Solving Interoperability for the Superchain and beyond

As blockchain technology becomes more widely adopted, bolstering the overall user experience is needed to support and accelerate this growth. Ethereum should evolve to a point where users can focus on their tasks without worrying about which chain they are on. When using a web2 application, users don't think about which cloud provider they are using; they just use the app. This approach enables scalability to billions of people worldwide.

The Superchain needs to feel like one chain. The aim is to build a unified Superchain where users, assets, and developers move seamlessly across the network and beyond. By bringing native Interoperability to the OP Stack and leveraging the use of open source standard interfaces, UX in the Ethereum ecosystem can become more intuitive and secure.

Multi-chain hurdles

Currently, chains in the Superchain have to rely on L1 Ethereum to securely communicate with each other and move assets and data between them, which is expensive and slow. This leads to the fragmentation of assets, users, and developers, scattering growth opportunities across disparate chains. This siloed ecosystem hinders accessibility and innovation for all participants.

From the developer perspective, they experience the "cold start" problem of scaling and growing their chain, managing costly multi-chain infrastructure. They also struggle to create smooth app UX due to complex network switching functionalities. Poor UX and high costs create barriers that significantly hinder the overall app adoption rate.

If chains were cities, today, they would have unpaved roads between them – making it difficult for everyone to exchange goods and drive growth.

Unlocking the largest network effect

Just as highways facilitated the transportation of goods and led to rapid advancements for the cities, similarly, native Interoperability will allow each chain in the Superchain to tap into the unified resources and grow exponentially.

Interoperability will make assets and users fungible and portable, meaning they will be accessible from anywhere in the Superchain through apps that integrate the feature. Interoperability will unify assets and data in the Superchain, providing developers with a seamless way to solve for the existing fragmentation.

With Interoperability on mainnet next year, data and assets will move between chains without needing to go through L1. This is a stepping stone towards horizontally scaling Ethereum and unlocking a massive network effect. As developers get familiar with native Interoperability, this feature will likely open up new use cases that will further fuel the Superchain network effect.

Existing messaging and intent protocols can use native Interop to improve the economics, latency, and security for Superchain-related routes, such as sending data between OP Mainnet and Mode.

A universal standard for interoperability 

A multi-chain structure of the Superchain requires advanced technical capabilities to ensure a secure communication layer within the platform. This layer will comprise the message passing protocol, the Superchain token standard, interop fault proof, and a set of interoperable chains.

The message passing protocol allows creating and sending cross-chain messages. A total of two events are required to complete a cross chain message – an initiating transaction on the source chain and executing transaction on the destination chain.

The SuperchainERC20 is a universal token standard for the OP Stack – a minimal extension to the ERC20 standard that enables cross chain portability and fungibility across the Superchain. Without a standardized security model, bridged assets may not be fungible with each other. SuperchainERC20 builds on top of the message passing protocol as the most trust minimized bridging solution, and is the universal token standard for the OP Stack.

The interop fault proof is a shared proof system for chains in the Superchain. The security of the chains are tied together, a fundamental property to support fungible assets throughout the Superchain.

The interoperable chain set comprises chains with configured “dependencies” – other chains they read data from. As an example, OP Mainnet reads data from Mode and Base. Mode reads data from Base and OP Mainnet. Base reads data from OP Mainnet and Mode. Together, these three chains form an interoperable chain set.

Interop is being built in the public: you can dive deeper into tech details in the Specs and join our discussion.

Roadmap to an interoperable Superchain

The following outlines the path towards bringing native Interoperability to the OP Stack.

Milestone 1: Devnet launch

The devnet for the message passing protocol is preparing for its upcoming launch. Once it's live, you’ll be able to spin up the devnet with Interop enabled and see how it works. Updates will be shipped to the devnet iteratively, and feedback is welcome throughout the process.

Milestone 2: Testnet launch

Upon completion of the devnet phase, the initial interop chain set is expected to be defined. Following this, the testnet for the message passing protocol and token standard will be launched. Tools will also be provided to enable app developers to use Interop for moving assets and messages between interoperable chains. Existing intent and messaging protocols are encouraged to integrate native Interop to facilitate app dev experimentation.

Milestone 3: Native Interop on mainnet

The anticipated mainnet launch will enable developers and users to access Superchain assets and apps within the interoperable chain set in less than 2 seconds, within a single block. Intent and messaging protocols will update to use native Interop to provide a single interface to move assets on the Superchain and broader Ethereum.

Facilitating horizontal scalability

In the long run, the focus will be on enabling broad scalability by designing horizontally scalable modular smart contract systems and using zk-proofs to relax dependency set constraints in the future with continuous real-time proving. The goal is to replace blockspace scarcity with abundance, providing app devs with a myriad of opportunities to build and drive innovation.

Enhancing Ethereum UX: Protocol and app layer Interop synergy

The tech vision focuses on solving interoperability not only for the Superchain but also for broader Ethereum to ensure a consistent user experience across different ecosystems. This will be achieved by building a native protocol layer for Interoperability within the Superchain and leveraging the use of open-source standard interfaces like ERC-7683 to enable app layer Interop.

Solving interoperability this way enables token transfers across all ecosystems but with lower slippage, faster latency, and more security within the Superchain. We're not just connecting the Superchain – we're unlocking true interoperability within the entire Ethereum ecosystem. This approach creates a more connected, efficient, and user-friendly blockchain landscape where assets and information can flow freely between different networks.

Fueling the Superchain growth 

The implementation of native Interoperability across the Superchain will bring transformative benefits for all network participants. Chain operators will benefit from getting access to shared users, assets, and devs. Benefits also include shared upgrades, improvements, and products that boost security and cost-efficiency. Devs will have access to various tools to facilitate seamless and secure cross-chain interactions. Users will say goodbye to bridging and network switching, and focus on exploring hundreds of apps available in the Superchain.

Stay tuned for more updates on Interop and our ongoing progress!