Imagine different islands, each with its own unique economy and currency. To trade with each other, these islands need bridges to connect them. In the world of blockchain, these islands are different blockchains, and the bridges are called cross-chain bridges. ## Why do we need cross-chain bridges? * Seamless Asset Movement: Just like you can move money between different bank accounts, cross-chain bridges allow you to move your digital assets (like cryptocurrencies or NFTs) between different blockchains. * Expanded Opportunities: By connecting different blockchains, you can access a wider range of financial services, decentralized applications (dApps), and investment opportunities. ## How do cross-chain bridges work? * Lock and Mint: When you want to move assets from one blockchain (let's call it Chain A) to another (Chain B), the bridge locks your assets on Chain A and mints a corresponding amount of wrapped assets on Chain B. * Transfer and Burn: You can then transfer these wrapped assets on Chain B. Once you're ready to move them back to Chain A, the bridge burns the wrapped assets on Chain B and releases your original assets on Chain A. ## Cross-Chain Bridging Solutions on Rootstock