Unifying the blockchain babel with universal connector Unifying the blockchain babel with universal connector
Universal connectors emerge as translators, bridging the gap in blockchain interoperability and fostering secure cross-chain communications.
4 min read
Updated: Dec. 23, 2023 at 9:35 am UTC
Cover art/illustration via CryptoSlate. Image includes combined content which may include AI-generated content.
In the decentralized finance (DeFi) space, each blockchain or protocol can be compared to a unique stall in a bustling marketplace. However, there’s a twist: each trader (blockchain) communicates using their rules and language. While this diversity fosters a hotbed of innovation, it simultaneously presents a formidable challenge โ the absence of seamless and secure interoperability.ย
Universal connectors are the technical linguists of our time, fostering communication across different systems. They act as a middleware layer, translating the information from oneย language to another’s, much like Google Translate. Let’s consider this concept within the context of blockchain and decentralized finance.
Today, the blockchain and DeFi ecosystem reflects a vibrant marketplace where each stall is a unique blockchain or protocol. It’s a hotbed for innovation but with a catch. Each blockchain and protocol operates under its own rules, speaking unique languages that lead to a web of intricate interactions. The lack of seamless and secure blockchain interoperability means developers working with multiple blockchains and protocols face a labyrinthine process, obstructing the path to seamless interoperability.
Digital Tower of Babel
These fractured blockchains and DeFi protocols form a puzzle that developers must solve. Every puzzle piece represents a different blockchain with its unique rules, smart contracts, and communication protocols. This fractured environment makes building applications that can interact seamlessly with multiple blockchains challenging.
Now, consider the arrival of a Rosetta Stone for blockchain: universal connectors. They act as the bridge between disparate blockchains and DeFi protocols, interpreting the unique languages of each system, thus allowing developers to work with multiple systems effortlessly.
In the blockchain world, interoperability is the capacity of diverse blockchain networks to share information and conduct transactions. Here, universal connectors become invaluable interpreters in the tower of blockchain languages, allowing different systems to understand and communicate with each other.
Translating Blockchain
Sending information from one blockchain to another without a translator or connector would be like trying to mail a package without knowing the recipient’s language. The message, or the โpackage,โ wouldn’t be delivered correctly because it’s not written in the correct language for that particular system.
Universal connectors resolve this issue, acting as interpreters, translating the information from one blockchain’s language to another’s, facilitating communication and transactions across different blockchains. They can support both EVM and non-EVM compatible blockchains and a variety of DeFi protocols including swapping, lending, borrowing, yield aggregation, bridges and other banking capabilities.
Challenges and Opportunities
As DeFi continues to grow and more blockchains and protocols emerge, the need for efficient communication across these diverse systems becomes paramount. But blockchain interoperability has been plagued by challenges.
Many have tried and failed to solve the complex issue of blockchain interoperability, often falling victim to expensive hacks and security breaches. Traditional approaches like notary schemes, hashed time-lock contracts, and sidechains have been deployed with varying degrees of success. These methods have faced challenges ranging from security vulnerabilities to performance limitations.ย
For instance, notary schemes often require a trusted third party, creating a single point of failure. Hashed time-lock contracts, while innovative, are limited by the need for participants to be online simultaneously for transactions to occur. Sidechains and relay chains have come closer to achieving seamless interoperability but are often constrained by complex setups and high operational costs. Importantly, some of these traditional approaches can also introduce single points of failure and attack vectors, exacerbating the security risks.
The real-world implications of blockchain interoperability โ or the lack thereof โ are far from theoretical. Take, for example, the Poly Network exploit in August 2021, which saw US$600 million compromised across Ethereum, BSC and Polygon Chains. Or consider the Wormhole token bridge incident in February 2022, resulting in the loss of 120,000 Wrapped Ether (wETH) tokens valued at US$326 million. Most recently, the Ronin Network’s bridge to Sky Mavis, the makers of the popular game Axie Infinity, was exploited for a staggering US$625 million in Ethereum and USDC.
These incidents underscore the urgent need for more secure and efficient solutions. Unlike traditional blockchain bridges, which have shown vulnerabilities, universal connectors are engineered to offer a more advanced and secure solution. They act as intermediaries that can translate and verify transactions, thereby reducing the risk of security breaches. Trustless blockchain bridges are also in development to eliminate the need for a “man-in-the-middle,” enhancing security even further.
Universal connectors not only promise to mitigate the risks associated with previous technologies but also aim to solve the “interoperability trilemma,” offering a solution that is trustless, extensible, and data agnostic. In doing so, they lay the groundwork for a future where the interoperability problem becomes a relic of the past, opening up new avenues for innovation and collaboration across diverse blockchain networks.
Charting New Paths
Blockchain connectors have come a long way since their inception. While they may have started as rudimentary “bridges,” today’s connectors offer a far more advanced and secure solution for blockchain interoperability. At the same time, it’s important to acknowledge that no technology is without its challenges. For instance, like any other technology aiming for widespread adoption, universal connectors must navigate issues like security protocols and integration complexities.ย
The advent of the internet was a tale of isolated islands, each computer system using its own coded language. The arrival of TCP/IP, an assortment of communication protocols, acted as the digital interpreter, creating a universal language that allowed these systems to converse. It reshaped the digital landscape, laying the groundwork for the modern internet. In a similar vein, universal blockchain connectors could serve as the TCP/IP of the crypto world, unifying disparate systems and enabling seamless communication.
Blockchain connectors have the potential to be a catalyst for change, opening up new possibilities in the Web3 space where blockchain bridges in the past have failed. Imagine an ecosystem where diverse systems interact seamlessly, where the interoperability problem is a thing of the past, addressing the inefficiencies that have long been a hurdle in the blockchain landscape โ without the gaping security gaps.
Looking ahead, widespread adoption of universal connectors could also open the floodgates to new developments. For developers, this means the capacity to build versatile applications that can interact with a multitude of blockchains and protocols. For traders, this implies seamless transactions across different systems.
Universal connectors could lead to a more interconnected and collaborative blockchain and DeFi ecosystem, fostering further innovation in the space. They provide a solution to the fragmentation in the blockchain landscape, promising a future where diverse systems can coexist and collaborate.
Guest Contributor 
Demetrios Skalkotos
Demetrios Skalkotos is the CEO and cofounder of Expand.network, a connector API service that offers one common gateway for the various queries (read) and transactions (write) functions for major blockchains and smart contract based protocols.
