Interoperability guide v2: messaging, transport, bridges and proof layers
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Updated interop landscape separating cross-chain messaging, transport layer, bridge, aggregation and cross-chain DEX protocols, then adding proving, proof aggregation and verification layers and shared sequencers as modular building blocks.
Key claims
Hyperlane and LayerZero re-categorized as transport layer protocols
Stargate corrected to a bridge
Sei and Fantom are pivoting toward shared sequencing
✨🌐 The Ultimate Interoperability Guide v2 🌐✨
The interoperability space is one of the most complex sectors in Web3 and the landscape is difficult to understand.
There are a few key distinctions that you should be aware of though and in this post, I will try to demystify the interop space a bit, by differentiating clearly between different types of protocols that are built on different layers of the stack.
This is as an iteration on my first overview that I linked below. New additions are market as such and for the full list (and short descriptions), refer to the original post.
Cross-chain Messaging Protocols:
Define rules for the standardized exchange of data and value across heterogenous blockchains. The protocols differ in the way they handle message passing and especially message verification.
This for example includes:
✦ @axelarnetwork
✦ @wormhole
✦ @union_build
✦ @Polymer_Labs
✦ @Connext
✦ @routerprotocol
✦ @Entanglefi
✦ @PolytopeLabs (newly added)
✦ for more see linked post
Transport Layer Protocols:
Create a marketplace for the verification layer, which allows apps to tailor security to align with their specific needs, taking into account factors such as degree of security, speed & cost.
This for example includes:
✦ @Hyperlane_xyz (re-categorized)
✦ @LayerZero_Labs (re-categorized)
Bridging Protocols:
These protocols are specialized on the transfer of value across ecosystem borders. While the design space is broad, an increasing number of them is built on messaging protocols such as Axelar and Wormhole or transport layer protocols like LayerZero.
This for example includes:
✦ @StargateFinance (corrected to bridge from x-chain AMM)
✦ @HopProtocol
✦ @Orbiter_Finance
✦ @portalbridge_
✦ for more see linked post
Bridge Aggregation Protocols:
Aggregate multiple bridging solutions into one UI to enable users to send or swap assets across blockchains with ease and without the restrictions of singular bridge protocols with regards to the supported networks. Big UX improvement as aggregators find most efficient and cheapest path.
This for example includes:
✦ @lifiprotocol
✦ @SocketProtocol
✦ @mitosisorg
✦ for more see linked post
Cross-Chain DEX (mostly AMMs)*:
Implemented as application-specific L1/L2 or built on top of one of the before-mentioned verification/transport layer protocols. Functions similar to chain-specific AMMs but pools liquidity across ecosystems and combines liquidity bridging with asset swaps.
This for example includes:
✦ @squidrouter
✦ @jumperapp
✦ @CatalystAMM
✦ @CashmereLabs
✦ @BungeeExchange
✦ for more see linked post
* ) Combines the two separate DEX/AMM categories from the first overview.
Other Cross-Chain Applications**:
Cross-chain lending protocols, options protocols, yield farming, etc. The design space is wide and for many use cases, going multichain comes with significant benefits such as larger user base, increased liquidity, etc.
This for example includes:
✦ @Curvance
✦ @synonymfinance
✦ @prime_protocol
✦ @PikeFinance
✦ +++
** ) Was only referring to lending in the nomenclature of the old overview.
But back to the infrastructure side of things. As the interoperability stack is increasingly modularized (see separation of transport and verification/messaging layer), even messaging protocols themselves can leverage modular infra building blocks.
The main verticals I'm looking at here are:
✦ Proving Layers
✦ Proof Aggregation Layers
✦ Proof Verification Layers
Messaging protocols can use proving layers to prove consensus or state across chains in a trust-minimized way, while aggregation layers enable interoperability at scale, where a singular integration enables connectivity with potentially 100s or 1000s or chains. Proof verification layers on the other hand optimize the efficiency of on-chain proof verification, working in tandem with infra that can serve as the ultimte security layer (e.g. Ethereum).
While proof system diversity makes universal implementations of all these infra building blocks (and ensuring they are all composable) complex, this kind of innovation holds great potential to enable fuly trust-minimized and permissionless composability across ecosystem borders at scale, improving both the UX and overall security of Web3.
The leading protocols across these verticals are:
Proving Layers
✦ @SuccinctLabs
✦ @RiscZero
✦ @gevulot_network
✦ @lagrangedev
✦ for more see linked post
Proof Aggregation Layers
✦ @nebrazkp UP
✦ @0xPolygon AggLayer
✦ @AvailProject Nexus (newly added)
Proof Verification Layers
✦ @horizenglobal
✦ @alignedlayer
Finally, a category that is definitely missing on this list is shared sequencers.
By ordering transactions across rollups into the same sequence or block, shared sequencers enable powerful atomic composability across rollup execution layers.
The leading shared sequencers are:
✦ @EspressoSys
✦ @AstriaOrg
✦ @nodekitorg
✦ @radius_xyz
And more recently, there have been alt-L1 pivoting to this narrative as well, including:
✦ @SeiNetwork
✦ @FantomFDN
👉 For more: t.co/ZKvLWvCsyR
As a based sequencer, even Ethereum L1 could serve based rollups on the sequencing level.
👉 For more: t.co/5bEes6EnL4
Hope this helps and please share your thoughts / input in the comments as I want to continue to iterate on this overview and create some sort of an ecosystem guide.
QUOTING @zerokn0wledge_
✨🌐 The Ultimate Interoperability Guide 🌐✨ The interoperability wars are real! 🤯 As we enter the (modular) multi-chain era interop is key and the winners in this market will be multi-billion $$$ protocols. I curated the most comprehensive interop landscape overview you'll find
✨🌐 The Ultimate Interoperability Guide 🌐✨ The interoperability wars are real! 🤯 As we enter the (modular) multi-chain era interop is key and the winners in this market will be multi-billion $$$ protocols. I curated the most comprehensive interop landscape overview you'll find