ZetaChain: An Innovative Path to Achieving Free Flow of Cross-Chain Assets on the Full-Chain Interoperability Platform

In the wave of the multi-chain era, numerous public chains have emerged, but the problem of funding exhaustion has come along with the retreat of liquidity. Some public chains rely on cross-chain bridges to introduce assets, and when security risks arise with these cross-chain bridges, the ecosystems of these public chains suffer severe blows, ringing alarm bells for the entire industry.

It is against this backdrop that ZetaChain was born. As a forward-looking omnichain interoperability platform, it is committed to addressing the fragmentation and limitations present in the existing 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 senior industry experts from well-known companies in the field. These team members translate their rich experience in the Web3 domain and deep insights into market demands into ZetaChain's core technology and strategic direction. Their shared vision is to create a blockchain that can serve as a passport for the Web3 world, thereby simplifying and accelerating the development of decentralized applications and user experiences.

In the development of blockchain, interoperability has always been a core issue. ZetaChain not only provides innovative solutions technically but also innovates the standards in its implementation. Through its unique multiparty computation system and threshold signature scheme, ZetaChain achieves interoperability with traditional non-smart contract chains like 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, revealing how this project is bringing transformation to the decentralized ecosystem in the Web3 era.

Core Contributors and Experience Applications of ZetaChain

The core contributors of ZetaChain recognized the necessity of establishing ZetaChain and the concept of "the only blockchain needed" after participating in multiple Web3 projects. Currently, developers of decentralized applications face complexity issues when building products for multiple chains, and this step is essential for seizing opportunities in the Web3 market. They also often need to consider how to ensure that products can adapt to the development and changes in future technologies. ZetaChain not only addresses these issues but also simplifies the user experience. These challenges directly stem from the team's previous work experience in the crypto industry.

The Way ZetaChain Achieves Universal Interoperability

ZetaChain adopts a multi-party computation system, where each signature verifier holds a part of the private key. On each connected chain, there is an account derived from this private key. Using a Threshold Signature Scheme (TSS), verifiers can sign transactions from this TSS account. Since the TSS account is a regular external account, it does not need to execute smart contract logic on the connected chain, enabling 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.

Omnichain technology enhances cross-chain use cases and asset transfers

Omnichain contracts allow DApp developers to create DApps that can accept inputs from any connected chain and trigger outputs to any connected chain. Compared to cross-chain messaging, the advantage of Omnichain is that it is architecturally simpler, as it does not require the deployment and management of dozens of contracts across different chains. Omnichain also enables interoperability on non-smart contract chains like Bitcoin, effectively providing a method for building Omnichain smart contracts for Bitcoin users.

Performance and Security of the ZetaEVM Module

ZetaChain uses the Ethermint Cosmos SDK module, which provides complete 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, all of which enhance the Omnichain capabilities of conventional EVM contracts.

The Multi-Chain Functionality of ZetaChain

ZetaChain does not require a third-party cross-chain bridge, as the mechanism of ZetaChain itself provides cross-chain messaging and token transfer capabilities. ZetaChain focuses on moving native unwrapped assets between different chains, allowing users to receive native tokens on the target chain. This approach enhances security, as once the cross-chain process is complete, users no longer rely on ZetaChain (or anyone else) to return the assets to the original chain.

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

Technical choices enable fast block times and instant finality

ZetaChain adopts the Comet BFT consensus engine, which provides instant transaction finality, high throughput, and reliability. The Cosmos SDK offers developers a variety of ready-made building blocks, such as staking modules, governance modules, and EVM-compatible layers. The modular nature of the Cosmos SDK allows ZetaChain's protocol team to develop modules that implement cross-chain messaging and support Omnichain contracts for fungible tokens.

ZetaChain's Strategies to Attract Users and Developers

ZetaChain believes that for developers looking to build Web3 applications and services, choosing which chain to launch their products on is very difficult, and the process of expanding to other chains is equally challenging. The vision of building a single chain that can access all other chains has resonated within the global developer community. ZetaChain actively builds relationships with developers by participating in various events, organizing hackathons, and publishing development documentation to help them build applications. ZetaChain has fostered close relationships with developers, actively seeking their feedback and suggestions. Additionally, an ecological bonus program has been established to support promising developers in driving Omnichain-related innovations on ZetaChain.

Future Ecological Planning of ZetaChain

ZetaChain's initial focus was on DeFi projects due to the strong demand from users and developers in this area. Even though we are currently in a bear market, the DeFi sector continues to show robust growth, making it reasonable to have a strong demand for multi-chain expansion and growth. However, ZetaChain also collaborates extensively with developers and DApps across various industries, including gaming, NFTs, social finance, and payments.

ZetaChain's Strategy for the Asian Community

Asia remains the core area of Web3. ZetaChain is proud of the community established in Asia and their enthusiasm for ZetaChain. ZetaChain collaborates with local ambassadors and communities and regularly participates in key events to ensure connection and responsiveness to the needs of developers and local communities.

ZetaChain Mainnet Launch Plan

Regarding the specific time of the mainnet launch, ZetaChain is currently unable to provide detailed information. However, it is recommended to follow and subscribe to its social media accounts to ensure timely updates on the latest news and announcements.