# 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.

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### 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.

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### 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.

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### 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.

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### 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.

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### 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.

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### 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**.