What Is Chain Abstraction?

EDUCATIONAL POST

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Today on crypto foundational education, I want to write about something that is technical and also transformative. Chain Abstraction. If you’ve spent time in crypto, you’ve likely felt the friction. Different wallets, different gas tokens, bridging risks, switching networks, signing multiple transactions, waiting and hoping nothing breaks mid-transfer. Now imagine using crypto without caring what chain you’re on. That’s what chain abstraction is all about.

What Is Chain Abstraction?

Chain abstraction is NEAR’s idea of simplifying how users interact with blockchain technology by separating it from the user experience (UX). The goal is that users should not be aware of the specific blockchain they are interacting with or even realize that they are using a blockchain.

How Does Chain Abstraction Work?

Efficiency

Imagine if you could only send messages from an iPhone to another iPhone but not to Android phones. That would be inefficient and impractical. Similarly, users should be able to interact with decentralized applications (DApps) across different blockchains without unnecessary hurdles.

The goal of chain abstraction is to remove or hide the complexities of blockchain technology, allowing users to focus on the functionality and benefits of the DApps they use. For instance, if Sarah wants to use a new DApp called XYZ, she should not have to worry about which blockchain it is built on. From a user perspective, she just wants it to work well and fulfill its purpose.

Similarly, millions of people use the internet every day, but only a smaller percentage understand the technology behind it and how it works. As long as it works as intended and adds value to users, there is no reason for the average user to fully grasp its technical details.

Transactions

Imagine using a DApp that allows you to easily transact across multiple networks and navigate different services. For instance, imagine that Sarah opens the XYZ app on her phone, orders a coffee, and sees a discount for her favorite clothing store. She buys a pair of shoes, earning rewards that are stored as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on Ethereum. Later, she notices a special offer tied to her reward and buys tickets to an event, which are also NFTs, but on BNB Smart Chain (BSC).

All these transactions could happen in a single app, removing the need for Sarah to manage multiple wallets, switch networks, or directly handle transaction fees. This level of cross-chain interaction is the ultimate goal of chain abstraction.