Why use Taproot? Taproot transactions use Schnorr signatures and Merkelized Abstract Syntax Trees (MAST). These technologies improve the efficiency and privacy of Bitcoin applications such as multisig and lightning channel transactions. What are the disadvantages of Taproot? Although Taproot has privacy and efficient benefits when it comes to complex transactions, such as ones with spending conditions, there are some downsides. Firstly, Taproot transactions for simple transactions can be more expensive than Segwit transactions. This is because, for simple transactions, Taproot transactions contain more data than an equivalent transaction using Segwit. However for complex transactions, such as multisig transactions, Taproot can be cheaper.