2021 Cosmos Ecosystem Review: A Milestone Year for Cross-Chain Interoperability

The year 2021 was an extraordinary year for the Cosmos ecosystem. During this year, Cosmos made significant progress in cross-chain interoperability, ecosystem expansion, and community building. Let's take a look back at the main highlights of this interstellar year.

The Launch of IBC and the Explosive Growth of the Ecosystem

At the beginning of the year, the Cosmos community focused on developing and waiting for the release of the IBC( inter-blockchain communication protocol ). In February, Cosmos launched the largest upgrade in history, StarGate, paving the way for the official release of IBC in April.

The launch of IBC marks the end of blockchain being an isolated ecosystem; they can now interconnect seamlessly. Since the first IBC cross-chain transaction was completed between IRISnet and Cosmos Hub on April 2, the number of IBC transfers has exceeded 5.8 million, with a total of 25 chains enabling IBC functionality. Notably, blockchain giant Terra also joined the IBC network in October.

Cosmos and Ethereum Cross-Chain Bridge

In 2021, a major focus in the blockchain industry was cross-chain interoperability, especially interoperability with Ethereum. We witnessed the birth of the first cross-chain bridge from Cosmos to Ethereum:

• Sifchain integrates the Peggy project to achieve low-cost and efficient cross-chain between Cosmos and Ethereum.

• Sommelier Network has launched a bidirectional "Gravity Bridge" managed by a global network of validators.

• The Althea team has launched an independent Gravity Bridge Chain, providing trustless Ethereum bridging services for all Cosmos chains.

In addition, the TIBC protocol developed by the IRISnet team also enables seamless asset transfer between heterogeneous blockchains, including cross-chain NFT transfers from the BSN Wenchang chain to Ethereum.

Global Community Activities

With the improvement of the pandemic, the Cosmos community can finally meet offline again. The Cosmoverse conference held in Lisbon in November brought together the most innovative projects and talents in the ecosystem.

Next is the month-long HackAtom VI hackathon, with over 1,900 developers participating and submitting more than 100 high-quality projects. This is the largest hackathon event in the history of Cosmos.

Sustainable Development Mission

In 2021, global awareness of the climate crisis reached an unprecedented level. Cosmos proposed the "cross-chain sustainable development mission," aiming to become the world's leading sustainable, renewable digital financial ecosystem.

To this end, the Cosmos cross-chain Foundation ( ICF ) has signed memorandums with multiple partners to launch a multi-year R&D, promotion, and strategic cooperation plan aimed at promoting inclusive finance and sustainable development.

The Launch of Cosmos Signal

In 2021, Cosmos launched a brand new quarterly keynote speech called Cosmos Signal, aimed at showcasing the latest developments in the ecosystem. The first issue of Signal attracted nearly 500,000 views, successfully expanding Cosmos's influence.

Looking to the Future

2021 was a groundbreaking year for Cosmos. From enhancing blockchain interoperability to hosting global events, from cross-chain bridging to NFTs, Cosmos has made significant progress in various fields. As the ecosystem continues to evolve, we look forward to seeing more innovations and breakthroughs in the new year.