Chainlink publishes the Cross-chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) for decentralized cross-chain messaging and token transfer

Today, the emergence of independent blockchains, each with its own strengths and geographic markets, is driving the growth of multi-chain ecology. In such a multi-chain world, users need to be able to seamlessly use the unique features and assets on each blockchain in a single application, which will greatly facilitate the development of cross-chain smart contracts. whenDecentralized prophecy serviceThe emergence and connectivity of off-chain data and secure off-chain computing resources is also drivenDeFi,NFTandChain on the gameThe economy is booming.  

However, developing cross-chain applications is notoriously difficult due to bottlenecks in the existing cross-chain infrastructure. First, token bridge and messaging protocol solutions are highly fragmented, with most only serving applications between two chains. In addition, many token Bridges are centralized, have weak security, and lack a transparent or reliable node operator, driving up cost and processing time for end users. These limitations and loopholes have resulted in hundreds of billions of dollars worth of lost user funds and stymied cross-chain innovation.

In response to the growing demand for cross-chain solutions in the blockchain ecosystem, we are pleased to announce this releaseCross-chain interoperability protocol(hereinafter referred to as CCIP) CCIP is a new open source standard for cross-chain communication. The aim is to establish a common connection between hundreds of public and private chain networks, allowing previously isolated tokens to flow across all chains and enable cross-chain applications.

CCIP provides smart contract developers with a common infrastructure of computing power that can transmit data and smart contract instructions across various blockchain networks. CCIP will be the underlying protocol for various cross-chain services, including Chainlink's programmable token bridge, which allows users to securely and efficiently transfer tokens into any blockchain network with scalability.

This cross-chain interoperability protocol is the culmination of many years of research and development by our team in the area of security cross-chain technology, going back to the originalChainlink 1.0 whitepaper. CCIP is led by Chainlink Labs Chief Scientist Ari Juels and Chainlink Labs VP of Engineering Technology Ben Chan (Note: Ben is also the architect of the most mainstream cross-chain WBTC on Ethereum) and many of the world's top researchers on the Chainlink Labs team.    

This article explains why Chainlink is developing a common cross-chain communication protocol for the blockchain industry, how CCIP is integrated into the multilayer technology stack, and how CCIP is unlocking new services and driving the development of cross-chain hybrid smart contracts.  

Why is Chainlink developing a common cross-chain infrastructure?

It will not be easy to develop secure and efficient cross-chain technologies for token transfer and common messaging across all blockchain networks. However, Chainlink's previously released infrastructure has been very stable, the ecosystem has been growing, and some innovations in cross-chain technology have made Chainlink the perfect choice to develop an open source standard for cross-chain communication.  

A decentralized network with established node operators

A cross-chain bridge is essentially a committee of nodes where all nodes together certify information on one chain and pass it on to the other chain by means of a threshold encrypted signature. Chainlink has the largest number of independent nodes in the industry, and the nodes are reliable and verifiable against witch attacks. These nodes are run by the world's top DevOps teams and infrastructure providers. Chainlink's network of nodes continues to expand, currently releasing multiple predictive services that secure over $30 billion in value for the smart Contract ecosystem, and will be upgraded to ChainlinkOff-chain reporting protocol(OCR), further expanding the scale.

Chainlink OCR 1.0 is a secure and efficient off-chain data aggregation computing protocol that has been running smoothly on a large scale for some time without incident. Chainlink OCR managed to reduce the on-chain gas price reported by the forecaster by 90%. OCR 2.0 will build on this foundation, enabling more efficient and complex off-chain computing to build advanced cross-chain capabilities. CCIP will leverage OCR 2.0 in its protocol stack to expand the number of committee nodes for signature reporting to several hundred to enhance the security of locked funds and maintain high cost effectiveness for users. CCIP not only has the largest number of secure node pools in the world, but also has upgraded the off-chain computing power, so it will achieve very high levels of tamper-proof and performance.

Chainlink OCR 2.0 aggregates the response data of nodes off-chain and submits the predictor report to the chain in a single transaction.

