From LayerZero to ZK Layer1, how does Union usher in the era of cross-chain interoperability 2.0?

Recently, I have been following a cross-chain interoperability project called Union, which is a Layer-1 project centered around ZK interoperability, aiming to disrupt the current cross-chain market landscape dominated by LayerZero. The question arises, what distinguishes it from other cross-chain interoperability projects, and what are its highlights? Will it bring new opportunities to the ZK infra track? Let me share some of my observations:

1. It is undeniable that the market demand for cross-chain interoperability is rapidly growing, but existing solutions have their shortcomings. LayerZero mainly covers the EVM ecosystem and once led the wave of cross-chain adoption based on a light node verification path. Wormhole relies on a multi-signature security committee to ensure cross-chain security, while Axelar relies on a validator network to handle cross-chain messages.

In contrast, Union does not rely on oracles, multi-signatures, or MPC, but directly chooses to use ZK technology to verify cross-chain consensus, providing efficient and scalable interoperability capabilities without sacrificing security.

This hierarchical interoperation protocol path built on ZK technology provides a clearer structure, allowing Union to deeply connect different ecosystems, not limited to EVM-compatible chains, and supports various development environments including Solidity, Move, Cosmos, Solang, and BitVM. This clearly has a much broader coverage than LayerZero, which focuses solely on the EVM ecosystem.

2. When many people mention ZK technology, the first thing that comes to mind is Layer 2 scaling and privacy protection (state proofs submitted from layer 2 to layer 1). This clearly does not leverage the full potential of ZK technology, but Union's innovation lies in applying ZK technology to the cross-chain interoperability field, expanding the application boundaries of ZK technology.

With the support of ZK technology, it can directly verify the consensus state between different chains without relying on trusted third parties, making it safer and more efficient than traditional cross-chain bridges. Through ZK proofs, Union can achieve cross-chain interactions in sub-second levels, providing an almost instant transaction confirmation experience, which is a disruptive upgrade in user experience in cross-chain scenarios.

It is worth mentioning that the testnet data shows that Union has processed over 58 million cross-chain transactions, has 250,000 Dashboard users, and recently launched App v2 while opening a new testnet.

3. Union has also made significant strides in the BTCFi space. According to public information, Union has secured nine-digit TVL commitments from top LST protocols such as Bedrock, Lombard, and Solv. These LSTs will be bridged from Ethereum to Babylon through Union, making it an important asset bridge in the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Union has also launched the BTCFi Flywheel program, collaborating with Escher (LST), Tower (DEX), and SatLayer (Restaking) to create a yield ecosystem, aiming to make BTC truly "yielding". This strategic positioning not only responds to current market trends but also establishes a unique competitive advantage for Union within the Bitcoin ecosystem.

In fact, the Bitcoin chain, which inherently lacks programmability, can connect through ZK and other chains, directly demonstrating the cross-chain application capabilities of ZK technology. Previously, multiple projects have also attempted to use the zkVM paradigm as an expansion solution for the Bitcoin ecosystem.

4. It should be noted that it has also received recognition from several top institutions in terms of financing, having completed a financing round of 16 million USD, with investors including gumi Cryptos Capital, LongHash Ventures, Foresight Ventures, Borderless Capital, and others.

From the perspective of ecological expansion, Union is also moving quite quickly. Data shows that it has established over 40 strategic partnerships and attracted more than 50 cooperative projects, with partners including a host of leading projects such as Berachain, Polygon, Celestia, Babylon, Scroll, Sui, and Avalanche. This is quite an impressive achievement in the current market environment.

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If LayerZero represents the era of cross-chain interoperability 1.0, then Union is expected to become a pioneer of cross-chain interoperability 2.0 based on ZK technology. It is attempting to create a "highway on the chain" that connects various homogeneous/heterogeneous main chains, L2, Rollups, and Appchains, aiming to become the infrastructure channel for inter-chain interoperability.

However, it should also be noted that it is not easy to truly shake projects like LayerZero that already have a certain market share and ecological depth. Although Union's technological path is advanced, the complexity and maturity of ZK technology itself is also a test. Ultimately, whether it can succeed will depend on its actual performance after the mainnet launch and the speed of sustainable ecological development.