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.
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