Anti-fraud network

Security and fraud prevention are both key elements of cross-chain services in securing high-value contracts. As a result, CCIP will introduce an unprecedented risk management system for the blockchain industry called the "Anti-fraud Network." The anti-fraud network consists of a network of decentralized predicators whose sole purpose is to monitor CCIP services for malicious behavior that could result in loss of funds. It is worth mentioning that the node committee in this anti-fraud network is completely unrelated to the node committee that they are responsible for monitoring in CCIP. As a result, anti-fraud monitoring and cross-chain services are completely separate.

The anti-fraud network acts as a validation layer and periodically submits heartbeat checks when the system is running properly. If the anti-fraud network stops sending heartbeat messages, or the node notices any malicious behavior, it automatically triggers an emergency shutdown mechanism to stop a cross-chain service. Shutting down cross-chain services can effectively protect users' funds from potential black swan events. The anti-fraud network will initially consist of high-quality Chainlink nodes that have no connection to the CCIP service they protect; Later, dAPPS with high value guaranteed through CCIP services can also be added to the network, providing users with more effective fraud protection.  

The anti-fraud network uses a decentralized risk management and anti-fraud monitoring model, which is also a common model for high-value smart contracts. The anti-fraud network completely upends the risk management model of cross-chain infrastructure by establishing a mechanism of checks and balances to separate responsibilities and minimize the control of any one set of nodes over the operation of a CCIP service. It is worth mentioning that the network can also add new modules, such as AI, in the future to enhance the monitoring technology, as well as expand and upgrade.

CCIP services are monitored by the anti-fraud network to identify and resolve any potential problems.      

Provides strong ecological support across the blockchain

Cross-chain systems are most valuable when they produce large-scale network effects. Creating network effects means more security for user funds, higher liquidity for tokens, a simpler user experience, better documentation and tools for developers, and the opportunity to generate more revenue regardless of which blockchain the token assets are derived from. Chainlink is currently connected to more than 100 blockchains, and many blockchains and layer-2 solutions have integrated Chainlink into the main network, making it an ideal and neutral cross-chain communication infrastructure.

Chainlink is not only the prophesy solution with the largest number of connections to top blockchains, it also drives a large number of Dapps running on these blockchains. Chainlink has access to top notch lending, insurance, and other DeFi protocols, and through open source development andChainlink Community Incentive ProgramAccelerate the chain application. Multiple blockchain partners and applications have expressed a desire to use the Chainlink Predictor for cross-chain activities, so the priority is to provide a very secure, reliable and high-performance general-purpose cross-chain solution for the entire smart contract industry.

Definition of cross-chain technology stack

The Cross-chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) is part of the open source technology stack that will provide users with innovative on-chain services, including the Chainlink programmable token bridge, various other bridging solutions, and tools to develop cross-chain applications across all blockchain networks. Each layer of the technology stack is critical to the development of a multi-chain ecology.  

The Cross-chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) is part of the open source technology stack that enables cross-chain data and asset movement.

The user interface

At the top of the technology stack is the user interface, where users can access the Chainlink programmable token bridge or other bridging solutions and transfer tokens across different blockchain environments. It is worth mentioning that both new and old ecosystems can deploy their interfaces in a permissionless manner. This includes already launched wallets, aggregators, apps, transaction platforms, and a range of services that provide users with access to a multi-chain ecosystem. The interface layer is community-driven and allows CCIP solutions to be uniquely accessible, center-resistant, and innovative.  

Programmable token bridge

The Programmable token Bridge is a reference bridge solution based on the CCIP implementation, allowing developers to develop cross-chain solutions to transfer tokens seamlessly and securely between any blockchain. It's a unified bridging system, where token Bridges between individual blockchains are secured by unique node committees to achieve distributed security, and common interoperability is maintained using routing contracts. A programmable token bridge will support existing token standards, meaning that assets that are already circulating can be immediately used in different smart contract ecosystems. In addition to a good node operator and decentralized architecture, additional security safeguards, such as time-based traffic restrictions, will be put in place to maximize the downside risk of black swan events, and parameters can be managed by a larger DON.

