Celestia Prepares Major March Upgrade to Simplify Cross-Chain Transactions

• Celestia’s Hibiscus (V7) is scheduled for mid-March, finally solving the tradeoff between sovereignty and interoperability.
• The upgrade enables single-signature cross-chain token transfers and cross-chain message verification, and increases validator commission from 25% to 60%.

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Celestia has announced that the Hibiscus V7 upgrade is scheduled for mid-next month, introducing new features that make cross-chain token transfers and message verification easier and more secure. Hibiscus will finally solve the network’s tradeoff between interoperability and sovereignty, the network said in its announcement.

The V7 upgrade introduces two near-vital features targeting cross-chain transfers and messaging: CIP-45 and CIP-46. The first is a forwarding module that enables single-signature cross-chain token transfers via Hyperlane. Currently, users need to sign multiple transactions when moving tokens through Celestia to other chains. Once a user sends the tokens to a forwarding address, permissionless relayers will then execute the transfer independently.

CIP-45 enables transfers sent via Hyperlane to enjoy the same multi-chain convenience as those using Packet Forward Middleware (PFM), an add-on module for the Cosmos ecosystem. Deployed on the Inter-Blockchain Communication protocol, PFM allows users to send tokens once, but they can hop between two or more chains.

With CIP-45, users on one blockchain sending tokens via Hyperlane, a cross-chain messaging protocol, don’t have to sign for them again if they pass through Celestia.

Image courtesy of Celestia on X.

Celestia Introduces ZK Interchain Security Module

While CIP-45 makes routing via Celestia faster and smoother, CIP-46 caters to the security of these messages routed through the network via Hyperlane.

The upgrade introduces a zero-knowledge-based security module called ZK Interchain Security Module (ZK ISM), which plugs directly into Hyperlane. Currently, these messages rely on a set of validators in a multisig set, or a trusted relayer group, to verify that a message from the originator chain reached Celestia and that it was forwarded to the destination chain.

With CIP-46, the network introduces zero-knowledge proofs, using Groth16 verification to generate and verify these proofs. However, the new module won’t be forced on the users. Those who choose to remain on the faster and cheaper multisig ISM can choose to, but those who opt for stronger cryptographic guarantees now have an alternative.

Image courtesy of Celestia on X.

Besides the cross-chain upgrades, Hibiscus also comes with CIP-44, which increases the maximum validator commission from 25% to 60%. It also increases the minimum commission they can receive from 10% to 20% to support more sustainable businesses for validators.

The Hibiscus V7 upgrade will start with arabica, which has gone live, with the mocha upgrade expected any time now, while the mainnet is scheduled for mid-March.

The network added:

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