Skip to content

Introduction

This documentation provides a technical overview of Magi (Virtual Smart Chain), a decentralized protocol for cross-chain asset custody and swaps, settlement, and smart contract execution. Magi connects EVM and non-EVM chains through validator-managed vaults and a unified stablecoin-based routing system using HBD. Magi enables feeless transactions, native asset support, and composable cross-chain logic in a single trust-minimized environment.

Built as a high-performance, feeless settlement layer, Magi leverages WebAssembly smart contracts, BLS threshold-signature consensus, validator-managed vaults, zero-knowledge proofs (currently for Ethereum, with broader use planned), and a collateral-backed native asset model that reduces liquidity fragmentation across ecosystems.

All swaps are routed through a single base asset, a stablecoin, HBD (Hive Backed Dollars). Using HBD exposes LPs only to 1-sided volatility which makes liquidity provision on Magi more predictable and efficient for both institutional and retail participants.

Unlike other cross-chain protocols limited to basic swap mechanics, Magi supports smart contract execution, allowing developers to build composable, cross-chain, decentralized applications within the protocol itself.

  • Native Multi-Chain Asset Support

Assets from supported blockchains (Bitcoin and Ethereum on mainnet today; Litecoin, Dash, and Solana planned) are deposited directly into on-chain vaults secured by Magi validators. These validators are required to stake Hive as economic collateral, ensuring security and accountability.

  • Smart Contracts via WebAssembly (WASM)

Developers can build powerful on-chain logic using WASM-based contracts, with native access to assets from multiple chains.

  • Validator Observation & Zero-Knowledge Proofs

Validators observe each external chain by running native clients (e.g. bitcoind for Bitcoin, geth for Ethereum) and reach BLS-signed consensus on chain state. Zero-knowledge proofs are currently used for Ethereum validation (via the SP1-Helios light client), with broader ZK use planned for other chains.

  • Universal Wallet Interoperability

Users can interact with the protocol using wallets from any supported blockchain, removing the need to manage multiple accounts or formats.

  • Human-Centric Identity Layer

Through native Hive integration, users benefit from readable usernames, account abstraction, social login, enabling Web2 simplicity without sacrificing decentralization.

Magi introduces several novel architectural components to address common limitations in existing cross-chain protocols in order to deliver a unified, scalable, and developer-friendly ecosystem. These innovations address long-standing limitations in interoperability, user experience, and liquidity fragmentation. These components aim to simplify development and improve the user experience in multi-chain environments.

  • Native Asset Mapping

Magi enables assets from different blockchains to be securely locked on their native chains and mapped to Magi-connected addresses. Today this covers BTC and ETH (with LTC, DASH, and SOL support planned), plus Hive as the L1. For example: this allows Ethereum wallet addresses to hold native Bitcoin (BTC) and vice versa, all while leveraging Magi’s decentralized validator network for seamless cross-chain interoperability.

  • Feeless In-Protocol Transactions

Magi eliminates gas fees for users by utilizing Hive’s resource credit model. These credits regenerate over time and are consumed when a user performs on-chain actions like transferring tokens, interacting with smart contracts, or signing transactions.This system enables truly feeless interactions, making Magi uniquely positioned to offer a gasless experience, ideal for onboarding mainstream users and scaling usage without friction.

  • Stablecoin (HBD) as the Base Asset in All Pairs

Liquidity pools on Magi pair every asset against HBD, an algorithmic stablecoin with a decade-long track record of uptime and stability. This standardizes routing paths and simplifies liquidity provisioning across assets and chains while preventing volatility shocks and requiring exposure to a secondary volatile asset.