LayerZero

LayerZero is an interoperability protocol that lets separate blockchains send messages to one another. An application on one chain can use it to trigger actions or move value on another chain without relying on a single central operator.

The protocol carries data between chains. A message is verified on the destination chain before it is accepted, and developers configure how that verification happens. This lets tokens and other assets move across networks that would otherwise stay isolated.

LayerZero defines the Omnichain Fungible Token, or OFT, standard. An OFT exists natively on several chains at once, so a transfer reduces the supply on one chain and increases it on another rather than locking coins in a bridge contract.

Cross-chain messaging carries risk. It relies on smart contracts and on the security choices each application makes, and a fault in either can affect assets that move through the protocol.