Developers from Layer 1 blockchain Near Protocol and Wormhole Bridge are collaborating to create light client solutions for supporting cross-chain transfers using Zero-Knowledge (ZK) proofs.
Near Protocol’s core team will integrate with Wormhole bridge for all of its cross-chain transfers of assets, replacing Near’s use of its main cross-chain bridge called Rainbow, according to an announcement from Near Foundation. This means Wormhole bridge will become the main bridge for all of Near’s cross-chain transfers of assets with the Ethereum mainnet.
Use of Zero-Knowledge Proofs in the integration
Near’s integration with Wormhole will make use of ZK Proofs for additional security of cross-chain transfers between Near and Ethereum. ZK Proofs allow transactions to be validated without revealing any extra transaction details. This provides a way to confirm and verify the state of transfers between Ethereum and Near blockchains securely. However, this process can be computationally heavy, necessitating the use of light client solutions, Near Foundation explained.
A light client is a version of a full node in a blockchain network that only downloads a fraction of the entire blockchain, while still being able to verify transactions.
Developers from both teams plan to build light client solutions that will delegate most of the computational load required for employing ZK Proofs to an off-chain layer. This strategy, the Near foundation said, will optimize storage and computational resources.
“The integration with Wormhole is aimed at bolstering our multi-chain interoperability by harnessing the power of cutting-edge Zero-Knowledge (ZK) light clients,” the foundation wrote. “By offloading most of the computational load to an off-chain entity, these clients optimize storage and compute resources, paving the way for a streamlined and efficient bridging process.”
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Source: https://www.theblock.co/post/231139/near-protocol-to-use-wormhole-bridge-for-cross-chain-transfers?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss