# Designed to Support Cosmos and Beyond Quicksilver is designed to be the **liquid staking standard** in the Cosmos ecosystem by emphasizing **decentralization**, **security**, and **community** at every level. Its unique mechanisms and modules protect assets, anchor the protocol in Inter-Blockchain Communication (**IBC**), and expand the possibilities of **DeFi** across interconnected chains. *** ### 1. Safe, On-Chain Deposits * **Native Chain Custody**\ When users liquid-stake assets through Quicksilver, their tokens never leave the **native chain**. Instead, the protocol utilizes **deposit accounts** on that chain, to which users send tokens **directly** from their personal wallets. * **Security & Sovereignty**\ Because assets remain on their origin network, users retain the robust security and governance guarantees of the native chain itself. Quicksilver’s mechanisms simply help transform staked assets into **liquid representations** (qAssets), without sacrificing sovereignty. *** ### 2. Staking Rewards Fees & Distribution * **Fees on Staking Rewards**\ Quicksilver charges a **staking reward fee** for maintaining and compounding user delegations, collected on an **epochly** basis (typically every 3 days). * **QCK Token Staker Incentives**\ The fees accrued from staking rewards are distributed to **QCK stakers**, incentivizing them to support the protocol and aligning the interests of the Quicksilver community. *** ### 3. Evolution from Airdrops to Participation Rewards * **Original Airdrop Intention**\ Initially, Quicksilver planned to **airdrop** tokens to users on all onboarded chains (a popular model in 2022). However, changing market conditions at launch made this approach less suitable. * **Expanded Participation Rewards**\ The protocol has since evolved to reward users for **holding and using qAssets**—an expanded participation mechanism that incentivizes active engagement within the Cosmos ecosystem, rather than simple snapshot-based airdrops. *** ### 4. Cross-Chain Smart Contracts * **CosmWasm Enablement**\ Quicksilver plans to enable **CosmWasm** in the future, inviting developers to build **cross-chain** DeFi applications on the Quicksilver Zone. * **Leveraging Unique Features**\ Builders can take advantage of Quicksilver’s implementations of **Interchain Accounts (ICA)**, **Interchain Queries (ICQ)**, and the evolving participation rewards module, creating an **interchain DeFi hub** powered by Quicksilver’s secure architecture. *** ### 5. Expanding Beyond Cosmos * **Support for Non-ICA Chains**\ Quicksilver is developing a trustless system to onboard **IBC-connected chains** that do not implement **Interchain Accounts (ICS27)**. This will open the door for **many more chains** beyond traditional Cosmos SDK networks. * **Larger Interchain Vision**\ By expanding its liquid staking services beyond the current IBC landscape, Quicksilver aims to **unify** DeFi liquidity and security across a broader range of blockchains. *** ### Conclusion With a focus on **safety**, **community-driven design**, and **cross-chain interoperability**, Quicksilver is set to become a **cornerstone** of the Cosmos ecosystem—offering robust liquid staking, fostering DeFi innovation, and pushing interchain boundaries for **years to come**. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.quicksilver.zone/protocol/designed-to-support-cosmos-and-beyond.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.