Programmable token Bridges have computational capabilities where users and smart contracts can not only send tokens but also commands to the token bridge and run custom logic to determine how to interact with other blockchains. Instead of knowing how to use other blockchains, users simply send instructions to the token bridge about how to interact with other blockchains. The token bridge will automatically transfer tokens across the chain and deploy them in a smart contract on the target blockchain in an atomic transaction. As a result, users can stay on the original blockchain while enjoying the functionality of other blockchain smart contract ecosystems. Programmable token Bridges enable a whole new set of hybrid smart contract applications, including cross-chain revenue aggregators and mortgages. In particular, while programmable token Bridges are just one of the reference implementations developed by Chainlink Labs, any independent development team can easily develop third-party bridge applications and take full advantage of the security and functionality benefits of CCIP.

Cross-chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP)

CCIP is an open source standard that allows any smart contract on a blockchain to send and receive data packets in both directions. The protocol is generic in nature, allowing any type of data sent by a smart contract to be sent to other blockchains. Common cross-chain interoperability will provide a simple framework for developers to develop cross-chain applications without having to spend time researching complex underlying protocols.  

All applications developed based on CCIP, including programmable token Bridges, other cross-chain Bridges, and cross-chain Dapps, can take advantage of the anti-fraud network's security mechanisms to automatically detect and handle malicious behavior. We are also working on a defense in depth strategy that we hope to deploy in the future. Defenses in depth include trusted execution environments, hardware security modules for key management, and economic security for encryption based on staking.

Network infrastructure

Chainlink's cross-chain technology stack will be supported by decentralized networks made up of highly reputable independent node operators. The Chainlink node will run the OCR 2.0 client to build consensus for cross-chain transactions off the chain and ensure security and cost effectiveness. OCR 2.0 eliminates all single points of failure and allows the network to scale to hundreds of individual nodes without significantly increasing gas costs on the chain. Importantly, the report will contain the signatures of each node responding to the predictor, allowing each node to be held accountable, and the record will also provide the necessary input for the trust minimization technique.

Celsius uses cross-chain interoperability protocols to ensure cross-chain benefits

As the smart contract ecosystem increasingly moves toward a multi-chain ecosystem, there is an urgent need for the central Finance (CeFi) platform to adopt cross-chain technology to realize DeFi benefits for users on multiple blockchains. As CeFi and various other interfaces increasingly focus on DeFi protocols such as Aave, this pushes the whole multi-chain ecology forward.Celcius is the market-leading CeFi platform with more than $16 billion in digital assets and more than 800,000 users. The platform currently plans to use the Cross-chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) to generate revenue, allowing any blockchain network to access assets locked securely on the platform.

CCIP simplifies the technical process of token cross-chain transfer, provides greater security for user funds, and maximizes DeFi revenue opportunities for users. Thus, Celcius is well positioned for DeFi's continued growth into a multi-chain ecosystem in the future, while still providing a worry-free user experience.

Cross-chain applications seamlessly connect to all blockchains

CCIP was launched to quickly drive innovation on the blockchain by app developers. Developers will be able to build new cross-chain applications that use tokens on all blockchains simultaneously and take advantage of the unique advantages of each blockchain or application/asset.  

This will activate a series of new cross chain application scenarios, such as a cross chain agreement can use a block chain scalable computing power, the second block the pluralism, article 3 of the chain block storage capacity and article 4 of the chain block settlement security on the chain, eventually create a powerful hybrid intelligent contract application. The possibilities are endless and we are excited to implement the first application in the blockchain industry in the near future.

Whether you are a user, interface, application or existing cross-chain bridge, we want to hear your feedback on CCIP and help us improve our solution. Please send email toccip@smartcontract.comShare any feedback. We will continue to refine the CCIP based on community feedback and address the cross-chain needs of all blockchain ecosystems and application scenarios, ultimately driving a true wave of development and innovation for hybrid smart contracts, covering all ecosystems and reaching new levels of application scale and maturity.

If you'd like to develop cross-chain functionality with CCIP and learn more, please visithttps://chain.link/solutions/cross-chain, or contact an expert.

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