Update (July 26th, 2025) – Prop #1006 is onchain for voting
Vote here: Mintscan
Proposal #1005 failed due to clarity, $ATOM alignment, and cost issues. We’ve listened to community’s feedback and ICL’s vision, focusing on enterprise needs and $ATOM value.
Alignment with ICL Vision
- Businesses seek:
- Sovereignty: running their custom blockchains and e.g. not relying on Ethereum.
- Interoperability: Data/token exchange via IBC Eureka, routed through the Hub.
- Supports businesses, enhancing Stack adoption and $ATOM value per ICL’s vision.
For details check Cryptocito’s full interview with Mag here: https://x.com/Cryptocito/status/1945214389902029043
Here’s a technical web2/web3 analogy between Smart Contracts using IBC + Bridge and Web applications using TCP + HTML:
IBC Eureka + Bridge in Web3 is, simply said, like TCP + HTML in Web2: While IBC is the base layer connecting blockchains (like TCP links servers), our bridge adds an application layer for business data (like HTTP delivers web pages).
Our bridge, being built on top of IBC Eureka, transfers complex data (via NFTs) - including(!) ownership - between smart contracts or wallets across blockchains.
For example, a supply chain smart contract on custom Cosmos chain A could send an NFT with shipment metadata to a partner’s contract on a custom Cosmos chain B, ensuring secure, verifiable ownership transfer.
Asset Bridge Clarification
- NFTs - in general - is just a data store (e.g., IDs, certificates) for enterprises, customizable to their needs (e.g., a bank creating loan documents)
- Bridge uses CosmosEVM and IBC Eureka, 100% $ATOM-aligned via the Hub.
- EVM is key, paused on the Hub, but vital for business smart contracts and interoperability.
Project Scope
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Solidity ICS-721 Bridge Contract
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Front-end Toolkit for seamless transfers
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Ark runs CW-based bridges on Injective, Juno, Neutron, Osmosis, Stargaze, Terra; contributed to cw-ics721/cw-nfts.
Funding Request
-
Total: $90,000 USDC (shown in the spend proposal details as 90,000,000,000 IBC-wrapped uusdc).
-
Breakdown: Development: $90,000 (100%, includes $20k buffer e.g. due to possible breaking changes in CosmosEVM or other unforeseen issues).
-
Audits Excluded: $50,000 removed to reduce costs; audits will be deferred until pilot success.
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Operations Excluded: $60,000 removed; initial operations will be self-funded by Ark Protocol.
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Release: Three tranches upon dev start, testnet deployment, and mainnet launch.
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MVP: Targeted for Q3/Q4 2025, pending final CosmosEVM release.
Treasury and Oversight
Funds will be sent to and managed by Ark’s Oversight DAO here: DAO DAO
Ark Oversight DAO memebers with 3-signer threshold for approvals:
-
Sistla (OmniFlix):
cosmos1nqchg6qytz6mvq85r6adsuaghfwnczex9hs02m -
Zerk (Mad Scientists):
cosmos1pwha5a3hr55wmmur2d4fm0p8rf7q62wn2rvzw8 -
Johnny Wyles (Osmosis):
cosmos1dplx2zw3mjk5lam6fnv5q2yxldcshs3wh2rhh9 -
David Goose (Osmosis):
cosmos1ky9hyqhdxygkkyvjcdd76qceq7t9syy488rsjm -
Tatsen (Ark):
cosmos1trghmhd4d9qcf9d0lsyesxzj3aasqg9slykml5 -
Mr T (Ark):
cosmos1vtpt9kwjywm3xpake4v8sjmh2uxqq57h499qa5
Voting Optins:
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YES to push Cosmos’ stack adoption for enterprises.
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NO seeing no need for businesses exchanging data using bridge and bridging NFTs in general.
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Abstain: You wish to contribute to the quorum but formally decline to vote either for or against the proposal.
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No With Veto: your ‘No With Veto’ vote indicates us, Ark, either to be spam, irrelevant to the Cosmos Hub. If the number of ‘No With Veto’ votes is greater than a third of total votes, the proposal is rejected and the deposits are burned.
