Cosmos Ecosystem Advances with Open-Sourcing of evmOS

The Interchain Foundation (ICF), the steward of the cosmos ecosystem and its Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol, has officially funded the open-sourcing of evmOS, a pioneering Ethereum-compatible Layer 1 solution. This development allows developers to build EVM-powered blockchains using the Cosmos SDK, marking a significant milestone in advancing Cosmos’s functionality for Ethereum-native users, protocols, and infrastructure providers. EvmOS is recognized as the most feature-rich and performant EVM solution for Layer 1 protocols.

Under the Apache 2.0 license, evmOS will be made open-source. The ICF will create a fork of this technology, renamed to Cosmos EVM, to continue its development as part of the Interchain Stack through the Interchain Labs (ICL) team. This initiative specifically pertains to the ‘OS’ repository, while other Evmos-related libraries and the Evmos blockchain itself remain independent and are not included in this effort.

Federico Kunze Küllmer, co-founder of Evmos and a core contributor to the evmOS codebase, will transition away from his role as an Evmos contributor. He will advise and provide guidance on Cosmos EVM regarding Ethereum interoperability, modular blockchain architecture, and its roadmap within the long-term vision of the Cosmos ecosystem. Kunze Küllmer expressed his pride in the impact of evmOS on the EVM ecosystem within Cosmos and his excitement about the ICF’s support for this initiative. He looks forward to contributing to this next phase in a strategic advisory role.

Barry Plunkett, Co-CEO of Interchain Labs, highlighted that evmOS has successfully merged the best of the Cosmos SDK as a blockchain-building framework with EVM. This integration allows for support of EVM as a virtual machine, seamless user experiences with Ethereum wallets on Cosmos and EVM chains, and the extensibility of EVM itself through in-protocol customization that only the Cosmos SDK can allow.

Under its new open-source provenance, the ICF will integrate Cosmos EVM further into Cosmos’ Interchain Stack, enhancing its role as the canonical EVM solution for Cosmos chains. The ICF and its subsidiary, Interchain Labs, will become the main steward and contributor of the software, ensuring its ongoing development and integration within the broader Cosmos ecosystem. This acquisition aligns with ICF’s broader mission of fostering permissionless innovation, seamless cross-chain communication, and building the best platform and tools for world-scale application builders.

Josh Cincinnati, president of the ICF’s Foundation Council, expressed excitement about supporting the continued evolution of evmOS under the Interchain Foundation umbrella. He acknowledged Federico Kunze Küllmer’s leadership and technical expertise in shaping Ethermint and then evmOS into the best solution for proof-of-stake networks. Cincinnati also noted the continued strategic insights from Kunze Küllmer.

The evmOS roadmap, now rebranded as Cosmos EVM, remains focused on its core objective of strengthening the EVM ecosystem while ensuring seamless Ethereum compatibility within the Cosmos network. The Interchain Foundation (ICF) and Interchain GmbH (ICL) will collaborate closely with evmOS projects to facilitate a smooth transition during upcoming network upgrades.