Stellar Launches Cross-Chain Messaging With Ethereum Through VIA Labs

TLDR

• VIA Labs launched two-way cross-chain messaging between Stellar’s Soroban platform and Ethereum mainnet.
• Developers can use it for stablecoin transfers, tokenized assets and cross-chain smart contract actions.
• Transfers using the VIAT reference token finish in about one to three minutes.
• VIA is waiving its protocol fee on Stellar routes during the launch period.
• The news came during Stellar’s Meridian conference, alongside updates from Securitize and DTCC.

VIA Labs has launched cross-chain messaging between Stellar and Ethereum on mainnet. The new connection lets smart contracts on Stellar’s Soroban platform communicate with contracts on Ethereum.

The company announced the launch on October 28 at Stellar’s Meridian conference in Lisbon, Portugal. The event ran from October 28 to 29.

Messages can travel in both directions between the two networks. Separate versions are also available on each network’s test network.

How the Stellar and Ethereum Connection Works

Developers can use the system to move supported tokens, coordinate contract actions, and build apps for stablecoins or tokenized real-world assets. VIA Labs named cross-border stablecoin payments and automated contract execution as possible uses.

To show how transfers work, VIA Labs deployed a reference token called VIAT. It uses a burn-and-mint method to move tokens between chains.

When a user starts a transfer, the source contract burns the tokens. It then creates a message with the recipient’s address, the amount, and an optional memo.

VIA’s validators watch the source gateway and sign the message. A relayer then delivers it to the destination gateway, which checks the signatures and tells the token contract to mint the same amount.

The company says this keeps the total VIAT supply the same across both chains. Transfers usually finish in about one to three minutes.

Stellar uses seven decimal places for token amounts, while Ethereum uses 18. VIA’s client converts the amounts, so five VIAT sent from one network arrives as five VIAT on the other.

Fees, Security and Developer Tools

Users pay normal network fees, using Stellar’s native token on Stellar or gas on Ethereum. VIA is waiving its protocol fee on Stellar routes during the launch period, and its relayers cover costs on the receiving side.

People receiving tokens on Stellar need an existing funded account. VIA warns that tokens sent to an account that never existed on the network may be lost for good.

The deployment uses VIA’s VG1 smart contracts, which were audited by security firm Hashlock. Messages must come from contracts, not from regular wallet accounts.

For testing, VIA offers a faucet that gives out 100 VIAT per request on Stellar testnet and Ethereum Sepolia. Developers must update testnet addresses after Stellar’s quarterly testnet resets.

The launch follows Stellar’s September rollout of USDT0, which connected the network to Tether-backed stablecoin transfers through LayerZero. That service focuses on USDT liquidity, while VIA’s system supports general contract messaging.

On October 28, Securitize said it plans to add Stellar as its 17th supported blockchain for regulated assets. Securitize works with firms including BlackRock, Apollo and Hamilton Lane.

DTCC also discussed its planned Stellar integration for tokenized securities during Meridian. The company recently launched its tokenization service with 20 institutions and is targeting a public network rollout in 2027.

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