Share this article
RSK Launches Interoperability Bridge Between Bitcoin and Ethereum
RSK's tokens can now operate within the ethereum ecosystem using the new token bridge.
By Paddy Baker
Updated Sep 13, 2021, 12:15 p.m. Published Feb 7, 2020, 10:06 a.m.
Make us preferred on Google
The parent company behind the bitcoin-based smart contract platform RSK has launched a token bridge joining it to ethereum.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Gibraltar-based developer IOV Labs said this week its newly released interoperability bridge would allow users to cross RSK- and ethereum-based digital assets, including ether and ERC-20 tokens, across the different protocols.
When a user transfers tokens, the bridge's smart contract locks the originals and mints a corresponding amount of new tokens on the other chain. Using the system, ether-based tokens can be transformed into RSK's RRC20 tokens, which conversely can be turned into ethereum ERC777 tokens.
Interoperability protocols make it easier for projects to operate on different blockchains. Decentralized apps (dapps) can cater to a broader base of users, who would otherwise remain siloed in closed networks, and projects can leverage specific characteristics of different blockchains simultaneously.
“Interoperability has been a cornerstone of the RSK vision from the start," explained Adrian Eidelman, RSK Strategist at IOV Labs. "We believe being able to offer Bitcoin’s benefits to Ethereum users and to connect these respective developer communities is a crucial step for the blockchain ecosystem as a whole."
There are other protocols offering interoperability between bitcoin and ethereum: Wanchain launched a token bridge between the two networks in 2018. Edelman told CoinDesk that while Wanchain focuses on connecting blockchains by being a "middleman," RSK is different in that it actually combines the networks, allowing both ecosystems to leverage the other's strengths.
Bitcoin stablecoin protocol Money on Chain, which uses bitcoin as collateral for new tokens, has already said it will use the new RSK bridge to cross its stablecoins onto the ethereum ecosystem. The project's co-founder Max Carjuzaa said the new interoperability would combine the security and "global recognition of Bitcoin with the vibrant DeFi ecosystem currently developed in Ethereum.”
Last September, IOV labs said it would integrate RSK tokens into its newly acquired Spanish-language social media network, Taringa. Further information regarding any possible integrations with the interoperability bridge will be released in the coming months, a spokesperson said.
More For You
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
Deus X CEO Tim Grant: We aren't replacing finance; we're integrating it
The Deus X CEO discussed his journey into digital assets, the company's infrastructure-led growth strategy, and why his Consensus Hong Kong panel promises "real talk only."
What to know:
- Tim Grant entered crypto in 2015 after early exposure to Ripple and Coinbase, drawn by blockchain’s ability to improve traditional finance rather than replace it.
- Deus X combines investing and operating to build regulated digital finance infrastructure across payments, prime services, and institutional DeFi.
- Grant will be speaking at Consensus Hong Kong in February.
Top Stories
