Navigating Arbitrary Messaging Bridges: A Comparison Framework
Axelar vs. LayerZero vs. Nomad vs. Wormhole vs. Celer IM vs. anyCall vs. Hyperlane
Based on our experience talking with developers, interacting with users, and pitching our product at LI.FI, it seems the term “cross-chain bridge” has become synonymous with “token bridge” — meaning a liquidity network or trusted third party facilitating the transfer of token X from chain A to chain B.
However, token transfers are just scratching the surface of what can be communicated between blockchains. Cross-chain bridges can do much more than pass token X from chain A to chain B. For example, bridges can be used to facilitate cross-chain governance, token launches, contract calls, gaming experiences, etc.
There is a whole ecosystem of platforms that we at LI.FI call “arbitrary messaging bridges” (AMBs) working to expand the scope of cross-chain communication. As the name suggests, these bridges allow for any piece of data, including tokens, the state of a chain, a contract call, an NFT, or governance votes, to be moved from chain A to chain B.
In its current state, the AMB space is still in a “nascent” phase, with lots of different design choices being tested in live action (and, hence, lot’s of hacks). To provide clarity on how AMBs work and what design trade-offs were made, we’ve published “Navigating Arbitrary Messaging Bridges: A Comparison Framework” or as we like to call it, the AMB Bible, this week — a 10,000+ word guide that encompasses all the knowledge about AMBs — 1 resource that answers all the questions for teams looking to build natively cross-chain dApps on AMBs. Read it here!
We encourage you to reach out to our team with any thoughts, feelings, or opinions about this document. The AMB space is always changing and innovating, and LI.FI’s goal is to continuously provide the most accurate and up-to-date information through this document.
Interested in learning more about our thinking behind building such a comparison framework and writing an exhaustive guide for AMBs? Check out this thread by Philipp Zentner, the CEO and co-founder of LI.FI.
Why LI.FI?
At LI.FI, we’re building the ultimate cross-chain money lego, which offers a significant user and developer experience upgrade. We have built a product that combines the power of 20 DEXs, 10+ bridges (and counting), and 17+ smart contract blockchains into a single UX. Using our product stack, we can abstract away complicated decisions for the users and developers as we can help them choose the best bridge/DEX for the cheapest, quickest, and most secure swap route.
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