Wormhole Adds User Interface Support for Terra’s Network

The move allows users to port digital assets between multiple blockchains without “double wrapping” Terra tokens.

AccessTimeIconOct 20, 2021 at 12:45 a.m. UTC
Updated May 11, 2023 at 6:12 p.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

Wormhole, a communication bridge between Solana and other top decentralized finance (DeFi) networks, has added user interface support for the Terra network.

The move allows users to port digital assets between the Binance Smart Chain, Ethereum, Solana and Terra networks with a single unified interface without the need to “double wrap” Terra tokens.

Like stablecoins whose values are pegged to fiat currencies or particular commodities, wrapped tokens fulfill a similar function by representing real-world assets on networks they aren’t native to. “Wrapping” refers to storing particular digital assets in a wrapper or digital vault so that they may function on one blockchain even if they were issued on a different blockchain.

In order to allow assets to exchange value across multiple chains, tokens often need to be double wrapped – which can prove costly and time-consuming.

“By allowing value to flow freely throughout decentralized networks, Wormhole is opening the door for use cases that were previously unattainable,” Hendrik Hofstadt, director of special projects - crypto at Jump Trading, said in a press release on Tuesday.

“Now, cross-chain governance, liquid staking tokens, oracle data being passed over multiple chains and the ability to avoid double wrapping tokens are all within a user’s reach,” Hofstadt said,

Wormhole’s interoperability protocol enables crypto assets like tokens and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and even price data, to flow between blockchain networks that don’t usually talk to each other. When it was launched, the protocol supported the Binance Smart Chain, Ethereum and Terra.

Previously, Terra’s stablecoin, UST, and Luna, the native crypto powering Terra’s ecosystem, passed through Wormhole V1, but upon reaching the Solana network, they became double wrapped.

The addition of Terra support to Wormhole’s already existing Ethereum-Solana-BSC token bridge means the four largest DeFi blockchains by total value locked, or the amount invested in a DeFi platform, can now “flow freely,” according to the press release.

The support comes on the heels of Terra’s recent Colombus-5 upgrade which enabled the network to function more seamlessly with other crypto ecosystems.

Terra also said it will be shuttering its Ethereum bridge, Shuttle, and drive liquidity toward Wormhole, which already has $350 million in total value locked, according to the protocol’s own data.

Disclosure

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

Sebastian Sinclair

Sebastian Sinclair is a CoinDesk news reporter based in Australia.


Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.



Read more about