• Near Foundation is a non-profit organization to enable community-driven innovation, backing the layer-1 Near Protocol. It has revealed that the protocol now enables chain signatures, which allows users to access multiple chains using their Near account.
  • The feature incorporates a “Multichain Gas Relayer,” eliminating the necessity for the native gas token of another chain for transactions.

Near is the chain abstraction stack, empowering builders to create apps that scale to billions of users across all blockchains. The new protocol enabling chain signatures aims to solve the complexities inherent in a multichain ecosystem to streamline the user experience.

Protocol enabling chain signatures allows users to access multiple chains

The Near Foundation, the non-profit organization that supported the first layer of the Near protocol, has revealed that the protocol now supports chain signatures. This advancement allows users to access multiple chains with their Near accounts.

Chain Signatures are cryptographic signatures that allow users to sign transactions on one blockchain using a private key associated with an account on another blockchain.

Eigenlayer, a refactoring project developed on Ether, is now Near’s launch partner, contributing to the security of the chain-signing network, according to a press release.

The Chain Signature feature is powered by a decentralized Multiparty Computing (MPC) network and secured by Near’s validator.

In the future, it will receive additional security from EigenLayer as well, according to the foundation. The Near Foundation said: “Decentralized finance (DeFi) on non-smart contract chains is now possible for the first time on many networks, including Bitcoin. Developers can easily build DeFi products that utilize assets from other chains without bridging these assets.”

Also read: Near Foundation & Hibiki Partner

New feature working on raising user experience

The feature incorporates a “Multichain Gas Relayer,” eliminating the necessity for the native gas token of another chain for transactions. Users can utilize Near or NEP-141 tokens to cover gas across any chain.

This offering represents Near’s ongoing effort in its “chain abstraction” initiative, seeking to streamline the user experience in crypto by addressing complexities inherent in a multichain ecosystem.

Chain Signatures is currently operational on Near’s testnet, with plans for its mainnet rollout anticipated by early May, according to a Near spokesperson.

Near posted a 1,902% increase in the number of unique active wallets engaged with its Web3 app, according to a Jan. 11 report from blockchain analytics platform DappRadar.