You don’t need to spend a long time in r/Cryptocurrency to see that the crypto space has a burgeoning problem with tribalism; a simple mention of EOS there and you’ll likely find yourself downvoted into oblivion. Dare to discuss positive news about one of your favourite projects and you’ll be accused of shilling. This abrasive approach within our crypto community is starkly ironic.

The same blockchain advocates who preach the good word of crypto–hoping for the coveted mass adoption that could finally get them to the Lambo dealership–will happily tear down other blockchain projects which they haven’t researched or invested in, usually based on hazy information.

As the proverb goes: “A rising tide lifts all boats.”

Mass adoption is a common goal for most cryptocurrency holders, and many experts share the belief that the success of blockchain technology will not rest on one blockchain alone. In order to fully infiltrate the mainstream tech industry, multiple blockchains will need to succeed in order to provide solutions to a range of different problems and propel blockchain to the forefront of technology.

But if a shared belief in the future of blockchain isn’t enough to put crypto rivalries aside, could a bridge between chains unify different coin communities and quell crypto tribalism?

Building Bridges

Could cross-chain bring unity to the blockchain space?

Cross-chain technology allows different blockchains to communicate and transact with one each other. Some projects and dApps have quickly identified the merit in easing the conversion of tokens between blockchains, and it makes sense too.

The more access people have to coins on different chains, the more likely they are to use and benefit from their dApp, whether it be a crypto exchange, messaging service or the hottest new game. By integrating cross-chain, you are inviting people who may have otherwise stuck to the same blockchain, whether it meets all of their needs or not.

A great example of this is BitPie’s integration with Dice (formerly known as BetDice). The popular EOS gambling dApp has added Bitpie’s cross-chain stablecoins to its platform, opening Dice up to a whole new demographic of Bitcoin users and multi-asset holders, who can deposit their EBTC, EETH, or EUSD, and also benefit from the fast, fee-less transactions of the EOS blockchain. EOSBet is also working on similar cross-chain elements.

The pioneering liquidity network, Bancor has also made developments in the cross-chain revolution by building a new network. BancorX launched in November 2018 and can process conversions quickly between ERC20 and EOS-based tokens.

BancorX allows conversions between ERC20 and EOS-based tokens

The current iteration of BancorX is just the MVP, and development team is still working on a much-anticipated unified wallet. Once complete, users will be able to convert tokens between the Ethereum and EOS blockchains in one single transaction, making the process even faster. This is a huge game changer for both blockchains and could encourage some serious growth for ETH and EOS. Bancor’s roadmap also shows plans to connect additional blockchains to their network in the near-future.

These are just some of the opportunities to bridge the gaps between blockchains. Many cryptocurrency projects are working on ways to collaborate and find common ground with other projects. This is refreshing and shows great foresight for the future as the mainstream success of one blockchain will undoubtedly pave the way for more to come.