Interchain Foundation Funds Tharsis Labs to Release Open-Source evmOS

The Interchain Foundation (ICF) is funding the development of evmOS, an Ethereum-compatible layer 1 solution aimed at enhancing interoperability between Ethereum and Cosmos.

Overview

Tharsis Labs will open-source evmOS, allowing users on the Ethereum (ETH) network to utilize functionality from Cosmos (ATOM). This initiative was announced on March 18, as part of ICF’s efforts to support the Cosmos ecosystem and its Inter-Blockchain Communication protocol.

With evmOS, developers can create EVM-compatible decentralized applications and chains using the Cosmos software development kit. Tharsis Labs plans to release the software under the Apache 2.0 license.

The ICF will fork evmOS technology, rebranding it as Cosmos EVM, which will facilitate ongoing development within the Cosmos ecosystem. This new fork will be integrated into the Interchain Stack under the guidance of the Interchain Labs team.

> “We feel this is the right thing for the community for the longevity of the code we’ve developed, and are excited about the ICF’s support of this. I look forward to contributing to this next phase in a strategic advisory role.” — Federico Kunze Küllmer, co-founder of evmOS.

Goals and Integration

The open-source provenance of the forked technology is intended to enhance the integration of evmOS, promoting permissionless innovation within the blockchain space. By positioning evmOS as the main EVM solution for Cosmos, it aims to facilitate cross-chain communication crucial for scaling DeFi applications.

Despite the fork and continued funding, ICF asserts its commitment to the existing project roadmap. It seeks to enhance evmOS for use across various proof-of-stake networks, thereby encouraging broader web3 adoption.

> “evmOS has been a critical piece in bridging the Ethereum and Cosmos ecosystems, and we are excited to support its continued evolution under the Interchain Foundation umbrella.” — Josh Cincinnati, president of the ICF’s Foundation Council.

Prior Collaborations

In July, LayerZero Labs and Initia Labs collaborated on an interoperability standard for Cosmos, aimed at establishing omnichain interoperability for Cosmos SDK and LayerZero-enabled chains.