Axelar
AuditedVerifiedAxelar is a Proof-of-Stake Cosmos-SDK Layer-1 plus on-chain Gateway contracts that route general message passing (GMP) and canonical token transfers across 80+ EVM and non-EVM chains.
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The Problem
Heterogeneous blockchains (EVM, Cosmos, Solana, XRPL, Stellar, etc.) cannot natively call each other's smart contracts or move assets; existing bridges trade off security, chain coverage, or developer ergonomics.
The Solution
Axelar runs a dedicated Cosmos-SDK Layer-1 with 75 PoS validators that observe connected chains and produce threshold signatures over cross-chain payloads. Gateway contracts on every chain verify those signatures and either mint canonical tokens or execute arbitrary contract calls (GMP).
Why it Matters
One of three category-defining interop protocols (alongside Wormhole and LayerZero) — uniquely combines its own validator-secured L1, the Interchain Token Service standard, and the Interchain Amplifier permissionless chain-connection model. Powers Uniswap cross-chain governance, Squid Router, and institutional integrations.
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View allFrequently asked questions about Axelar
What is Axelar?+
Axelar is a Bridge protocol operating on Ethereum, BSC, Polygon, Avalanche, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Linea, Scroll, Mantle, Fantom, Celo, Moonbeam, Kava, Filecoin, Sui, Solana, Stellar, XRPL, Stacks, Hedera, MultiversX, Aurora, Blast, Fraxtal. Axelar is a Proof-of-Stake Cosmos-SDK Layer-1 plus on-chain Gateway contracts that route general message passing (GMP) and canonical token transfers across 80+ EVM and non-EVM chains.
How does Axelar work?+
Axelar runs a dedicated Cosmos-SDK Layer-1 with 75 PoS validators that observe connected chains and produce threshold signatures over cross-chain payloads. Gateway contracts on every chain verify those signatures and either mint canonical tokens or execute arbitrary contract calls (GMP).
Is Axelar safe?+
DeFi Sentinel rates Axelar AA with a safety score of 84/100, indicating very low risk. The score reflects five risk dimensions: smart contract & technical risk, economic design & market risk, governance & centralization, sustainability & competitive position, and reputation & social trust. Axelar has 11 audits on record. DeFi Sentinel's analysis flagged 4 medium, 5 low risk alerts across Smart Contract & Technical Risk, Economic Design & Market Risk, Governance & Centralization, Sustainability & Competitive Position and Reputation & Social Trust. As with all DeFi protocols, residual risk remains and users should review the full risk breakdown before depositing.
What is the safety score of Axelar?+
Axelar has a DeFi Sentinel safety score of 84/100 (rating AA), last updated May 21, 2026. The score is computed across smart contract & technical risk (30%), economic design & market risk (25%), governance & centralization (20%), sustainability & competitive position (15%), and reputation & social trust (10%).
Which chains does Axelar support?+
Axelar is deployed on Ethereum, BSC, Polygon, Avalanche, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Linea, Scroll, Mantle, Fantom, Celo, Moonbeam, Kava, Filecoin, Sui, Solana, Stellar, XRPL, Stacks, Hedera, MultiversX, Aurora, Blast, Fraxtal.
Has Axelar been audited?+
Yes. Axelar has 11 audit reports on record from firms including Ackee Blockchain, Code4rena, NCC Group. Audit reports and dates are linked under the Resources tab on this page.