6 min readThe beginnings of Cosmos
Cosmos is often described as the “internet of blockchains.” Its main network, the Cosmos Hub, went live in March 2019 and was built by Tendermint Inc. (now called Ignite) and the Interchain Foundation (ICF). Cosmos’ founders, Jae Kwon, Zarko Milosevic and Ethan Buchman, envisioned a network that would address the lack of interoperability between blockchains.The Hub’s purpose is to serve as a template for launching customizable blockchains (“zones”) that can communicate via the Inter‑Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol. This design gives developers a way to build specialized networks, such as those for decentralized exchanges or non‑fungible‑token marketplaces, while still connecting to a wider ecosystem.
In December 2024, the ICF acquired Skip and created Interchain Inc., bringing product development and strategy under one roof. This centralization aims to resolve fragmentation and liquidity problems that had plagued the ecosystem.
Key technical features
Each “zone” built with the Cosmos SDK is sovereign but can interoperate through the Inter‑Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol. By connecting otherwise isolated chains, Cosmos reduces congestion on monolithic networks and enables developers to build specialized chains for DeFi, gaming, infrastructure or enterprise use cases. Over 100 independent blockchains now operate within the “Interchain
The Hub uses a proof‑of‑stake consensus called CometBFT (formerly Tendermint) and acts as a template for creating application‑specific blockchains. Cosmos’ architecture combines fast consensus, modularity and cross‑chain security. CometBFT consensus allows validators to reach agreement with instant finality and high throughput, while the Cosmos SDK lets developers plug in modules for governance, staking and accounts.Governance and funding are therefore decentralized: the Swiss‑based ICF oversees long‑term research and grants, while multiple independent teams, including Ignite, Informal Systems, Binary Builders, Strangelove and Atom Accelerator DAO, maintain software and develop new features.
Cross‑chain connectivity continues to advance. A forthcoming upgrade called IBC Eureka (IBC v2) promises a significant performance boost and simpler integration with non‑Cosmos chains such as Ethereum, EVM roll‑ups (Base, Ink, Soneium…) and Solana. Eureka also aims to reduce onboarding time for new chains and enable the Hub to act as a “cross‑chain liquidity router” . These innovations, combined with canonical EVM support, make Cosmos one of the most modular and interoperable base‑layer architectures.
Network performance
Because Cosmos is a network of independent app‑chains, throughput and latency vary by chain. CometBFT provides fast block times and near‑instant finality, and the Stargate upgrade’s new serialization improved efficiency across all chains.
However, real‑world performance depends on validator hardware and network conditions. In June 2024, a bug in the Hub’s V17 upgrade halted block production; developers fixed the issue and restarted the network within hours, illustrating both resilience and the risk of complex upgrades. The Interchain Inc. roadmap suggests that the upcoming Cosmos SDK overhaul will improve throughput by an order of magnitude.
Precise TPS figures cannot be determined because each zone has different parameters, but the Cosmos architecture prioritizes instant finality and modular scalability over raw transactions per second (TPS).
What is ATOM For?
ATOM is the native token of the Cosmos Hub. It serves several purposes:
Transaction fees: users pay ATOM to process transactions and interact with Hub services .
Staking and security: validators stake ATOM to secure the Hub; delegators can delegate ATOM to validators and earn rewards. Under Interchain Security, ATOM stakers also earn a share of fees from consumer chains.
Governance: holders vote on protocol upgrades, parameter changes and treasury spending .
Collateral and cross‑chain uses: some app‑chains accept ATOM as collateral or gas; plans for a Hub‑based EVM would use ATOM as the gas token if adopted . Enterprise chains may also require ATOM staking depending on their security model.
ATOM’s supply schedule and role are subject to governance proposals. The 2022 “Hub 2.0” white paper proposed aligning ATOM issuance with the demand for security services across the Interchain, but implementation remains contentious. The 2024 acquisition of Skip and creation of Interchain Inc. seek to monetize Hub services through routing fees and institutional partnerships.
Ecosystem and use cases
More than one hundred independent blockchains now operate within the “Interchain” and exchange value through IBC, media Blockworks reported in December 2024.
Cosmos hosts a wide variety of specialised blockchains and has grown particularly strong in decentralized finance and cross‑chain infrastructure. The decentralized exchange Osmosis acts as a liquidity hub and enables trustless trades between different IBC‑enabled tokens. In early 2024, the Picasso Network connected Ethereum to Cosmos via IBC, allowing Ethereum tokens to move directly into Cosmos chains. Noble, an app‑chain built on the SDK, issues native USDC and recently partnered with Frax Finance to bring FRAX and sFRAX (a staked version of FRAX) stablecoins to the ecosystem. Integrating FRAX and sFRAX into Cosmos allows DeFi users to hold a dollar‑pegged asset or its interest‑bearing counterpart while transacting across the Interchain.
Cosmos is also attracting large DeFi protocols: dYdX moved its order‑book perpetuals exchange to its own Cosmos chain and integrated liquid staking early in 2024, and Injective specializes in derivatives trading. On the infrastructure side, Helium ported its decentralized wireless network to Solana rather than Cosmos, but other decentralized infrastructure projects, such as Akash (cloud computing) and Celestia (data availability), remain closely related to the Cosmos ecosystem. The environment also plans to tokenize real‑world assets through institutional partners; Interchain Inc. disclosed that Japanese banks are testing Cosmos and IBC for data transfers that use the SWIFT system
Cosmos’s advantages (interoperability, low fees, and strong security) are well established. Yet the proliferation of specialized blockchains hasn’t translated into obvious economic benefits for the main hub. In July 2025, Interchain Labs chose not to launch a Hub‑native EVM and instead refocused on serving sovereign L1s and institutional chains, noting that resources were stretched and the market for another general‑purpose smart‑contract platform was fragmenting. This pivot underscores Cosmos’s renewed emphasis on providing infrastructure and routing services rather than competing directly with other layer‑1 networks.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Cosmos’ modular architecture offers several advantages. IBC and the Cosmos SDK allow developers to build sovereign blockchains that interoperate seamlessly. Fast finality and consensus make transactions feel near‑instant, and shared security options let new chains bootstrap quickly. The ecosystem is growing, with more than one hundred chains using Cosmos technology and institutional interest rising through stablecoin issuances and cross‑chain integrations .
Cons:
The sovereignty of app‑chains scatters liquidity and user bases; bridging between chains can be complex, and Interchain Inc. has called this a “liquidity crisis”. Frequent pivots, such as the July 2025 decision to abandon a Hub‑native EVM, can create uncertainty for developers. The complexity of IBC and Interchain Security introduces security risks: a critical IBC vulnerability discovered in April 2024 could have allowed infinite token redemptions, though it was patched before exploitation. Upgrades occasionally cause downtime, as seen with the halt in June 2024. Like other crypto assets, ATOM is subject to price volatility.
Strategic considerations
For investors, ATOM offers exposure to the growth of cross‑chain infrastructure and DeFi. Returns come from staking rewards and potential appreciation as the Hub’s services gain demand. However, success depends on continued adoption of IBC, effective governance of token issuance and security upgrades, and the ecosystem’s ability to overcome fragmentation and host consumer-grade applications.
