Aragon to offer multichain governance for DAOs via LayerZero and zkSync integration

Aragon has introduced a multichain governance feature for decentralized autonomous organizations by integrating with the LayerZero interoperability protocol and the zkSync Layer 2 solution, facilitating asset and permission management across various Ethereum Virtual Machine-compatible chains.

The system is engineered to aggregate multichain governance activities through a singular mainnet DAO smart contract, making it possible to exercise control across a range of EVM chains.

Aragon’s OSx plugin, which is slated for release next year, will employ the zkSync Era rollup to enable voting that is both cost-efficient and secure, in conjunction with LayerZero’s cross-chain messaging capabilities. The mechanism’s code is currently undergoing security audits.

The goal is to empower DAOs to collectively make decisions using governance tokens on multiple chains via LayerZero’s Omnichain Fungible Token standard. This standard is integrated into the plugin to reinforce governance tokens, thereby allowing token holders to participate in zkSync voting processes, regardless of the original chain of the tokens.

The modular permission management system of Aragon OSx makes it possible to manage the granting and revocation of permissions to external contracts through a DAO contract. This system is designed to enable the execution of multi-chain actions proposed by the mainnet DAO. The plugin is expected to be adoptable for custom DAOs on Aragon OSx, with a projected availability on the no-code Aragon App in 2024.

The shift towards multichain DAO governance

While Ethereum-centric protocols have long engaged in multichain offerings, the majority of DAO operations have remained mainnet-focused. Nevertheless, a shift towards a more multichain-oriented approach in governance is becoming apparent.

It should be noted that Aragon’s LayerZero-dependent governance system is not a pioneer in the space. The “multi-messaging architecture” developed and proposed by interoperability protocols LiFi and Celer earlier this year, presented an alternative framework that facilitates synchronized governance voting across different blockchains.

This architecture, conceived to satisfy the governance demands of Uniswap which is active on multiple chains, is designed to act as a cross-chain messaging conduit for Uniswap’s deployments. Currently a proof of concept, the MMA aims to establish a consensus across Uniswap’s bridge networks to ensure the legitimacy of governance votes.