Initia: A New Solution for Building a Full-Chain Rollup Ecosystem

With the development of blockchain technology, the number of public chains has experienced explosive growth. Data shows that there are currently 53 L2 public chains operating in the market, with another 42 under development. Although these public chains are designed for different application scenarios and can meet diverse needs, they also bring issues such as complexity and fragmentation.

Against this backdrop, the modular project Initia launched by the Cosmos ecosystem has attracted widespread attention. Initia draws on Apple's design philosophy, aiming to make blockchain applications as easily accessible and integrable as iPhone apps, and is designed to provide users with an intuitive and interconnected blockchain experience. The product suite of Initia includes multi-chain browsers, wallet tools, cross-chain bridges, application platforms, and identity systems, dedicated to building a user-friendly unified blockchain ecosystem.

Currently, the Initia testnet has been launched, and the first round of airdrop plans has started to reward early ecosystem contributors. It is expected that after completing testing, Initia will officially launch its mainnet in the third quarter of this year. Its innovative design and complete ecosystem are expected to reshape the blockchain landscape in the Web3 era.

Initia: A Full-Chain Rollup Ecosystem for Web3

The founding team of Initia consists of experienced crypto experts Zon and Stan Liu, and the team has now expanded to 20 members. These founders and researchers have extensive experience in building high-value applications within ecosystems such as Cosmos, Terra, and Ethereum. Zon has held key positions in several well-known blockchain companies, while Stan Liu is a senior developer in the Ethereum ecosystem, having participated in the development of numerous well-known DeFi projects.

In October 2023, Initia completed its pre-seed financing and established partnerships with the projects of its investors. In February 2024, Initia secured another $7.5 million in seed round financing, led by a well-known investment institution, with several industry notable figures participating. This funding will be used to promote the development of Initia's infrastructure, expand product tools, and incubate key application layer projects, further advancing the development of the Initia ecosystem.

Initia aims to provide users with a clear and unified full-chain Rollup ecosystem by integrating modular Layer 1 and dedicated Layer 2 solutions. It harnesses the advantages of multiple mainstream public chains, creating a scalable and efficient application ecosystem for developers and users. Developers can leverage the infrastructure provided by Initia to quickly build cross-chain applications; users can seamlessly enjoy a rich array of DeFi, GameFi, Social, and other application services without having to switch back and forth between different public chains.

To simplify the experience for users and developers, Initia also provides a complete set of technical and user product stack, including:

• InitiaScan: An interactive platform for navigation and construction across multiple InitiaRollups, providing valuable insights and tools for developers and users.
• Wallet Widget: The front-end entry point of the Initia wallet solution, providing users with the convenience of cross-chain wallet signing through an innovative social login method.
• Bridget: A front-end bridge/entry aggregator that is directly integrated into various Rollup application layers within the Initia ecosystem, providing seamless asset cross-chain and deposit services for these Rollups.
• Initia Application: A centralized platform that integrates various resources and services within the Initia ecosystem, such as the Initia Wallet, Initia Username System, Bridget Cross-Chain Bridge, etc., providing users with a one-stop Initia ecosystem experience.
• Initia Username: Provides a simple, convenient, and easy-to-read way to access the account address of each Rollup on the Initia platform.
• Initia Wallet: Provides unparalleled convenience as the unified hub for the Initia ecosystem navigation. With features like social login, cross-chain exchange, and auto-routing, users can seamlessly manage their assets across multiple Rollups.

Initia platform provides a complete set of product-ready Rollup collections, enabling teams to build scalable sovereign systems while eliminating the user experience complexities faced by users when interacting with the modular multi-chain universe. Users can freely explore various DApps and services within the Initia ecosystem, enjoying a seamless crypto world, without having to worry about the differences between underlying public chains, just like using a smartphone.

Initia Layered Architecture: A Flexible and Scalable Multi-Chain Ecosystem

Initia adopts a layered modular design architecture that integrates novel L1 with intertwined application-specific L2 infrastructure systems, rebuilding the entire tech stack, including components such as InitiaScan browser, Wallet Widget tools, Bridget cross-chain bridge, and Initia applications. Meanwhile, with the layered modular architecture, developers can easily launch application-specific blockchains as Initia L2 without needing to understand the complexities of chain-level infrastructure or operate a validator set.

The Initia architecture is mainly divided into 4 modules, specifically:

Initia Orchestration Layer (Layer 1): Initia has a mainchain network known as L1, which plays a critical role in orchestrating and coordinating the entire ecosystem. The L1 layer is responsible for ensuring fundamental functions such as security, liquidity, routing, and cross-chain interoperability throughout the system. Unlike traditional single mainchains, Initia's L1 network adopts a more flexible and scalable design, laying a solid foundation for the development of upper-layer applications.

