ZetaChain: Pioneering a New Era of Cross-Chain Interoperability

In the wave of the multi-chain era, numerous public chains have emerged one after another, but the challenges of liquidity retreat and capital exhaustion have followed. Some public chains rely on cross-chain bridges to introduce assets, and when these bridges encounter security issues, the entire ecosystem suffers a heavy blow, which undoubtedly sounds the alarm for the entire industry.

It is against this backdrop that ZetaChain was born. As a forward-looking full-chain interoperability platform, it is committed 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.

The core team of ZetaChain brings together seasoned experts from well-known companies in the industry. These team members have integrated their rich experience in the Web3 field and profound 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 the 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 its implementation approach. 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. 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 Contributors of ZetaChain and Their Experience

Core contributors of ZetaChain recognized the necessity of building ZetaChain and the idea of "the only blockchain needed" after participating in multiple Web3 projects. Currently, developers of decentralized applications face complexity issues when building products across multiple chains, and this step is crucial for seizing opportunities in the Web3 market. They also need to consider how to ensure that products can adapt to future technological developments and changes. 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.

How ZetaChain Achieves Universal Interoperability

ZetaChain adopts 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 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, allowing interoperability even with 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 a token transfer 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 lies in its simpler architecture, as it does not require the deployment and management of a large number of contracts across different chains. Omnichain also enables interoperability on non-smart contract chains, effectively providing Bitcoin users with a way to build Omnichain smart contracts.

Features of the 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 that use 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 regular EVM contracts.

The Multi-Chain Functionality of ZetaChain

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 across different chains, allowing users to receive native tokens on the target chain. This approach enhances security because once the cross-chain transfer is completed, users no longer rely on ZetaChain to return assets to the original chain.

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

Advantages of Technical Selection

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 modular nature of the Cosmos SDK allows ZetaChain's protocol team to develop modules that enable cross-chain messaging and support for omnichain contracts with fungible tokens.

Strategies to Attract Users and Developers

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

Future Ecological Planning

ZetaChain's initial focus was on DeFi projects, as there was a strong demand from users and developers in this area. Despite being in a bear market, the DeFi sector continues to maintain a strong momentum for development, leading to a robust demand for multi-chain expansion and growth. At the same time, ZetaChain is also collaborating extensively with developers and DApps across various industries, including gaming, NFTs, social finance, and payments.

Asia Community Strategy

Asia remains the core area of Web3. ZetaChain is proud of the communities established in Asia and their enthusiasm for the platform. The team collaborates with local ambassadors and communities and regularly participates in key events to ensure they stay connected and responsive to the needs of developers and local communities.

Mainnet Launch Plan

ZetaChain is currently unable to provide specific details regarding the launch time of the mainnet. It is recommended to follow and subscribe to its social media accounts to ensure timely updates on the latest news and announcements.