In a significant milestone, a new consensus protocol, BEEFY, has been activated on Polkadot’s canary network Kusama. This will allow for the blockchain to be verified seamlessly on Ethereum and other networks that are compatible with the EVM.
For Kusama, the BEEFY protocol is revolutionary because it makes it possible to easily verify the cryptographic state of the network and all of its parachains on some of the most popular blockchains worldwide.
Its activation represents a significant advancement in achieving Polkadot’s long-standing goal of improving connectivity and engagement by bridging the gap between Kusama and the larger blockchain ecosystem.
The inclusion of two novel bridges in the BEEFY upgrade is a major feature: Hyperbridge, which offers safe interoperability with Ethereum’s dispersed Layer-2 (L2) networks and currently developing new chains, and Snowbridge, a common good bridge that directly connects Kusama to Ethereum to improve the flow of information and transactions. For users, the bridges are seen to be essential to creating a more connected and effective blockchain ecosystem.
Seun Lanlege, Founder of blockchain research and development lab Polytope Labs stated:
“The BEEFY upgrade massively bolsters the value of interacting with Kusama and the Polkadot ecosystem. More than ever, web3 users covet interoperable solutions and the ability to move from one ecosystem to another without encountering friction. I expect this upgrade to meet their expectations.”
In the past, Kusama’s Polkadot ecosystem has only connected to its own network of disparate parachains, functioning mostly independently from the larger blockchain world. A notion presented in the 2016 Polkadot whitepaper, which positioned it as a highly interoperable, multi-chain architecture able to safely communicate with other blockchains as well as its own parachains, has been realized with the BEEFY upgrade.
The seamless integration of BEEFY with Kusama allows cryptocurrency users to trade and transact with Polkadot parachains, which has important ramifications for the larger crypto community. This is a significant step toward a more connected blockchain world and a significant improvement for Polkadot’s technology.
There have been links established between the Polkadot ecosystem and the larger blockchain community prior to the launch of Kusama’s new consensus mechanism. Polkadot is already connected to a number of networks, including as Ethereum, Avalanche, Cardano, and Binance Smart Chain, via a number of trustless bridges that make it easier to move data, smart contract instructions, and digital assets across these networks.
Interlay is another trustless bridge that is backed by Web3 Foundation Grants. It uses the XCLAIM protocol and PolkaBTC, which is 1:1 backed by Bitcoin, to connect Polkadot to the Bitcoin blockchain.