Update (July 19th, 2025) – Prop #1005 is onchain for voting
Vote here: #1005. Bridging Worlds: Empowering Cosmos with an Ethereum NFT Bridge
Update (July 17th, 2025) – Asteroid Inscriptions Cancellation
Asteroid inscriptions have been cancelled following Delphi Labs shifting focus away from Cosmos, compounded by ongoing delays and the sunsetting of support from AADAO and the Interchain Foundation.
Despite this, the community has already minted 60 000+ inscriptions and counts hundreds of active collectors. Our initial proposal aimed to make these inscriptions cross-chain NFT compatible - and, together with Ark’s forthcoming EVM-based NFT bridge, would enable all existing artwork inscriptions to be bridged or merged onto Ethereum. Once live, Asteroid users could claim their inscriptions on Ethereum Day 1, unlocking immediate liquidity and positioning themselves for potential airdrops or other incentives.
Dedicated Inscriptions Proposal (if there’s community interest)
- Development – $20 k
Wrap existing inscriptions into standard NFTs for cross-chain compatibility - Audit – $20 k
Security review of wrapping and bridge integration - Maintenance & Migration – $35 k
Migrate inscriptions to a new home (as initially approved by AADAO)
If you’d like to see a standalone Community Pool proposal for Asteroid inscriptions, let us know in the comments!
Update (July 16th, 2025)
TL;DR - What’s Changed?
- Cosmos Hub’s EVM module has been paused, but Interchain Foundation (ICF) continues to back EVM-based Cosmos chains and encourages cross-chain infrastructure that supports them.
- Asteroid Protocol’s grant has been sunset by AADAO due to ICF’s change of priorities.
- Ark Protocol has launched a beta of “Ark Passport”, a web3-native social platform combining wallets, posts, and utilities like giveaways, lotteries, and campaign tools - all built on Cosmos and soon going mobile.
Proposal Adjustment
Despite the pause of the Hub’s EVM module, EVM support remains a key priority for the broader Cosmos ecosystem. With Ethereum being the largest NFT ecosystem, building an EVM-compatible ICS-721 bridge still plays a vital role in linking Cosmos with global NFT liquidity and communities.
At the same time, Ark proposes a second initiative: expanding Ark Passport into a full-fledged Web3 Social Layer. This product is already live in beta (passport.arkprotocol.io) and will evolve into an interactive social platform natively tied to Cosmos chains and $ATOM.
New Community Pool Proposals
Ark will publish two separate CP proposals:
Proposal 1: EVM-Based NFT Bridge
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Development | $90k |
| Operations | $60k |
| Audits | $50k |
| Total | $200k |
Purpose: Build and operate a Solidity-based ICS721 contract connecting Cosmos Hub to Ethereum.
Proposal 2: Web3 Social Platform - Ark Passport
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Development | $50k |
| Operations | $0 (covered by Ark) |
| Audits | Excluded for now |
| Total | $50k |
Purpose: Support development of Ark Passport as a native, open-source social utility layer on Cosmos.
All revenue generated from Passport will be held or swapped into $ATOM to reinforce Hub-centric value accrual.
Milestones & Oversight
Payments for both proposals will follow a 3-stage milestone plan:
- Initial payment: development start
- Second payment: testnet deployment
- Final payment: mainnet deployment
Funds will be held in a 3/6 multisig and governed by trusted Cosmos contributors:
- Zerk (Mad Scientists)
- Sistla (OmniFlix / StreamSwap)
- David Goose & Johnny Wyles (Osmosis)
- Tatsen & Mr T (Ark Protocol)
Questions or Feedback?
We welcome any comments from the community and will update the proposals with your input. Our goal is to continue contributing high-impact utilities and public-good infrastructure to the Cosmos Hub.
Original Post:
Ark Protocol’s mission is to empower $ATOM and Cosmos Hub by providing cross-chain NFT and inscription utilities through our merger with Asteroid Protocol. We aim to connect communities, creators, and builders across Ethereum and Cosmos, fostering a vibrant, interoperable ecosystem.
We seek funding to build and operate an open-source EVM-based ICS721 bridge, provided as a public good, with two proposed implementation options, and to integrate Asteroid’s inscription technology for Cosmos Hub.
Currently, Ark Protocol and DAODAO are key contributors to Cosmos Hub. We believe that the more teams building on the Hub, such as Stargaze and BackBone Labs, the stronger the ecosystem becomes - potentially even attracting platforms like Magic Eden to Cosmos Hub!
