# Chain Onboardin

## Overview

**Quicksilver** can onboard any **IBC-enabled chain** that supports **Interchain Accounts (ICA)** as a **host zone**, granting token holders on that chain access to **liquid staking**. This onboarding process expands the Quicksilver ecosystem, allowing users to earn staking rewards while retaining the flexibility of **liquid** (or “tokenized”) representations of their staked assets.

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## Technical Requirements

To be recognized as a **host zone**, a chain must enable ICA and support the following **message types**, which Quicksilver needs to perform essential staking and delegation operations:

1. **Bank**
   * `"/cosmos.bank.v1beta1.MsgSend"`
2. **Distribution**
   * `"/cosmos.distribution.v1beta1.MsgSetWithdrawAddress"`
   * `"/cosmos.distribution.v1beta1.MsgWithdrawDelegatorReward"`
3. **Governance**
   * `"/cosmos.gov.v1beta1.MsgVote"`
   * `"/cosmos.gov.v1beta1.MsgVoteWeighted"`
4. **Staking**
   * `"/cosmos.staking.v1beta1.MsgDelegate"`
   * `"/cosmos.staking.v1beta1.MsgUndelegate"`
   * `"/cosmos.staking.v1beta1.MsgBeginRedelegate"`
5. **IBC Transfer**
   * `"/ibc.applications.transfer.v1.MsgTransfer"`

Enabling these message types ensures Quicksilver can **send**, **delegate**, **redelegate**, **claim rewards**, **vote**, and **transfer** tokens via ICA—covering the full lifecycle of liquid-staked tokens on the host zone.

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## Prerequisites for Onboarding

1. **Active IBC Connection & ICS20 Channel**
   * The chain must maintain a valid **IBC connection** with Quicksilver and have a recognized **ICS20** token transfer channel established.
2. **ICA Host Zone Configuration**
   * The chain’s configuration must permit Quicksilver to **open** and **control** Interchain Accounts, with the **msg types** listed above enabled.

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## Governance-Controlled Onboarding

Although Quicksilver’s architecture allows for **permissionless** onboarding of new chains, the **back-end integration** often involves technical collaboration to deliver a **seamless user experience**. Consequently, **QCK token holders** must **govern** and **approve** each new zone.

**Step-by-Step Onboarding Proposal**

1. **Signal Proposal on Commonwealth**
   * The requesting party (or a community member) creates a **discussion thread** on Quicksilver’s Commonwealth forum:\
     [**https://commonwealth.im/quicksilver-protocol/discussions**](https://commonwealth.im/quicksilver-protocol/discussions)
   * This thread remains open for **5 days** to collect **community feedback** and **technical input** from the Quicksilver team.
2. **On-Chain Governance Proposal**
   * After the **discussion period** ends, a formal **governance proposal** is posted on the Quicksilver chain.
   * The proposal must include **all necessary** technical details, such as chain ID, IBC connection/channel info, unbonding period, and other **host zone** configurations.
3. **Voting & Approval**
   * **QCK token holders** vote to **approve** or **reject** onboarding.
   * If the proposal **passes**, Quicksilver automatically initiates the **zone registration** process, configuring ICA controller accounts and ICS20 transfers for that chain.

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## Execution & Activation

Upon **successful** governance approval:

1. **Zone Registration**
   * Quicksilver **registers** the new zone, enabling deposit accounts and **Interchain Accounts** to manage staking operations (delegation, undelegation, reward claiming).
2. **Verification & Testing**
   * Quicksilver verifies the chain’s **ICA** capabilities and ensures all required **msg types** work correctly.
3. **Front End**
   * The Quicksilver team needs to update the front end with the required information in order to open deposits to the protocol's users.
4. **Liquidity Unlock**
   * Once confirmed, users from the newly onboarded chain can **deposit** their native tokens to Quicksilver, **mint qAssets**, and enjoy **liquid staking** benefits.

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## Benefits of Onboarding

* **Expanded DeFi Opportunities**\
  Users can **stake** their tokens while participating in DeFi across Cosmos, leveraging **qAssets** in DEXs, lending protocols, or yield aggregators.
* **Strengthened Security**\
  The onboarded chain potentially gains additional **stakers**, which can increase its overall **bonded ratio** and network resilience.
* **Community Growth**\
  More chains in Quicksilver’s ecosystem translate into **greater cross-chain liquidity** and a more vibrant, interconnected Cosmos network.

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## Key Takeaways

* **ICA Host Zone Support**: The target chain must **enable** Interchain Accounts with specific **msg types** to accommodate Quicksilver’s staking, distribution, governance, and IBC transfer operations.
* **Governance Process**: QCK token holders manage and **approve** zone onboarding. Interested parties or communities must **discuss** proposals on Commonwealth before finalizing an on-chain vote.
* **Technical Collaboration**: While the process is permissionless, close coordination with the Quicksilver team and the host chain developers helps ensure **smooth** integration.

By following this **Zone Onboarding Process**, Quicksilver remains a **secure**, **community-driven** protocol, continuously broadening the reach of **liquid staking** in the Cosmos ecosystem.