nanalLabs BlogSince 1.5.4, nanalStamp seals are fixed not in one place but two. Every midnight, the chain head that bundles the day's seals is anchored to an RFC 3161 standard timestamp (TSA) and to the Bitcoin blockchain (OpenTimestamps) at the same time — we call this the dual anchor.
Why one is not enough
The two mechanisms fail in exactly opposite ways.
| RFC 3161 timestamp | Bitcoin anchor | |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmation | Immediate — signed on request | Hours until block confirmation |
| Trust assumption | Authority's existence and key custody | None — distributed network |
| Familiarity | Standard in examinations and courts | Still unfamiliar to many |
| If the service disappears | Authority must still exist | Verifiable as long as Bitcoin exists |
Bitcoin covers the TSA's weakness (dependence on an authority); the TSA covers Bitcoin's (confirmation delay, unfamiliarity). Because the failure modes don't overlap, the proof survives even if one side falters. In an examination room you explain with a familiar authority signature, issued instantly; in a dispute ten years later you verify with no authority at all.
What is stored, and how to verify it
TSA responses (TSR) are requested with the signing certificate chain included — so they can be verified offline, without asking the issuing authority again. Verification follows the same principle as the Bitcoin anchor: the server preserves evidence; judgment belongs to open standard tools. Anyone can check a TSR with a single openssl ts -verify command.
Submission packages (.zip) now include a trusted-timestamp folder with the .tsr files and issuance details — both anchors travel together in the bundle you hand to an auditor or examiner.
What you see on screen
From plugin 1.5.4, the status bar shows a TSA indicator and the note's proof & timeline modal gains a trusted-timestamp row (issuance time). Existing users have nothing to do — anchoring is automatic on the server; the plugin simply shows the fact.
An honest boundary
One thing we state plainly: RFC 3161 timestamps are issued and verified in an international standard format, but nanalStamp does not hold this out as an accredited or "qualified" trust service to which laws grant special effect, and the issuing authority's accreditation status may vary over time. Admissibility in any given dispute is for the court to decide — our job is to give that decision the strongest possible material, in two layers.
New to Bitcoin anchoring itself? Start with Bitcoin anchoring — proof that outlives the company.