In the last few years, the emergence of optimistic rollups, zk-rollups, and side chains has increased fragmentation of protocol’s total value locked (TVL) and inherent liquidity. This problem highlights the need for increased interoperability between layer-2 ecosystems.
While sovereign rollups are critical for innovation and scalability, their viability hinges on bridges that uphold the same ethos of decentralization and sovereignty. Recognizing this, Movement Labs and Noble have decided to join forces with Union as their interoperability partner.
Union, the sovereign interoperability protocol, will provide M2 access to liquidity and connectivity to any IBC enabled chain, including Noble and Ethereum. With this integration, applications built on Movement will be able to securely transfer assets and messages to, from, and between other connected chains. This collaboration will enable Move VM rollups to communicate and exchange assets, such as Native USDC, directly with each other without relying on centralized or vulnerable bridge partners.
Union’s trust-minimized zk bridge provides several benefits to Movement and Noble:
Trustless connectivity: Movement and Noble will seamlessly connect with other high value projects built on the IBC stack.
Speed: Union’s zk proving stack is currently the fastest in the ecosystem, allowing for trustless bridging transfers at the same speed as centralized providers.
Security: Union only relies on the security of the underlying chains, not on any intermediaries or off-chain actors such as multisigs or oracles. Oracle faults and multisig hacks are the main causes of loss-of-funds in the web3 space.
Cost-efficiency: ZK-IBC moves computation off-chain, ensuring that only absolute essential computation is performed on-chain. This results in cheaper gas costs and lower fees for end users compared to legacy protocols.
The Role of Movement
Movement is building the first MoveVM zero-knowledge rollup on Ethereum, harnessing the functional advantages of Ethereum’s settlement layer while utilizing Celestia’s modular data availability (DA) infrastructure. To ensure a seamless flow of liquidity across Movement rollups, the broader Cosmos ecosystem, and Celestia’s sovereign rollups, Movement will utilize Union’s zero-knowledge IBC bridge for general message passing and asset transfers. This connection will not only allow Move VM rollups to inherit IBC interoperability but also provide them with trustless access to Ethereum liquidity. “Interoperability is a core aspect of Movement’s mission. By partnering with Union and Noble, Movement is bringing the first IBC connection to the Move ecosystem. For the first time, Move apps can leverage Interchain assets natively within their interface including USDC powered by Noble which will jumpstart Move protocol adoption.” said Rushi Manche, Founder and CEO of Movement Labs.
The Role of Noble
Noble has addressed Cosmos’ liquidity challenges by introducing stablecoins like USDC to Cosmos appchains. This was previously achievable only through wrapped assets and trusted bridge architectures. By partnering with Union, Noble aims to further deepen stablecoin liquidity within the M2 ecosystem without compromising on security. Noble will leverage its packet-forwarding technology to enable asset transfers between IBC-connected chains in “1 click”. Together with Union, Noble will ensure a trustless “1 hop” route for USDC among different IBC paths.
“Noble is a purpose-built appchain for the IBC ecosystem. By partnering with Union, we can extend the security and functionality of the IBC protocol beyond Cosmos and BRING seamless interoperability to the Move ecosystem. We are incredibly excited to continue showcasing the incredible performance of IBC and the role Noble plays in fostering liquidity to newcomers,” said Jelena Djuric, CEO and co-founder of Noble.
The Role of Union
Union’s partnership with Movement Labs and Noble signifies Union as the sovereign interoperability layer of a modular stack. Union’s lightclient based zk-IBC bridge will be used to transport Native USDC and other assets directly from origin chain to sovereign rollups while avoiding the revolving door of Osmosis. Union will track consensus, settlement and DA to enable IBC based interoperability which will significantly improve efficiency and security and bring peace of mind to both partners. This partnership will set the foundation for future trustless interoperability in the modular stack.
“Movement’s commitment to trustless bridging marks the expansion of IBC into the L2 space. Union’s collaboration with Noble and Movement will bring more liquidity to the IBC ecosystem and we are excited to spearhead this vital initiative for Sovereign Interoperability. This partnership marks a significant step forward in our commitment to fostering robust and efficient financial networks.” said Karel Kubat, Founder and CEO of Union Labs.
For Celestia, this partnership marks a significant advancement in integrating a sovereign interoperability layer into the modular stack. This collaboration not only symbolizes the growth and expansion of the Celestia ecosystem but also heralds the emergence of a new generation of unicorns embracing its modular framework.