Cross-Chain
Kaskad is a cross-chain lending protocol from day one. Through a signed integration with Hyperlane, Kaskad supports asset bridging across 100+ networks at mainnet launch.
Hyperlane Integration
Hyperlane is a permissionless interoperability layer that enables secure cross-chain messaging and asset transfers. Kaskad's integration allows users to supply and interact with Kaskad's lending markets from a wide range of source chains.
Supported asset types at launch:
- Stablecoins (USDC, USDT, and others)
- Yield-bearing assets (stETH, rETH, and similar)
- Major tokens from supported networks
What this means for users:
- Supply assets from Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, Optimism, and many other chains
- No need to manually bridge tokens before interacting with Kaskad
- Access Kaskad's lending rates from your existing chain of choice
- Withdraw back to your origin chain when ready
Why Cross-Chain Matters
Without cross-chain support, a lending protocol on a new ecosystem like Kaspa/Igra would be limited to liquidity from native ecosystem participants only. This creates a cold-start problem: low liquidity → poor rates → low adoption → low liquidity.
Hyperlane integration breaks this cycle by making Kaskad's liquidity pools accessible to the entire multi-chain DeFi ecosystem. Users don't need to be Kaspa-native to use Kaskad — they can supply USDC from Ethereum and earn yield on a protocol that settles on a PoW blockDAG.
Kaskad's addressable market is not limited to Kaspa. It includes any DeFi user on any of the 100+ supported networks.
Competitive Positioning
Cross-chain lending is Kaskad's key go-to-market advantage:
Breadth of access — 100+ networks supported from launch, compared to most new protocols that launch single-chain and add bridges later.
PoW settlement differentiation — users from PoS chains get access to a lending protocol that settles on proof-of-work infrastructure. This is a unique security profile in the current DeFi landscape.
Cost advantage — transactions on Igra/Kaspa benefit from lower fees than Ethereum mainnet, meaning better net yields for suppliers and lower costs for borrowers.
Regulatory differentiation — for institutional users evaluating DeFi options, the combination of cross-chain access + MiCA-aligned compliance + PoW settlement creates a distinct value proposition.
Cross-Chain Considerations
Cross-chain operations introduce specific considerations that users should be aware of:
Bridge latency — cross-chain transfers are not instant. There is a messaging delay between the source chain and Igra, which varies by network. Users should account for this when timing deposits and withdrawals.
Cross-chain liquidations — if asset prices move quickly while cross-chain messages are in transit, there is a latency window during which positions may not be updated in real time. Kaskad's risk parameters account for this by including safety buffers in collateral requirements.
Relayer infrastructure — Hyperlane's cross-chain messaging depends on a network of relayers. The reliability of cross-chain operations depends on relayer uptime and responsiveness.
Users interacting cross-chain should maintain conservative Health Factors to account for the additional latency inherent in multi-chain operations.