Wormhole bridge
Overview
Wormhole is a decentralized cross-chain messaging protocol that enables data and asset transfers between multiple blockchains. It is used for bridging tokens, NFTs, and arbitrary data across networks such as Ethereum, Solana, and others. The protocol relies on a network of node operators called Guardians to verify and relay messages. In February 2022 an attacker exploited a signature-verification flaw in Wormhole's Solana–Ethereum bridge to mint roughly 120,000 wrapped ETH (about $320M); Jump Crypto, which originally built the protocol, replaced the funds to keep the bridge solvent.
Within the DeFi Intel graph, Wormhole connects to 3 tracked entities, most strongly to W, Jump Crypto, Wormhole Bridge Exploit.
Relations
Top connections in the DeFi Intel knowledge graph (confidence-weighted, 3 of 3 total).
| Relation | Connected entity | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
supports_token | W | 90% |
built_by | Jump Crypto | 85% |
affected_by | Wormhole Bridge Exploit | 85% |
In-depth guides on Wormhole
Frequently asked questions
What is Wormhole?
Wormhole is a cross-chain messaging protocol that allows different blockchains to communicate, enabling token and data transfers between them.
How does Wormhole achieve cross-chain communication?
Wormhole uses a set of validators (Guardians) who observe events on source chains, sign attestations, and submit them to target chains to execute the corresponding action.
What are the security risks of Wormhole?
Security risks include potential compromise of Guardian nodes and smart contract vulnerabilities on connected chains, which could result in loss of bridged funds. In February 2022 Wormhole suffered one of DeFi's largest exploits when an attacker minted about 120,000 wrapped ETH (~$320M) via a signature-verification bug; Jump Crypto replaced the stolen funds.
What is Wormhole connected to?
In the DeFi Intel knowledge graph, Wormhole is linked to 3 other tracked entities, most strongly to W, Jump Crypto, Wormhole Bridge Exploit.
Live news feed, full graph, and search.