Per a recent announcement from Input Output, the Cardano blockchain is set to bring greater interoperability and secure cross-chain dApp development to its platform by introducing new built-in functions for ECDSA and Schnorr signatures in its smart contract programming language, Plutus.
The upcoming upgrade on the Cardano blockchain will bring new features to its smart contract programming language, Plutus. These new features will support ECDSA and Schnorr signatures, which are used by other blockchain networks such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.
This will make it easier for developers to build cross-chain applications and provide a higher level of security. Right now, Cardano uses a different type of signature called EdDSA, which is fast and secure, but it’s not compatible with ECDSA and Schnorr.
The new upgrade will also improve interoperability and make cross-chain dApp development more secure on Cardano. Developers would otherwise need to spend extra time, effort, and funds to implement ECDSA and Schnorr over the SECP elliptic curves in Plutus, increasing potential security risks and using unrealistic resources.
New Built-in Functions
The new built-in functions coming to Plutus will support these signatures to make it easier for developers to build cross-chain applications and provide the highest level of security. Preparations have been underway for some time across the Cardano ecosystem, with positive results from integration testing.
Per the announcement, the upgrade is close to being deployed on the Cardano mainnet, with over 80% of block-producing nodes running the required new node. Exchanges have already been notified of the upgrade, and dApp developers have been polled to ensure compatibility.
The upcoming upgrade of the Cardano blockchain will bring new built-in functions for ECDSA and Schnorr signatures in Plutus, making it easier for developers to build cross-chain apps and provide the highest level of security. The upgrade is tentatively proposed for February 14, 2023, and the ecosystem is ready for deployment.
