (ZK) proofs on the [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) network. [\[3\]](#cite-id-9sDmtxHUSjby3R9q) The protocol was developed to reduce the initialization and storage costs of Groth16 verification by over a thousandfold compared to existing solutions. It achieves this by simplifying complex pairing operations into a single scalar multiplication using a technique based on witness encryption and the Argo MAC obfuscation primitive. Tse announced that BABE was scheduled to launch in February 2026 alongside the alpha testnet of the [Babylon](https://iq.wiki/wiki/babylon) Trustless [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) Vault. [\[3\]](#cite-id-9sDmtxHUSjby3R9q)​

### Collaborative Research

Tse is an active participant in the BitVM Alliance, a group focused on advancing [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin)'s computational capabilities. He has praised the "open and collaborative research culture" of the alliance, which involves public iteration of ideas and rapid feedback, viewing it as a challenge to traditional, more closed-off academic cryptographic research methods. [\[9\]](#cite-id-Oc08GXMYcFYw07Rf) In June 2025, the [Babylon](https://iq.wiki/wiki/babylon) team conducted a successful experiment on the [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) mainnet to test the full dispute resolution process ("unhappy path") for BitVM, completing the procedure in under eight hours. [\[4\]](#cite-id-KD0JT3VNQLcTHVW4)​

## Awards and Recognition

Tse has received numerous awards for his contributions to engineering and information sciences.

* **2008:** Outstanding Teaching Award, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, U.C. Berkeley [\[2\]](#cite-id-SGQJHfRH7fAduV0b)
* **2009:** Frederick Emmons Terman Award, American Society for Engineering Education [\[2\]](#cite-id-SGQJHfRH7fAduV0b)
* **2017:** Claude E. Shannon Award, IEEE Information Theory Society [\[1\]](#cite-id-cH0P6wqJvjFh6EnX)
* **2018:** Elected a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering [\[2\]](#cite-id-SGQJHfRH7fAduV0b)
* **2019:** IEEE Richard W. Hamming Medal [\[1\]](#cite-id-cH0P6wqJvjFh6EnX)
* **2024:** Named to CoinDesk's "Most Influential" list for his work on bringing staking to [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin). [\[8\]](#cite-id-X7eApYR922q8nim6)

## Influence and Mentorship

Through his professorship at Stanford, Tse has taught and mentored numerous individuals who have become prominent figures in the crypto industry. [Guy Wuollet](https://iq.wiki/wiki/guy-wuollet) of [a16z crypto](https://iq.wiki/wiki/a16z-crypto), a former student, described him as having "one of the broadest coaching trees in crypto." His former students and post-doctoral advisees include [Sreeram Kannan](https://iq.wiki/wiki/sreeram-kannan) (founder of [EigenLayer](https://iq.wiki/wiki/eigenlayer)), Dionyzis Zindros (founder of [Common](https://iq.wiki/wiki/common) Prefix), and several members of the a16z crypto research team. [\[6\]](#cite-id-2pimCXpQqpCoMhyE)​

## Interviews

### Bitcoin Staking and Babylon #01

In an interview published on May 16, 2024, on the YouTube channel Coinage, David Tse, co-founder of [Babylon](https://iq.wiki/wiki/babylon), discussed [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) [staking](https://iq.wiki/wiki/staking), the research background of the project, and its proposed role within the [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) and broader [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) ecosystem.

[YOUTUBE@VID](5N9DDIEeo38)

Tse described [Babylon](https://iq.wiki/wiki/babylon) as a project originating from academic and technical research rather than a venture defined by branding labels such as “professor chain”. According to him, the project was developed from a research-oriented approach aimed at addressing structural and protocol-level questions within [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3). He referenced his prior academic work in wireless communications and explained that his involvement in blockchain research began approximately five years earlier after studying the [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) [whitepaper](https://iq.wiki/wiki/white-paper), which he characterized as a protocol designed with simplicity as a core attribute.

