StarkWare Partners Informal Systems to Integrate IBC protocol

As a seasoned crypto investor with a deep interest in the latest developments within the blockchain industry, I am thrilled to see StarkWare’s recent announcement regarding its plans to integrate Ethereum’s Layer 2 solution Starknet with the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol from the Cosmos ecosystem. This collaboration holds significant potential for enhancing both projects’ functionality and paving the way for improved blockchain interoperability.


StarkWare, the leading force behind Ethereum‘s Layer 2 solution Starknet, is taking steps to facilitate blockchain interoperability. This move comes after the company revealed plans to incorporate the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol from the Cosmos network. As reported by The Block, StarkWare intends to work in tandem with Informal Systems, a contributing member of the Cosmos community, to achieve this integration.

StarkWare to Connect with Cosmos Ecosystem and Beyond with IBC Integration

Significantly, this partnership marks a significant advancement for StarkWare as it aims to connect Starknet with other blockchain platforms, thus expanding its capabilities.

As an analyst, I would describe it as follows: I currently observe Starknet and Cosmos functioning on separate technological foundations. Starknet represents a permissionless decentralized ZK-Rollup that builds upon Ethereum’s infrastructure. In order to deliver impressive throughput with minimal transaction fees while maintaining robust security standards for its mainnet, Starknet incorporates STARK proofs as a key component of its technology.

In contrast, Cosmos consists of a connected system of blockchains, established based on the Cosmos Software Development Kit (SDK). Communication among these chains is facilitated by Cosmos’ native Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol, while the Tendermint agreement method ensures consensus.

Through the planned integration, Starknet gains the ability to communicate with any blockchain that utilizes Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC). This encompasses not just the chains belonging to the Cosmos network but also those that have implemented the same technology.

The IBC protocol sets itself apart with an impressive attribute: light client verification. In contrast to conventional methods that necessitate a complete check of a counterpart’s blockchain status, light clients authenticate through cryptographic proofs. This method promotes effective communication between chains by eliminating the need for extensive data validation, thereby enhancing interoperability at a faster rate.

Details of the New Partnership

StarkWare’s partnership with Informal Systems aims for two significant goals as expressed in an announcement from the company.

As a Starknet analyst, I can explain that this collaboration intends to accomplish two major objectives for me: augmenting the decentralization and ensuring seamless communication with other networks.

StarkWare proposes examining Tendermint’s consensus mechanism concurrently with the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol to derive optimal advantages.

Significantly, StarkWare’s collaboration with the IBC (Inter-Blockchain Communication) protocol underscores its commitment to pushing the boundaries of blockchain technology. In the past year alone, this innovative company has thrown itself into numerous research and development endeavors. A few examples are the creation of ZKThreads, a framework for fractal scaling, investigating parallel transaction processing, and implementing STARKs in Bitcoin, among other projects.

StarkWare’s commitment to advancing blockchain scalability and efficiency is reflected in these initiatives.

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2024-07-26 12:36