Let’s open the floodgates to innovation and collaborate!
The following Cosmos contributors support Ark’s proposal and will serve as Oversight DAO Signers:
- Zerk (Mad Scientists)
- Sistla (OmniFlix and StreamSwap)
- David Goose & Johnny Wyles (Osmosis)
- Tatsen & Mr T (Ark Protocol)
Requested funds will be converted from $ATOM to USDC, held in a six‐signer multisig (3/6 threshold). Any unspent balance will be returned to the Community Pool.
AADAO has been a steadfast supporter of Ark and will continue its support on cross-chain NFT utilities, subject to the proposal’s approval.
About Ark Protocol
Ark Protocol, now merged with Asteroid Protocol, equips communities, creators, and builders with cross-chain NFT and inscription utilities across Cosmos and beyond.
- Founders: Lead devs & biz leads with 20+ years’ experience
- Core Contributions: cw-ics721 (cross-chain bridge) & cw-nfts v19 (dynamic, aka “genetic” NFTs)
- Bridge deployed on 7 chains so far: Cosmos Hub, Injective, Juno, Neutron, Osmosis, Stargaze, and Terra2
- Cross-Chain NFT and Inscription Utilities: bridge, launchpad, onchain utility contracts, and our upcoming marketplace
- Asteroid Inscriptions: A launchpad and marketplace on Cosmos Hub for BTC Ordinals-like inscriptions - immutable, inscribed on-chain transaction data representing fungible or non-fungible tokens, with plans for cross-chain interoperability in the future.
- Grant Supporters: Stargaze, AADAO, DoraHacks, Neutron & others
Proposal Summary
We seek funding for two options to build and operate an Ethereum ↔ Cosmos Hub NFT bridge using Cosmos Hub’s upcoming EVM module. Budgets are pessimistic estimates; any savings (e.g., cheaper audits) will be refunded.
| Category | Option A EVM ICS-721 Bridge |
Option B EVM ICS-721 Bridge + Inscriptions |
|---|---|---|
| Development | $90 k | $110 k |
| Operations | $60 k | $60 k |
| Audits | $50 k | $70 k |
| Inscriptions | $0 | $40 k |
| Total | $200 k | $240 k |
EVM Bridge Development
We will deliver audited Solidity contracts (“ICS-721 V2”) and a front-end for seamless NFT transfers between Ethereum and the Hub.
- Core Contracts: ERC-721-compliant bridge deployed on Ethereum & Cosmos Hub
- Frontend UI: abstracted mint/transfer interface across chains
- Buffer: $30 k optional for CosmosEVM compatibility, extending the CosmWasm bridge, unforeseen EVM breaking changes, and other contingencies
Operations & Support
Twelve months of infrastructure, monitoring, and DevOps ensure reliability and community trust.
- Initial Setup: $10 k for node deployments, relayers & monitoring (Akash or AWS or Google Cloud or mix of those)
- Ongoing DevOps: up to $5 k/month for operations & infra (max $60 k total)
Audits
Security is paramount; we’ll solicit at least two audit proposals and select one firm to review all new contracts.
- Budget: Up to $50 k (Option A) or $70 k (Option B)
- Oversight: Auditor selection by DAO signers
- Refunds: Any unused audit funds return to the Community Pool
Cross-Chain Inscriptions (Option B)
Building on Asteroid Protocol’s on-chain data layer, we’ll wrap memo-based inscriptions as ERC-721 tokens for true interop.
- Development: $20 k for inscription-wrapping contracts
- Audits: $20 k for dedicated security reviews
- Benefit: Immutable data storage with seamless cross-chain transfers
Why Approve?
Strengthening the Hub’s NFT ecosystem with open-source, community-governed tools benefits everyone.
- Proven Track Record: 40 000+ NFTs bridged across 7 chains since Oct 2023
- Public Good: ICS-721 bridge & cross-chain Launchpad boosting liquidity & UX
- Ecosystem Synergy: Empowers Stargaze, BackBone Labs, Mad Scientists, Architects, and more
Voting Options
- Yes: Approve funding Ark Protocol to build and operate the EVM bridge ( + inscriptions).
- No: Reject the request.
- Abstain: Count toward quorum without expressing support or opposition.
- NoWithVeto: Flags spam or governance violations; if > ⅓ of votes, proposal fails and deposit is burned.


