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Integrating a New Chain with RosenBridge#

RosenBridge can extend to any blockchain that supports multisignature or threshold signature schemes. This page outlines the required components and high-level steps to add a new network.

See also: Watcher, Rosen Guards, background: Multisig, Threshold Signatures, flows: Token Transfer Flows

Components Required#

  • Watchers
    • Purpose: Monitor the network’s multisignature/threshold wallet for incoming payments and events.
    • Responsibilities: Detect deposits, fetch transaction details and confirmations, create event boxes on Ergo, and participate in Watcher consensus.
  • Guardian Wallets
    • New Wallet Setup: Establish a Guard-controlled multisig/threshold wallet on the new chain.
    • Security: Keys/shares are held by Guards; watchers do not hold spend keys.
    • Policy: Follow m-of-n or threshold policy aligned with Rosen security standards.
  • Transaction Verification Mechanism (Guards)
    • Guard Verification: Each Guard must be able to independently verify cross-chain events (confirmations, amounts, destination metadata).
    • Signing: Guards sign chain-specific transactions (target chain or Ergo) only after verification and Watcher consensus.
  • Bank Boxes on Ergo
    • Infrastructure: Configure required Bank boxes on Ergo to support inbound/outbound flows for assets related to the new chain.
    • Flows: Ensure mint/burn paths are correctly wired in accordance with Token Transfer Flows.

High-Level Onboarding Steps#

1) Prepare Guard Wallets - Generate/import keys for a multisig/threshold wallet on the new chain. - Define m-of-n parameters and operational runbooks (key backups, rotation).

2) Implement/Configure Watchers - Extend existing Watcher to support the new chain’s RPC/explorer interfaces. - Implement chain-specific parsing (addresses, tx formats), event detection, and confirmation logic. - Ensure Watcher produces correct event boxes with required metadata.

3) Define Verification Rules - Specify Guard-side validation: required confirmations, fee policies, minimum amounts, metadata fields. - Implement chain-specific transaction builders and signature collection for Guards.

4) Set Up Ergo Bank Boxes - Create/configure Bank boxes for new chain assets on Ergo. - Verify mint/burn paths and asset maps for representative tokens (rTokens).

5) Test End-to-End - Dry-run: Lock on the new chain ➜ event boxes ➜ Guard verification ➜ mint rTokens on Ergo. - Reverse: Burn rTokens on Ergo ➜ event boxes ➜ Guard verification ➜ unlock on the new chain. - Measure latency and ensure confirmation thresholds and fee policies are correct.

6) Operationalize - Document operational procedures (failover, incident response, monitoring). - Add metrics/alerts for Watchers and Guards across both chains. - Periodically review thresholds, fees, and dust policies.

Notes and Best Practices#

  • Ergo-Centric Consensus
    • Keep core consensus and audit trails on Ergo.
    • Avoid external chain smart contracts unless strictly necessary.
  • Confirmation Policies
    • Choose conservative confirmation thresholds on both chains to avoid forks and reorgs.
  • Security Separation
    • Watchers are open participation and keyless.
    • Guards are permissioned and hold signing authority under strict policy.
  • Iterative Rollout
    • Start with lower-value caps, increase after observing production stability.

For background on roles and assumptions, see: - Concepts & Assumptions - Rosen Guards - Watcher