The rapidly evolving world of web3 continues to push the boundaries of cross-chain interoperability, and at the forefront of this movement is Across Protocol, a leading cross-chain bridge platform that has just secured $41 million in a strategic token sale. Backed by industry heavyweights like Paradigm and Coinbase Ventures, this funding round marks a pivotal step toward unifying Ethereum’s increasingly fragmented Layer 2 (L2) ecosystem through intent-driven infrastructure.
As Ethereum scales via multiple L2 solutions—such as Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base—users gain faster transactions and lower fees. But these benefits come at a cost: fragmented liquidity, poor user experience, and isolated ecosystems. Across Protocol aims to solve this by delivering a seamless, unified experience across chains—no matter where users start or end their journey.
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The Challenge: Fragmentation in Ethereum’s Scaling Era
Ethereum’s success has been built on innovation, decentralization, and resilience. However, its scalability limitations have led to the rise of numerous L2 networks, each designed to offload transaction volume and reduce gas costs. While effective individually, these networks operate in silos.
This fragmentation creates several critical issues:
- Liquidity dispersion: Assets are locked within individual chains, reducing capital efficiency.
- Poor UX: Users must manually bridge assets, track confirmations, and manage multiple wallets.
- Security risks: Many bridges rely on centralized relayers or complex trust models vulnerable to exploits.
- Developer friction: Building cross-chain applications becomes increasingly complex without standardized tooling.
These pain points hinder mass adoption. Even advanced users face delays, high costs, and confusion when navigating between chains. For mainstream users, the experience can be overwhelming.
Enter intent-based interoperability—a paradigm shift that promises to abstract away complexity and deliver truly seamless cross-chain interactions.
Introducing Intent-Centric Interoperability
Intent-based systems represent the next evolution in blockchain architecture. Instead of requiring users to specify how an action should be executed (e.g., which bridge to use, which route to take), they only declare what they want to achieve (e.g., “I want 1 ETH on Optimism”).
The underlying protocol then figures out the optimal path—handling routing, execution, and settlement automatically. This approach mirrors how traditional web services work: you don’t need to understand DNS routing to visit a website; you just type the address.
Across Protocol leverages this model to enable two-second cross-chain bridging, regardless of source or destination chain. As stated by the team:
“Our goal from inception is to accelerate the transition to seamless crosschain experiences when users move between two chains. Our north star has always been two-second-bridging, no matter how many chains are involved. This latest raise further empowers us to achieve that vision.”
This vision aligns with broader industry momentum. The Ethereum Foundation has recently signaled strong support for intent frameworks, recognizing their potential to unify the fractured L2 landscape.
Strategic Backing from Top-Tier Investors
The $41 million raise was led by Paradigm, one of crypto’s most influential venture firms, known for backing foundational infrastructure projects like Optimism and Worldcoin. Participation came from Coinbase Ventures, Bain Capital Crypto, and Multicoin Capital—all renowned for identifying early-stage innovations with long-term impact.
Angel investor Sina Habinian also joined the round, adding further credibility to the project’s technical and strategic direction.
This level of institutional confidence underscores the growing demand for robust, secure, and user-friendly cross-chain solutions. It also provides Across Protocol with the resources needed to scale its infrastructure, expand integrations, and drive research into advanced intent execution mechanisms.
Expanding the Ecosystem: Integrations and Roadmap
Across Protocol is already live across a growing number of chains and applications. Current integrations include:
- Hyperliquid – A high-performance DeFi platform
- Kraken’s Ink – A zkEVM-based L2 focused on security and scalability
- Sony’s Soneium – An emerging L2 aiming to onboard mainstream users via entertainment and gaming
- Over 40 decentralized applications (dApps) spanning DeFi, NFTs, and gaming
Additionally, Across recently launched on Unichain, a new decentralized L2 developed by Uniswap Labs. Unichain aims to simplify deployment for developers building on multiple L2s using the OP Stack—a perfect match for Across’s cross-chain vision.
With fresh capital, Across plans to:
- Accelerate development of its core bridging infrastructure
- Expand support for new L2s and appchains
- Enhance security through formal verification and decentralized relayer networks
- Fund R&D in intent-centric routing algorithms
These efforts will strengthen capital efficiency across chains and lower barriers for both users and developers.
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Why This Matters for Web3 Adoption
True web3 adoption requires more than just scalability—it demands simplicity. Users shouldn’t need to understand blockchain mechanics to send tokens, trade assets, or stake rewards across ecosystems.
Imagine a future where:
- You trade on Arbitrum
- Stake your yield on Optimism
- Mint an NFT on Base
- All while using a single wallet, balance, and interface
That’s the world Across Protocol is building—one where chains become invisible layers beneath a unified user experience.
This kind of interoperability doesn’t just improve convenience; it unlocks new financial primitives. Capital flows freely. Arbitrage opportunities shrink. Developers build once and deploy everywhere. Liquidity becomes composable across ecosystems.
It’s no exaggeration to say that cross-chain intent interoperability could become the backbone of web3, much like HTTP is for the traditional internet.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is Across Protocol?
A: Across Protocol is a cross-chain interoperability platform that enables fast, secure, and intent-driven asset transfers between Ethereum Layer 2 networks and other blockchains.
Q: Who funded Across Protocol?
A: The $41 million raise was led by Paradigm, with participation from Coinbase Ventures, Bain Capital Crypto, Multicoin Capital, and angel investor Sina Habinian.
Q: What problem does Across solve?
A: Across addresses the fragmentation of Ethereum’s L2 ecosystem by enabling seamless cross-chain experiences—reducing delays, improving UX, and increasing capital efficiency.
Q: What are "intents" in blockchain?
A: Intents allow users to declare what outcome they want (e.g., “get ETH on Optimism”) without specifying how it’s done. The system handles routing and execution automatically.
Q: How fast are transfers on Across?
A: Across aims for two-second bridging, making cross-chain movement nearly instantaneous regardless of the chains involved.
Q: Which chains does Across support?
A: Across integrates with major L2s including Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Unichain, Hyperliquid, Kraken’s Ink, Sony’s Soneium, and over 40 dApps.
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