Interacting between different blockchains today faces many challenges. Bridges – the common solution to transfer assets or data between chains – are often slow, expensive, and sometimes insecure, leading to poor user experience (UX). Users face disruptions, while developers struggle with the complexity of multi-chain communication.
So how do we solve this problem? Altius is the answer.
Altius is a groundbreaking technology aimed at unifying the execution layer
Altius is a groundbreaking technology aimed at unifying the execution layer across multiple blockchains, providing a smooth experience and superior scalability. Instead of each blockchain operating with separate execution environments, Altius creates a common execution layer capable of seamlessly processing transactions and smart contracts from various chains.
This helps eliminate reliance on traditional bridges, improving multi-chain UX and unlocking new potential for the Web3 ecosystem, including Ethereum, Layer 2 (L2), and appchains.
The current issue of multi-chain UX
Before diving into how Altius works, let’s recognize the problem. In the current blockchain ecosystem:
Bridges cause delays: Transferring tokens or data from one chain to another often takes time, sometimes minutes or longer.
High costs: Bridge transaction fees can accumulate, especially in volatile markets.
Security risks: Many attacks have targeted bridges, causing users to lose assets.
Fragmented UX: Users must switch between different interfaces, wallets, and tools to interact with chains, leading to a non-seamless experience.
These issues reduce the efficiency of multi-chain applications (multichain dApps) and hinder the growth of Web3.
How does Altius solve this problem?
Altius is not just a patch but a comprehensive solution, leveraging advanced techniques to improve multi-chain UX.
Here’s how Altius works:
1. Parallel Execution
In traditional blockchains, transactions are processed sequentially, leading to congestion as transaction volume increases, especially in a multi-chain context. Altius changes this by processing transactions in parallel, similar to how a GPU handles multiple computation threads simultaneously. If transactions from different chains do not conflict in state, Altius can execute them concurrently, reducing latency and increasing throughput. This is especially useful when handling multi-chain activities like token swaps or smart contract interactions.
2. VM-Agnostic Compatibility
Each blockchain typically uses its own virtual machine (VM), e.g., EVM for Ethereum, MoveVM for Aptos, or WASM for other chains. This creates barriers when smart contracts from different chains need to interact. Altius overcomes this limitation by providing an execution environment compatible with multiple VMs. A smart contract from chain A (based on EVM) can directly call a function from a contract on chain B (based on MoveVM) within Altius' execution layer, without needing bridges or intermediaries.
3. Unified Execution Layer
Instead of letting each chain manage execution independently, Altius creates a common execution layer that acts as a processing hub for multi-chain transactions and logic. This allows chains to interact directly without complex intermediary steps. The result? Reduced latency, lower costs, and enhanced security, as there is no longer reliance on vulnerable bridges.
Benefits for users and developers
For users
Imagine you want to swap tokens from Ethereum to an appchain like Arbitrum. Normally, you would have to:
Transfer tokens via bridges.
Wait for confirmations from both chains.
Pay fees for both transactions.
With Altius, this process is simplified: transactions are processed directly within the unified execution layer, as fast as a single-chain transaction. Speed increases, costs decrease, and you no longer have to worry about bridge failures.
For developers
Altius opens a new playing field for multi-chain dApps. Developers can:
Write smart contracts that interact directly with multiple chains without complex bridge logic.
Leverage composability between chains to create more innovative applications.
Quickly deploy dApps thanks to Altius's plug-and-play nature, without needing to rebuild execution infrastructure from scratch.
Real-world example
Consider a decentralized exchange (DEX) operating across multiple chains. In the traditional model, to trade tokens from Polygon to Optimism, you would have to go through a bridge, wait, and pay fees. With Altius, DEX can leverage the unified execution layer to:
Process transactions from both chains in parallel.
Allow users to transact directly through a single interface.
Ensure speed and efficiency like transactions within the same chain.
Why is Altius important?
Ethereum: Altius accelerates the execution layer, adding scalability without altering the core EVM.
Layer 2: Solutions like rollups benefit from parallel execution, enhancing performance far beyond sequential processing.
Appchains: Specific application chains can integrate Altius to easily interact with the broader ecosystem, instead of being isolated.
Conclusion
Altius is not just a technical solution but a significant step towards a seamless Web3 future. By unifying the execution layer through parallel execution, VM compatibility, and a common environment, Altius eliminates the barriers of bridges and fragmented UX.
For Ethereum, Layer 2, and appchains, it delivers superior performance and scalability, empowering users and developers to fully leverage the potential of the multi-chain ecosystem. A faster, smoother blockchain world awaits – and Altius is the key.