In brief

  • The new ERC-7930 standard gives computers a standardized format, while ERC-7828 creates human-readable addresses.
  • These standards prevent costly errors when sending assets between different networks.
  • Implementation is expected in wallets and cross-chain protocols after it's finalized on May 9th.

Developers working on Ethereum are about to finalize two complementary standards that could solve one of the network's persistent user experience problems: how to clearly point to addresses across different chains.

"Users and apps need ways to unambiguously refer to an address on a specific chain," Wonderland, a multi-protocol team contributing to Ethereum and other decentralized networks, explained.

Right now, "there's no standard way for wallets, apps, or protocols to interpret or display this information," it added in a tweet thread.

Wonderland presented their work on ERC-7828 and ERC-7930 on Wednesday's Ethereum L2 Interop Working Group call, detailing how these "interoperable addresses" will improve cross-chain interactions.

The two standards help reduce confusion about addresses between different chains. They use a simple format and an easy-to-understand naming system.

Simpler cross-chain transactions

For everyday users, these standards promise simpler, safer cross-chain transactions.

Instead of managing complex addresses across multiple networks, users can see human-readable names, making it easier for them to interact across a sprawling ecosystem of networks and sidechains.

“The idea is for this to serve the needs of two groups of people," Wonderland's pseudonymous developer, Teddy, explained on the call.

ERC-7930 gives computers a standardized format to identify exactly which network an address belongs to.

ERC-7828, meanwhile, makes addresses human-readable: something like "readonly@decrypt.this," instead of a long string of letters and numbers, making addresses easily recognizable by chain.

This approach addresses a pain point. Users often switch between wallets and networks, making it easy to send money to the right address but on the wrong network, which can result in losses.

"On a fundamental level this is very simple. This is just 'okay people know about addresses' and we have to also strap a chain ID on top of that, so people know where that address actually lives," Teddy explained.

With finalization targeted for May 9th, the standards will soon be available for implementation in wallets, block explorers, and cross-chain messaging protocols.

The Wonderland team is calling for final community feedback through Ethereum Magicians forum threads before the standards reach final call status.

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