Zero-knowledge interoperability protocol Union has officially launched its mainnet, aiming to reshape the future of cross-chain liquidity. Backed by veterans from ConsenSys, Tokensoft, Substrate, and Polygon, Union emerges from stealth with a robust foundation: $16 million in funding, active integrations with Bitcoin, and early traction across key blockchain networks.
Dubbed the “Blockchain of Blockchains,” Union is already processing trustless value transfers between Bitcoin and the wider multi-chain ecosystem. At launch, the protocol boasts over $48 million TVL and has processed more than 325 million transactions, signaling strong demand for decentralized interoperability infrastructure.
From Alpha to Mainnet: Powering the BTCfi Movement
Union has quietly become the backbone of the BTCfi ecosystem, powering 97% of all foreign TVL on Babylon, a leading Bitcoin staking protocol. During its alpha phase, Union routes facilitated over $145 million in asset transfers, including BTC LSTs and BABY tokens.
The transition to mainnet now unlocks broader capabilities—more blockchains, more applications, and significantly more users. The core protocol uses zero-knowledge proofs (zk) to ensure trustless, efficient, and scalable value flows across disparate networks.
“This launch is the culmination of three years of engineering and community effort,” mentioned Union CMO, Stephen Gee, in a post related to the mainnet launch. “But it’s only the beginning, he added.”
Union Token $U and Ecosystem Incentives Go Live
Alongside the mainnet launch, Union has introduced $U, the native token that underpins the network. $U serves multiple roles: gas token, security collateral for the L1, governance asset, and fee instrument in the Dynamic Fee Market.
Users who participated in the early U Drop can now claim their tokens, while others can soon join through upcoming incentive programs. The genesis staking vault is already live for pre-stakers, with Escher’s eU liquid staked Union token scheduled to launch in the coming weeks.
Union has earmarked an additional 8% of $U supply for future community incentives. Meanwhile, allocations to the DAO Treasury, Foundation, and Ecosystem Fund aim to accelerate growth across developer tooling, cross-chain identity, and community-led innovation.
Onboarding Crosschain Identity with “uname”
Union is also introducing uname, a decentralized identity service tied to its interoperability layer. Users who pre-staked during the U Drop will receive free uname domains and priority access. The project reflects Union’s broader ambition to bridge not just tokens—but user identity, governance, and compute—across chains.
“Union was created to solve the great unfinished challenge of blockchain interoperability,” Stephen noted. “The Union ecosystem will not rest until its mission is complete.”
What’s Next: Scaling the Multi-Chain Future
With the public mainnet now live, Union plans to expand to additional chains and applications. The roadmap includes deep integration with more BTCfi protocols, new token bridges, and ongoing enhancements to its zk-infrastructure.
As the multi-chain economy grows, Union aims to become the unifying layer—securing trustless interoperability between sovereign chains without sacrificing decentralization.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were researched, compiled, and drafted with the help of AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and adherence to our standards.
