‘Wormhole’ Adds UI Support for Terra in Bid to Simplify Cross-Chain Operability

Wormhole, a communication bridge between Solana and other top decentralized finance (DeFi) networks, has added user interface support for the Terra network.

The move allows users to port digital assets between Terra, Solana (SOL), Ethereum (ETH), and Binance Smart Chain (BSC) via a single unified interface without the need to double wrap Terra tokens.

Like stablecoins whose values are pegged to fiat currencies or particular commodities, wrapped tokens fulfil a similar function by representing real-world assets on networks they aren’t native to. “Wrapping” refers to storing particular digital assets in a wrapper or digital vault so they may function on one blockchain even though they were issued on another.

In order to allow assets to exchange value across multiple chains, tokens often need to be double wrapped – which can prove costly and time-consuming.

“By allowing value to flow freely throughout decentralized networks, Wormhole is opening the door for use cases that were previously unattainable,” said Hendrik Hofstadt, director of Special Projects at Jump Crypto in a press release on Tuesday.

“Now, cross-chain governance, liquid staking tokens, oracle data being passed over multiple chains and the ability to avoid double wrapping tokens are all within a user’s reach.”

Wormhole’s interoperability protocol enables crypto assets like tokens and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and even price data, to flow between blockchain networks that don’t usually talk to each other. At launch, the protocol supported Terra, Ethereum and Binance Smart Chain.

Previously, Terra’s stablecoin, UST, and Luna, the native crypto powering Terra’s ecosystem, passed through Wormhole V1, but upon reaching the Solana network they became double wrapped.

The addition of Terra support to Wormhole’s already existing ETH <> SOL <> BSC token bridge means the four large DeFi blockchains by total value locked can now “flow freely” between the four, per the release.

The support comes on the heels of Terra’s recent Colombus-5 upgrade which enabled the network to function more seamlessly with other crypto ecosystems.

Terra also said it will be shuttering its Ethereum bridge, Shuttle, and drive liquidity toward Wormhole, which already has $350 million in TVL, according to the protocol’s own data.