ZetaChain: Pioneering a New Era of Cross-Chain Interoperability

In the wave of the multi-chain era, numerous public chains have emerged, but the challenges of liquidity withdrawal and capital exhaustion have followed. Some public chains rely on cross-chain bridges to introduce assets, and when security issues arise with these cross-chain bridges, the ecosystems of these public chains suffer heavy blows, ringing alarm bells for the entire industry.

In this context, ZetaChain has emerged. As a forward-looking, fully interoperable platform, it aims to address 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 experienced industry experts from well-known companies in the field. These team members translate their rich experience in the Web3 space and profound insights into market demands into ZetaChain's core technology and strategic direction. Their shared vision is to create a blockchain that serves as a passport to the Web3 world, thereby simplifying and accelerating the development of decentralized applications and enhancing user experience.

In the history of blockchain development, interoperability has always been a core issue. ZetaChain not only provides innovative solutions technically but also sets new standards in its implementation. 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 full-chain interoperability and asset transfer platform by providing full-chain accounts. The following 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 Technology and Vision of ZetaChain

The core contributors of ZetaChain realized the necessity of building 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 crucial for seizing opportunities in the Web3 market. They also need to consider how to ensure that their products can adapt to future technological developments and changes. ZetaChain not only addresses these issues but also simplifies the user experience.

Technical Innovations for Achieving Universal Interoperability

ZetaChain adopts a multi-party computation system, where each signature validator 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), 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 chain, which allows 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. Compared to cross-chain messaging, the advantage of Omnichain lies in its simpler architecture, as it does not require the deployment and management of numerous contracts across 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.

Uniqueness of the ZetaEVM Module

ZetaChain uses the Ethermint Cosmos SDK module to provide 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.

Multi-chain functionality without the need for cross-chain bridges

ZetaChain does not require a third-party cross-chain bridge, as its own mechanism provides cross-chain messaging and token transfer capabilities. ZetaChain focuses on moving native non-wrapped 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 to return assets to the original chain.

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

Technical Selection and Performance Advantages

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

Ecosystem Development Strategy

ZetaChain actively builds relationships with developers by participating in various activities, organizing hackathons, and releasing development documentation, helping them build applications. The team has cultivated close relationships with developers, actively seeking feedback and suggestions. In addition, an ecosystem grant program has been established to support promising developers in creating Omnichain-related innovations on ZetaChain.

Key Focus for Future Development

ZetaChain initially focused on DeFi projects due to the strong demand from users and developers in this space. Despite being in a bear market environment, the DeFi sector continues to show strong momentum, with robust demand for multi-chain expansion and growth. At the same time, ZetaChain has also collaborated widely with developers and DApps across various industries, including gaming, NFTs, social finance, and payments.

Asia Market Strategy

Asia remains the core region for Web3. ZetaChain collaborates with local ambassadors and communities, regularly participating in key events to ensure connection and responsiveness to the needs of developers and local communities.

Mainnet Launch Plan

ZetaChain has not yet provided detailed information regarding the specific launch time of the mainnet. It is recommended to follow and subscribe to their social media accounts to stay updated on the latest news and announcements.