Full-Chain Interoperability Platform ZetaChain: Breaking the Blockchain Island Dilemma

In the wave of the multi-chain era, numerous public chains have emerged, but along with them come challenges such as liquidity retreat and funding exhaustion. Some public chains overly rely on cross-chain bridges to introduce assets, and when security vulnerabilities occur in these bridges, the entire ecosystem suffers a heavy blow, sounding the alarm for the whole industry.

It is against this backdrop that ZetaChain was born. As a forward-looking full-chain interoperability platform, ZetaChain is dedicated to addressing the fragmentation and limitations present in the current Blockchain ecosystem. By seamlessly connecting assets and data across different Blockchain networks, ZetaChain opens up new possibilities for the development and operation of decentralized applications (DApps).

The core team of ZetaChain brings together seasoned experts from leading companies in the industry. These team members translate their rich experience in the Web3 field and deep insights into market demands into the core technology and strategic direction of ZetaChain. Their shared vision is to create a blockchain that can serve as a passport to the Web3 world, thereby simplifying and accelerating the development of decentralized applications and enhancing user experience.

In the development of Blockchain, interoperability has always been a core issue. ZetaChain not only provides innovative solutions at the technical level but also sets new standards in implementation methods. Through its unique multi-party computation system and threshold signature scheme, ZetaChain achieves interoperability with traditional non-smart contract chains such as Bitcoin and Dogecoin.

ZetaChain is committed to becoming a true cross-chain interoperability and asset transfer platform by providing full-chain accounts. Below is an in-depth interview with the ZetaChain team that reveals how this project is transforming the decentralized ecosystem in the Web3 era.

Technical Innovations of ZetaChain

ZetaChain utilizes a multi-party computation system where each signature validator holds a portion of the private key. On each connected chain, there is an account derived from this private key. Using the threshold signature scheme (TSS), validators can sign transactions from this TSS account. Since the TSS account is a regular external account, it does not require executing smart contract logic on the connected chains, which enables interoperability even for chains like Bitcoin that do not support smart contracts.

Tokens transferred to the TSS address on the connected chain will become ZRC-20 wrapped tokens on ZetaChain. Withdrawing ZRC-20 from ZetaChain to the connected chain will trigger the transfer of tokens from the TSS address to the recipient.

Advantages of Omnichain Technology

Omnichain contracts allow DApp developers to create DApps that can accept inputs from any connected chain and trigger outputs to any connected chain. The advantage of Omnichain over cross-chain messaging is that the architecture is simpler, as it does not require deploying and managing a large number of contracts on different chains. Omnichain also makes it possible to provide interoperability on non-smart contract chains, effectively offering Bitcoin users a way to build Omnichain smart contracts.

ZetaEVM Module

ZetaChain uses the Ethermint Cosmos SDK module, providing full EVM compatibility. In terms of single-chain performance and security, ZetaChain is comparable to other Cosmos blockchains using the same EVM module. To achieve omnichain functionality, the ZetaChain team developed a custom Cosmos SDK module, EVM contracts, and an off-chain observer called zetaclient, which together enhance the omnichain capabilities of conventional EVM contracts.

Multi-chain Function Implementation

ZetaChain does not require a third-party cross-chain bridge, as its own mechanism provides the functionality for cross-chain messaging and token transfers. ZetaChain focuses on moving native unwrapped assets between different chains, allowing users to obtain native tokens on the target chain. This approach enhances security, as once the cross-chain transfer is completed, users no longer rely on ZetaChain to move assets back to the original chain.

Although there are indeed ZRC-20 wrapped tokens on ZetaChain that represent assets transferred from connected chains, these wrapped tokens only exist during the transaction process for operations such as cross-chain trading, and end users do not interact with them directly.

Technical Selection

ZetaChain adopts the Comet BFT consensus engine, providing instant transaction finality, high throughput, and reliability. The Cosmos SDK offers developers a set of ready-made building blocks, such as staking modules, governance modules, and EVM-compatible layers. The modularity of the Cosmos SDK enables the protocol team of ZetaChain to develop modules that implement cross-chain messaging and support for interchangeable tokens in Omnichain contracts.

Ecological Development Strategy

ZetaChain actively builds relationships with developers by participating in various events, organizing hackathons, and publishing development documentation, helping them to build applications. The team cultivates a close relationship with developers, proactively seeking their feedback and suggestions. In addition, ZetaChain has established an ecosystem grant program to support promising developers in conducting Omnichain-related innovations on ZetaChain.

Future Development Direction

ZetaChain's initial focus was on DeFi projects, as the team observed a strong demand from users and developers in this field. Despite the current bear market environment, the DeFi sector continues to maintain strong momentum. Meanwhile, ZetaChain is also collaborating extensively with developers and DApps across various industries, including gaming, NFTs, social finance, and payments.

ZetaChain is actively expanding its presence in the Asian market, collaborating with local ambassadors and communities, and regularly participating in key events to ensure connection and responsiveness to the needs of developers and the local community.

With the continuous development of ZetaChain, it is expected to become an important bridge connecting different Blockchain ecosystems, paving the way for the future development of Web3.