During the interview, Tse stated that [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) differs from [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum) primarily in its consensus model. While [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum) transitioned from [proof-of-work](https://iq.wiki/wiki/proof-of-work-pow) to [proof of stake](https://iq.wiki/wiki/proof-of-stake), enabling native [staking](https://iq.wiki/wiki/staking) functionality, [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) continues to operate under proof-of-work and does not include a native staking mechanism. He explained that [Babylon](https://iq.wiki/wiki/babylon) seeks to enable [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) staking through a protocol design that does not require users to transfer custody of their [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin), distinguishing it from earlier yield-generating platforms that relied on centralized custodial structures.

Tse addressed comparisons between [Babylon](https://iq.wiki/wiki/babylon) and [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum)-based restaking protocols, noting that [Babylon](https://iq.wiki/wiki/babylon) focuses on introducing staking as a base-layer function for [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) rather than restaking existing staked assets. He emphasized that, from his perspective, this distinction is relevant for protocol design and for the development of applications that may rely on [staking](https://iq.wiki/wiki/staking) as an underlying mechanism.

Regarding ecosystem integration, Tse discussed Babylon’s interaction with the app-chain model and its collaboration with projects in the [Cosmos](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cosmos) ecosystem. He explained that Babylon’s [staking](https://iq.wiki/wiki/staking) mechanism is intended to allow [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) to contribute security to other [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) networks, supporting application-specific chains without requiring changes to Bitcoin’s base protocol.

The interview also addressed adoption challenges following the collapse of centralized yield platforms. Tse acknowledged that some [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) holders remain cautious about yield mechanisms and stated that Babylon’s approach prioritizes gradual adoption and education, particularly among users familiar with non-custodial staking systems in other networks. He cited the launch of Babylon’s [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) staking testnet in February 2024, which recorded participation from more than 100,000 users within the first two days.

In outlining future development, Tse referenced plans for a [mainnet](https://iq.wiki/wiki/mainnet) launch with controlled participation parameters intended to support security testing. He also mentioned ongoing research into additional protocols that could leverage [Bitcoin’s](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) security, including data availability solutions and cross-chain asset bridges. Throughout the interview, Tse characterized [Babylon](https://iq.wiki/wiki/babylon) as a research-driven project focused on protocol development rather than short-term deployment objectives. [\[10\]](#cite-id-5pBxVhdM8WDn1bF9) 

### Bitcoin Staking and Economic Security #02

In an interview published on August 21, 2025, on the YouTube channel Ninepoint Partners, David Tse, co-founder of [Babylon](https://iq.wiki/wiki/babylon), discussed his interpretation of [Bitcoin’s](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) role within [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) infrastructure and its use in [staking](https://iq.wiki/wiki/staking)-related mechanisms.

[YOUTUBE@VID](pU-1N705IlI)

Tse stated that [Bitcoin’s](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) large monetary base, long operational history, and decentralized security model allow it to be used as collateral for securing proof-of-stake [blockchains](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain), even though [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) itself relies on proof of work. According to his explanation, Babylon’s protocol is designed to enable [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) staking without custodial intermediaries, wrapped assets, or native smart contracts on [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin). Instead, the system uses cryptographic techniques and [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin)’s scripting capabilities to replicate functions commonly associated with staking, including conditional penalties.

He further explained that, from his perspective, [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) [staking](https://iq.wiki/wiki/staking) can be applied to provide additional economic security to other blockchains and rollups. In this context, [proof-of-stake](https://iq.wiki/wiki/proof-of-stake) networks may compensate [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) holders for contributing collateral, while [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) remains under self-custody. Tse indicated that this model can be used alongside existing [consensus mechanisms](https://iq.wiki/wiki/consensus-mechanism) rather than replacing them.

The interview also addressed the interaction between [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) and smart contract platforms, including [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum). Tse described potential integrations in which [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) functions as collateral for applications deployed on such platforms, while maintaining separation between Bitcoin’s base protocol and external execution environments.

Overall, Tse characterized Babylon’s approach as an infrastructure-focused effort to enable the use of [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) as collateral across multiple [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) systems, without modifying [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin)’s underlying protocol or governance structure. [\[11\]](#cite-id-iiPVByFgxjxfKeph)