Moving assets across different blockchain networks has traditionally been slow and inefficient. Wormhole Settlement addresses this need by providing fast, institutional-scale digital asset transfers across multiple blockchain networks through an intents-based approach that simplifies cross-chain operations.
What are Intents?
Intents represent a user’s desired outcome without specifying how to achieve it. In cross-chain transfers, instead of managing complex steps across different networks, users simply specify what they want (“I have Token A on Ethereum. I want Token B on Solana.”) and specialized entities called solvers handle the execution details. This makes transactions simpler and more efficient compared to traditional bridging methods where users need to manage multiple steps themselves.
What is Wormhole Settlement?
Wormhole Settlement takes the power of intents and applies it to institutional-scale asset transfers. Through three distinct protocols, Settlement enables both individual users and large institutions to move assets across chains quickly and efficiently. Built in collaboration with Mayan and leveraging Wormhole Messaging and Circle’s CCTP, Settlement currently supports Ethereum, Optimism, Arbitrum, Base, Avalanche, Unichain, Polygon, Solana and Sui, with many new chains in the pipeline.
Key Components of Settlement
- Liquidity Layer: A hub-and-spoke architecture completing transfers in under 2 minutes, ideal for moving large amounts of assets across chains. This approach is far more capital efficient and uses interoperable token standards for high-volume transfers without requiring complex rebalancing.
- Mayan SWIFT: Delivers high-speed transfers in under 10 seconds through a competitive auction system on Solana that ensures fair pricing. This speed-optimized architecture is best suited for users who value speed above all else, like traders capturing time-sensitive opportunities across chains or retail users transferring only a small amount of assets .
- MCTP: Provides reliable any-to-any token swaps through Circle’s CCTP infrastructure. This redundancy layer ensures uninterrupted cross-chain transfers even during high network congestion, completing within the time to finality of the source chain.
Who Uses Wormhole Settlement?
Settlement serves diverse needs across the blockchain ecosystem. Individual users rely on it for seamless cross-chain transfers, while DeFi protocols integrate it to enable chain-abstracted deposits for their users. Market makers utilize Settlement to efficiently manage their inventory across different networks, and institutions depend on it for moving large-scale assets with minimal friction. This versatility makes Settlement a crucial tool for anyone needing to move assets across chains, regardless of scale or complexity.
Why Does Wormhole Settlement Matter?
Settlement enhances cross-chain transfers by addressing fundamental challenges in the space. Its architecture provides three clear advantages over traditional intent-based mechanisms:
- Redundancy: The varied architectures of the three protocols provide backup options if one experiences high volume or temporary issues.
- Composability: Apps can bundle call data containing arbitrary protocol actions to be executed atomically alongside each transfer (e.g., swap + stake).
- Competitive Speed and Cost: By leveraging Solana as the central orchestration layer for the auctions and liquidity distribution, Settlement provides the best possible execution while supporting institutional-scale volume with minimal fees.
By integrating Liquidity Layer, Mayan Swift, and MCTP, Settlement creates a comprehensive solution that frees users and institutions from relying on traditional methods like centralized exchanges, OTC services, and slow bridging processes.
How To Get Involved with Wormhole
The Wormhole ecosystem is a vibrant, fast-growing community of builders and users that are shaping the future of crypto together, and you can be a part of it.
If this sounds intriguing, join the Wormhole Discord and engage with the community. It’s the easiest way to get started.
If you want to learn more about interoperability and Wormhole’s technology, check out our Documentation here.
About Wormhole
Wormhole is the leading interoperability platform that powers multichain applications and bridges at scale. Wormhole provides developers access to liquidity and users on over 30 of the leading blockchain networks, enabling use cases that span DeFi, NFTs, governance, and more.
The wider Wormhole network is trusted and used by teams like Circle and Uniswap Labs. To date, the platform has facilitated the transfer of over 40 billion dollars through over 1 billion cross-chain messages. To learn more about Wormhole, follow on Twitter, join the Discord, or read more on the blog.