Across Protocol (ACX)

Cross-Chain Asset Transfers

Across Protocol enables fast, cheap, and secure bridging of assets like ETH, USDC, WBTC, and USDT between Ethereum and Layer 2 networks or other blockchains. It uses a unique intent-based system that allows users to move tokens quickly without locking funds in wrapped tokens, improving capital efficiency with a single liquidity pool.

Developer Integration and dApps

Developers can embed standard orders in protocol actions to create seamless cross-chain experiences. This allows building cross-chain decentralized applications (dApps) that operate smoothly across multiple blockchains, enabling use cases like cross-chain token swaps, staking, minting, and more.

Governance and Token Utility

The ACX token is used for governance, allowing holders to vote on protocol upgrades, fee structures, and treasury management. It also offers staking rewards, fee discounts, and serves as an economic security mechanism to protect the protocol from malicious behavior.

Security and Dispute Resolution

Across Protocol leverages UMA’s optimistic oracle to verify transactions optimistically and resolve disputes efficiently. This system ensures that user funds are secure and that relayers are incentivized to act honestly, maintaining a trust-minimized and decentralized environment.

Capital Efficiency and User Experience

By using a single liquidity pool and bonded relayers, Across Protocol reduces liquidity fragmentation and offers near-instant transaction fills with low fees. Its intent-centric design abstracts complex cross-chain interactions, making it easier and more intuitive for users to perform actions like swapping tokens or depositing assets across chains.

Pros

• Across Protocol offers fast, cheap, and secure cross-chain bridging for tokens like ETH, WBTC, USDC, and USDT.
• It uses an innovative intent-based system that connects users directly to decentralized apps, improving user experience.
• The protocol features a single liquidity pool and a competitive relayer network, reducing slippage and lowering fees to as low as 0.05%.
• It supports near-instant transfers with fees between 0.06% and 0.12%, especially efficient for Layer 2 to Layer 1 transfers.
• Across Protocol is secured by UMA’s optimistic oracle and has been audited by OpenZeppelin, ensuring robustness.
• The platform has processed over $28 billion in volume with no exploits since launch.
• It supports multiple EVM-compatible chains and is expanding to non-EVM chains using zero-knowledge proofs.
• The ACX token governs the protocol, allowing holders to vote on upgrades and manage the treasury.
• It has strong partnerships with major DeFi protocols and Layer 2 solutions, enhancing interoperability.
• Users can stake ACX tokens to earn rewards, with increased APYs and multipliers for longer staking periods.

Cons

• Across Protocol is currently limited mainly to EVM-compatible chains, with broader non-EVM support still developing.
• Recent governance concerns arose from allegations of team members transferring $23 million worth of ACX tokens to a private company, raising transparency questions.
• The ACX token price has shown some underperformance compared to the overall crypto market and similar Polygon ecosystem tokens.
• The protocol depends on UMA’s optimistic oracle, meaning users rely on this third-party for economic security.
• While fees are low, they are not zero, and some users may find the fee structure complex due to relayer involvement.
• The protocol’s complexity and new paradigm may require users and developers to adapt to the intent-based model, which differs from traditional bridges.

Founders

Across Protocol was co-founded by Hart Lambur, Allison Lu, and Matthew Rice. Hart Lambur is often highlighted as a key co-founder and has a background as a bond trader at Goldman Sachs.

Team Roles

• Hart Lambur: Co-Founder
• Allison Lu: Co-Founder
• Matthew Rice: Co-Founder
• Melissa Quinn: CTO

These individuals are recognized as the main founders and core team members behind Across Protocol.

Lead Investors

Paradigm led the $41 million token sale round for Across Protocol. Other key investors in this round include Bain Capital Crypto, Coinbase Ventures, Multicoin Capital, and angel investor Sina Habinian.

Strategic Investors

Earlier, Across Protocol raised $10 million in a private token sale with strategic investments from Hack VC, Placeholder, and Blockchain Capital. These investors acquired tokens with lockup agreements and call options to align incentives with the project's success.

Other Investors

Across Protocol has a total of 8 investors involved in its funding rounds. Besides the lead and strategic investors, there are additional investors holding ACX tokens under lockup agreements, contributing to the project's growth and development.

Summary

Across Protocol's investors include Paradigm, Bain Capital Crypto, Coinbase Ventures, Multicoin Capital, Sina Habinian, Hack VC, Placeholder, Blockchain Capital, and other private investors.

Halal Status of Across Protocol

Across Protocol is a blockchain interoperability and cross-chain bridge protocol designed for fast, secure, and cost-efficient asset transfers between Ethereum and Layer 2 chains. It focuses on technical features like intents-based architecture and decoupling asset movement from message verification.

Halal Considerations

• Halal compliance generally involves avoiding prohibited elements such as riba (interest), gambling, and haram substances.
• Halal certification in crypto often assesses whether the token or protocol involves interest, gambling, or unethical practices.
• Across Protocol is a technical infrastructure for asset transfers and does not inherently involve interest, gambling, or haram substances.
• There is no specific halal certification or review information available for Across Protocol.
• Halal crypto projects are typically reviewed by scholars or halal advisory boards to confirm compliance with Islamic principles.

Conclusion

No explicit halal certification or ruling is available for Across Protocol. Based on its nature as a cross-chain bridge without involvement in interest or gambling, it is generally considered halal. However, individual use and associated tokens should be evaluated for compliance with Islamic finance principles.

Answer: Yes, Across Protocol is halal because it functions as a technical bridge without involving prohibited elements like interest or gambling.