[Recap] Interoperability and the Multi-Chain Future of L1s and L2s

On April 23rd, 2025, The Tie hosted the Innovator webinar titled “Interoperability and the Multi-Chain Future of L1s and L2s,” featuring Rob Viglione, CEO and Founder of zkVerify; Kenny Zhang, Ecosystem Growth Lead at LayerZero; and Terry Chung, Chief Strategy Officer at Eclipse. Moderated by The Tie, the panelists explored current trends, technical challenges, innovative use cases, and future outlooks for blockchain interoperability and multi-chain ecosystems.

The conversation opened with an overview of the interoperability landscape. Panelists highlighted the fragmented state of blockchain ecosystems, underscoring the urgent need for robust interoperability solutions. Rob Viglione pointed to ongoing challenges in zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) verification, including prohibitive costs and technical complexity that limit broader adoption. Kenny Zhang emphasized rising demand for omnichain capabilities driven by growing developer interest in asset and stablecoin issuance across multiple blockchain networks. Terry Chung noted how modular blockchain architectures, like Eclipse, bridge performance and security to address scalability and user experience issues inherent in traditional blockchains.

Rob Viglione introduced zkVerify’s approach, positioning the protocol as a universal verification layer designed to drastically reduce ZKP verification costs and complexities. By optimizing cryptographic proof verification, zkVerify enables more efficient privacy-centric applications, particularly suited for regulated financial services such as institutional dark pools and secure cross-chain asset verification.

Kenny Zhang discussed LayerZero’s contributions to omnichain infrastructure, particularly highlighting its decentralized verifier networks (DVNs), which provide customizable, permissionless, and censorship-resistant cross-chain messaging capabilities. Additionally, he illustrated LayerZero’s solutions to liquidity issues, such as pre-launch asset vaults that provide instant liquidity at mainnet launch, and the "LZ read" functionality that enables seamless cross-chain data access for verifying assets like NFTs across various networks.

Terry Chung described Eclipse’s modular blockchain framework, combining Ethereum’s security guarantees with Solana’s performance capabilities, achieving transaction speeds in the thousands per second. This integration is specifically useful for applications requiring high throughput and minimal latency, such as decentralized exchanges and social lottery platforms, effectively addressing scalability challenges currently faced by blockchain technology.

Looking ahead, the panelists discussed factors for successful blockchain interoperability and widespread adoption. Specific topics that were highlighted in this part of the conversation included standardized cross-chain verification protocols, interoperability frameworks, advanced cryptographic techniques, and strategically aligned incentives. The panelists agreed that advancements in these topics will be essential for driving adoption and ensuring a scalable, secure, multi-chain future.

The webinar closed with panelists sharing upcoming developments including zkVerify’s mainnet launch scheduled for this summer, LayerZero’s ongoing asset onboarding and ecosystem expansion, and Eclipse’s scalability enhancements. Collectively, they expressed optimism about the evolution of blockchain infrastructure, highlighting the importance of secure interoperability, efficient cryptographic methods, and practical, high-value applications for shaping the future of multi-chain blockchain ecosystems.