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.
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:
Bank
"/cosmos.bank.v1beta1.MsgSend"
Distribution
"/cosmos.distribution.v1beta1.MsgSetWithdrawAddress""/cosmos.distribution.v1beta1.MsgWithdrawDelegatorReward"
Governance
"/cosmos.gov.v1beta1.MsgVote""/cosmos.gov.v1beta1.MsgVoteWeighted"
Staking
"/cosmos.staking.v1beta1.MsgDelegate""/cosmos.staking.v1beta1.MsgUndelegate""/cosmos.staking.v1beta1.MsgBeginRedelegate"
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.
Prerequisites for Onboarding
Active IBC Connection & ICS20 Channel
The chain must maintain a valid IBC connection with Quicksilver and have a recognized ICS20 token transfer channel established.
ICA Host Zone Configuration
The chain’s configuration must permit Quicksilver to open and control Interchain Accounts, with the msg types listed above enabled.
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
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
This thread remains open for 5 days to collect community feedback and technical input from the Quicksilver team.
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.
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.
Execution & Activation
Upon successful governance approval:
Zone Registration
Quicksilver registers the new zone, enabling deposit accounts and Interchain Accounts to manage staking operations (delegation, undelegation, reward claiming).
Verification & Testing
Quicksilver verifies the chain’s ICA capabilities and ensures all required msg types work correctly.
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.
Liquidity Unlock
Once confirmed, users from the newly onboarded chain can deposit their native tokens to Quicksilver, mint qAssets, and enjoy liquid staking benefits.
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.
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.
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