Are Bridges Solving the Interoperability Problem?

The blockchain landscape is as vast as it is diverse. Filled with a rapidly growing number of tools, platforms, and protocols, each designed to boost the utility of cryptocurrencies and provide value to users. But in this complexity, a major obstacle has emerged. Blockchains simply can’t interact with one another. Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, Solana, Terra, and dozens more blockchains are effectively operating in isolation, due to a lack of in-built interoperability. This has had a knock-on effect of dividing the blockchain community, who often need to pick and choose which platform to get to grips with and support. As it stands, to interact with services on multiple blockchains, users would need to have at least a basic understanding of how that platform works, hold a wallet, and own at least some of its native assets. Understandably, few individuals and businesses want to go through the hassle of familiarizing themselves with multiple platforms. Over the years, a range of options has been pushed as potential solutions to this challenge. These include interoperability solutions like Polkadot, which enables interblockchain communication by connecting distinct blockchains through a central relay chain. As well as Cosmos’ interblockchain communication protocol (ICP), which allows homogeneous blockchains to exchange data and value by providing a single standard for communication. Image credits: Cosmos But despite this, some of ...