Investing.com - Unique Network is opening up the first developer environment for testing Cross-Chain NFT transfers (NFT XCM) within the Polkadot ecosystem.
Developers and parachains can now test the functionality, which allows NFTs to move between networks, starting with Asset Hub and Unique Network.
Polkadot is advancing towards its Agile Coretime framework by enabling permissionless channel openings between system chains like Asset Hub, skipping the need for approval via Polkadot's OpenGov.
Polkadot's HRMP (Horizontal Relay-routed Message Passing) channels, which currently serve as the primary message transport protocol by passing all messages through the Relay Chain, are soon to be phased out in favor of the more efficient XCMP (Cross-Chain Message Passing) system.
The concept of NFT XCM is to simplify the transfer of NFTs between different parachains, giving developers and creators more flexibility. The focus now is on simplifying the fragmented NFT ecosystem, helping to streamline NFT usage across Polkadot's many networks.
“As we advance NFT XCM technical capabilities, it’s critical to address the complexity and fragmentation within the ecosystem. We are now working on organizational bridges and aligning leadership across all NFT blockchains in Polkadot,” said Charu Sethi, chief marketing officer at Unique Network.
CEO Alexander Mitrovich added: "This milestone represents not just technical progress but the unification of an ecosystem. NFTs are no longer confined to one parachain; we’re building a future where they can flow freely across multiple chains.”
Unique Network is inviting developers and parachains interested in testing this feature to join the environment. There's also an opportunity for EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) teams to explore how this could work in their own projects.
This follows Unique Network's earlier announcement of its Cross-Chain NFTs Think Tank, introduced at the Polkadot Sub0 conference. The Think Tank seeks to find out new ways to use Cross-Chain NFTs, with major projects like Acala and Zeitgeist are already exploring integrations.