MAP Protocol: Blockchain Assets Freeway

Introduction

MAP protocol aims to be the secure end-to-end solution for any blockchain resident to move and exchange assets. To fulfill this role, MAP team is building on three layers simultaneously: a dedicated blockchain served as the infrastructure freeway connecting all kinds of blockchains to break the barriers, the MAP Assets layer where all kinds of assets are mapped to MAP chain in a non-custodial style via trustless smart contract, and the DeFi Application layer where all kinds of applications including but not limited to DEXs, games and NFTs can be built with the cross-chain capabilities enabled by the MAP chain and MAP assets.

MAP Protocol’s bid to reshape the trading experience is supported by a three-layer design:

• App: an application layer driven by an AMM model for decentralized spot exchanges and cross-chain swaps, leading to better liquidity.

• Assets: infrastructure freeway between other blockchains (cross-chain support), allowing assets to move freely between any chains.

• Chain: using a chain dedicated to serving light clients to all interested chains.

Have you heard of recent hack events? Unlike other inter-blockchain communication projects, where mass assets are controlled by a handful of operators, we are building the whole solution in a more trustless and decentralized way. Users’ assets are guarded by transparent and bulletproof smart contracts where the movement of assets can only be triggered by cross-chain messages backed up by valid cryptographic proofs. The verification of the cryptographic proof is based on the light clients maintained by the MAP chain. Using a dedicated blockchain to maintain all the light clients gives MAP protocol the flexibility to integrate necessary features to connect to all kinds of blockchains that might come up.

For example, to interoperate with Cosmos Hub, following the interchain standards specified in github.com/cosmos/ibc, we can build a module for MAP chain to do cross-chain communication, and following the paper “A Tendermint Light Client” by Braithwaite et al., a light client for Cosmos Hub can be built and maintained.

MAP Blockchain

MAP blockchain is a fully EVM compatible blockchain secured by 100+ staked validators via BFT style protocol. MAP chain maintains light clients of all interested blockchains, serving as the solid foundation of cross-chain verification, .e.g. providing the Merkle root for Merkle proof verification.

The correctness of the light client’s state is crucial to the security of MAP protocol. Thus, MAP protocol is designed in a way that the light client’s state will only be updated when there is sufficient cryptographic proof following the proof and consensus mechanism of the target blockchain, e.g., signatures from enough validators if the target blockchain is PoS & BFT-based and the accumulated difficulty if the target blockchain is PoW & Nakamoto consensus-based.

The updates of all light clients are triggered by incentive relayers through submitting interesting information to the chain. Light clients provide the cryptographic trusted root for verifying all kinds of cross-chain messages in a purely mathematical fashion. Besides, relayers can also participate in the on-chain random number generation process by submitting a random number of their own. All random numbers submitted will be merged to forge true on-chain randomness to support various DeFi applications.

Unlike other interoperability-focused blockchain projects, cross-chain assets of MAP protocol are handled in a much more objective and decentralized way. To facilitate transparent and trestles assets vaults, a MAP chain light client is deployed and maintained on all interested blockchains. Cooperating with the light client maintained by the MAP chain, the smart contract serving as the asset vault can only triggered by verifiable cross-chain messages. Upon these vaults, one-stop boundless assets transfer between all connected blockchains is possible by wrapping all assets on MAP chain.

Advantages

Decentralized: secured by 100+ validators and maintained by thousands of relayers.

Trustless: driven only by cryptographic proof other than human decision.

Randomness: unbiased on-chain randomness forged by thousands of. relayers

Feeless: nearly-zero fees for cross-chain assets transfer or swap by MAP token compensation.

For more information, visit maplabs.io