The L1 main chain employs an innovative consensus mechanism that combines the advantages of Proof of Stake (PoS) and Proof of Authority (PoA). This not only ensures the security and decentralization of the entire network but also guarantees efficient transaction confirmation and finality. At the same time, Initia has implemented a mechanism for dynamically adjusting block intervals and the number of validators to meet performance demands in different scenarios. This adaptive design enables the L1 main chain to provide reliable performance guarantees while maintaining a high degree of decentralization.

Initia Rollups (Layer 2): Another key component of the Initia platform is the independent Layer 2 network "Minitia." Each Minitia focuses on specific application scenarios, such as financial services, gaming, or social networks, and can operate independently while maintaining close ties with Layer 1. This design not only enhances the overall system's flexibility and scalability but also enables Initia to better meet the needs of different application scenarios.

Minitias is a fully functional CosmosSDK chain that integrates advanced aggregation features and uses standard CosmosSDK modules as well as custom modules. Minitias boasts impressive technical specifications and a rich feature set:

1. High throughput of over 10,000 TPS and a block time of 500 milliseconds.
2. IBC is used for Cosmos interoperability and Omnitia shared security.
3. Support for Celestia data availability, MoveVM, WasmVM, and EVM
4. Various native functions, such as the benefits program, token rebates, and the Omnitia messaging module.
5. Advanced tools, including InitiaSDK, WalletSDK, and 1-ClickDeposit Widget
6. Integration with third-party services and oracles to enhance functionality and user experience.

OPinit Stack: OPinit Stack is an OR framework built by Initia in CosmosSDK. This framework utilizes Celestia's data availability layer to support secure scaling across different virtual machines such as EVM, MoveVM, and WebAssembly. This means developers can freely choose the most suitable virtual machine based on their application needs without having to focus too much on the complex chain-level infrastructure.

OPinit Stack has fraud proof and rollback capabilities, ensuring complete interoperability between various aggregation networks built on it. This innovation brings unprecedented flexibility and scalability to Initia, enabling developers to quickly build product-ready, interoperable applications.

Interoperability/Bridging Middleware: Interoperability/Bridging Middleware is another key component of the Initia platform, including inter-blockchain communication (IBC) protocol and TBA Bridge Provider. IBC supports instant communication and transfers between different blockchains through simple cross-chain messaging, enabling Initia to achieve seamless asset and data transfer between different blockchain networks.

TBA Bridge Provider is another high-performance and secure cross-chain bridging solution that connects Initia's Layer 1 network with the Layer 2 Minitia network. Additionally, the protocol integrates efficient aggregation technology, which significantly enhances the throughput and performance of cross-chain interactions.

Initia's layered design provides it with scalability and flexibility. The L1 main chain is responsible for core consensus and settlement, while Minitias focuses on performance-intensive applications, with both deeply integrated through the OPinit Stack. At the same time, interoperability/bridging middleware enables Initia to achieve cross-layer asset and data interaction within different blockchain networks and ecosystems. This layered design not only addresses the complexity and fragmentation issues of multi-chain ecosystems but also significantly enhances user experience, laying a solid foundation for the development of a modular multi-chain universe.

Overview of Popular Ecological Projects

The Initia testnet is now live, and the incentive airdrop has also been launched. As a project dedicated to becoming the "Apple system" in the blockchain field, Initia has garnered significant attention in the investment community. Some institutions predict that Initia may initiate Series A financing before the official launch of its mainnet in the third quarter of this year. At that time, some popular projects within the Initia ecosystem will undoubtedly receive considerable attention.

Currently, the projects worth paying attention to in the Initia ecosystem include:

Blackwing

Blackwing is a modular blockchain that enables leveraged trading of long-tail assets without liquidation through an "infinite pool." Using Initia as a foundation, Blackwing allows traders to trade assets on any modular application chain without needing to transfer funds across networks, significantly saving costs and enhancing security.

Blackwing completed a financing of 4.5 million dollars in March this year. The testnet Tomcat-1 was successfully launched in May, and the TVL has now surpassed 50 million.

Tucana

Tucana is a multifunctional L2 network centered around intent within the Initia ecosystem. Its core objective is to unify and optimize the trading experience across various modular networks. The underlying architecture of Tucana is supported by the intertwined Rollups technology of Initia and Celestia, enabling it to accommodate and integrate the trading needs across different modular networks.

Through Tucana's liquidity layer, users can seamlessly access thousands of modular networks, including limit orders, market orders, and perpetual contracts,.