Crypto’s Decentralization Falls Apart at Interoperability: Casper CTO

Michael Steuer, CTO of Casper Network, contends that the promise of crypto decentralization is broken at the interoperability layer because moving value across blockchains is largely mediated by a small group of centralized intermediaries. He notes that current user experience forces users to manage complex infrastructure like bridge compatibility and fees, which is unacceptable for mass adoption. These interoperability solutions, often relying on bridges or messaging/verification systems like those from Chainlink, LayerZero, and Axelar, create central chokepoints that control cross-chain communication. This centralization, coupled with the technical fragmentation between blockchains, fuels cultural tribalism as users are forced to commit to specific ecosystems, making universal infrastructure design difficult and reinforcing the very centralized structures crypto sought to avoid.

(Source：Cointelegraph)