Seeing that Solayer is about to launch its own SVM native cross-chain bridge. To be honest, in the context where cross-chain bridges have been continuously hacked and the interoperability of all chains is at stake, talking about 'cross-chain bridges' always gives one a tight feeling. So what different ideas does Solayer have this time? Here’s my understanding:
1) Unlike traditional cross-chain bridges that rely on multi-signatures or relay nodes, Solayer adopts a proof-based mechanism native to SVM. In simple terms, it generates cryptographic proofs for asset transfers directly at the Solana virtual machine level, rather than relying on the 'honest assumption' of external validators. Specifically, it employs a no-database architecture + pure PDA (Program Derived Address) logic. Traditional cross-chain bridges typically need to maintain a centralized database to record cross-chain states, which becomes a prime target for hackers. The PDA is a unique deterministic address generation mechanism in Solana, where all states exist directly on-chain, derived through program logic. For example, it's like changing the way you record the vault's password from paper to a mathematical formula— even if a hacker obtains some information, they cannot cause harm without the complete on-chain state.
2) Solayer introduces a Guardians mechanism that operates in a stateless manner—the guardians make no assumptions about historical states. More importantly, it sets an instance bridge cap limit, which can control the scope of losses even in the event of a security issue. In this regard, the Fuzzland team performed formal verification of the entire system, essentially proving the correctness of code logic through mathematical methods, rather than solely relying on testing. Coupled with on-chain replay protection, 24/7 anomaly monitoring, and real-time alerts, at least theoretically, it constructs multiple layers of protection.
3) Solayer supports Cross-Chain Calls and composable Hooks functionality. Through Hooks, developers can automatically trigger on-chain operations like arbitrage and liquidation after transactions. If this composability is combined with cross-chain functionality, it will indeed open up many new gameplay opportunities. That said, there are challenges; the design of not requiring a whitelist does lower the barrier, theoretically allowing any token to be bridged, which undoubtedly brings security challenges and regulatory risks. Meanwhile, established cross-chain bridges like Wormhole have been deeply rooted in the Solana ecosystem for a long time, making it difficult for Solayer to capture market share. While technical innovation has been achieved, in the end, this cross-chain bridge sector will still need to be validated for security with real money.