@Hemi In a world of siloed blockchains, sending assets between Bitcoin and Ethereum has always been tricky. Bridges often require wrapped tokens or trusted intermediaries, creating security and cost challenges. Hemi’s answer? The Tunnels protocol.
Tunnels are a trust-minimized, cryptographically secure way to move assets using native tokens directly instead of wrapped versions. Thanks to a phased roll-out, Ethereum and Bitcoin Tunnels enable fast, decentralized asset transfers with increasing security layers—from optimistic models with dispute windows to zero-knowledge proof (ZK) settlement systems.
Bitcoin Tunnels currently use over-collateralized multi-signature (multisig) setups, with plans to upgrade to decentralized trust systems called BitVM2+hVM. This means moving Bitcoin to and from Hemi remains safe and trust-minimized.
Costs are slashed too. Unlike traditional bridges demanding gas fees on multiple networks, with Tunnels, users only pay basic Bitcoin mining fees. Batch processing further reduces costs, making asset transfers far more economical.
The technical innovation shines in Hemi’s native protocol-level state awareness of connected chains, enabling advanced custody and settlement mechanisms. By bypassing custodial intermediaries, Tunnels dramatically cut systemic risk compared to wrapped token bridges prone to hacks or freezing.
Tunnels also enable a “native interaction” model where smart contracts directly read Bitcoin UTXOs. This opens new DeFi use cases that link Bitcoin’s financial properties with Ethereum’s programmability safely without synthetic assets.
With major DeFi protocol deployments leveraging Tunnels, like LayerBank and ZeroLend, Hemi is establishing itself as the trusted hub for cross-chain bitcoin liquidity.
