Solayer's innovative SVM native cross-chain bridges: breakthroughs in security and composability

Solayer is about to launch its self-developed SVM native cross-chain bridges. In the current environment where cross-chain bridges are frequently attacked and multi-chain interoperability is a concern, it is natural to feel some apprehension about "cross-chain bridges." So, what makes Solayer's solution unique this time? Here are the interpretations of its innovations:

First of all, Solayer adopts a proof-based mechanism native to SVM, which differs from traditional cross-chain bridges that rely on multi-signatures or relay nodes. This method generates cryptographic proofs of asset transfers directly at the Solana virtual machine level, eliminating the reliance on the "honesty" of external validators. Specifically, it employs a no-database architecture and pure PDA (Program Derived Address) logic. Unlike traditional cross-chain bridges that need to maintain centralized databases to record cross-chain states, PDA is a Solana-specific deterministic address generation mechanism, where all states are stored directly on-chain and derived through program logic. This is akin to transforming the password of a safe from a paper record into a mathematical formula; even if a hacker obtains partial information, without the complete on-chain state, an attack cannot be executed.

Secondly, Solayer introduces the Guardians mechanism, adopting a stateless operation method, where guardians make no assumptions about historical states. More importantly, it sets a bridge instance limit, which can control losses within a certain range even in the event of security issues. In response, a certain team conducted formal verification of the entire system, which is equivalent to proving the correctness of code logic using mathematical methods, instead of merely relying on testing. Combined with on-chain replay protection, 24/7 anomaly monitoring, and real-time alerts, it has at least theoretically constructed a multi-layered protection system.

Thirdly, Solayer supports cross-chain calls and composable Hooks functionality. Through Hooks, developers can automatically trigger on-chain operations such as arbitrage and liquidation after transactions. If this composability feature is combined with cross-chain capabilities, it will open up many new application scenarios.

Of course, Solayer's solution also faces some challenges. The design that does not require a whitelist lowers the usage threshold, theoretically allowing any token to bridge, but this undoubtedly brings security challenges and regulatory risks. At the same time, some established cross-chain bridges have been deeply rooted in the Solana ecosystem for many years, making it not easy for Solayer to secure a place in the market. Although there have been breakthroughs in technological innovation, the field of cross-chain bridges ultimately needs practical operations to verify its security and reliability.