| Project Name | Bloctopus.io |
|---|---|
| Description | cross-chain testnets on demand |
| Date | 06/13/2025 |
| Contact Name | Anisha |
| Discord Username | wanderosity |
| Grant Amount | $10,000 |
Project Description
We propose to build an Axelar devnet plugin for Bloctopus: a one-command solution that spins up a fully wired, cross-chain dev environments. It includes Axelar Gateway, GMP contracts, Squid router, connecting any number of pre-configured blockchains. Developers can simulate end-to-end cross-chain transaction flows under mainnet conditions. They getwith full control over latency, relayer timing, and failure scenarios. Our goal is to make interoperability ultra seamless and reliable
We already support EVM (e.g., Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism, Avalanche, Polygon, Base, zkSync) and and Cosmos-SDK chains (Provenance, Coreum, Thorchain); adding more fast.
Impact
Our clients building in DeFi, stablecoin, and tokenization infra like Zoniqx, Nomyx, Tokeny, Trustware, Olas, etc. have requested that Bloctopus devnets support the Squid Router. This project will give all Axelar builders a private, production-grade alternative to testnets to debug, test and iterate faster and safer
Goals, Milestones, & KPIs
- Axelar Plugin + CLI Launch
- Full Multi-Chain Coverage: Plug-and-play support for every Axelar-connected chain
- Squid Router Integration: Pre-wired Squid modules for swaps & GMP routing
- 1-click support for Axelar-wrapped tokens like axlUSDC, axlETH, etc.
KPI: Adoption & Ecosystem Growth: 10 flagship partners (Securitize, Backed, etc.) in pilots to issue tokens using Axelar’s Interchain Token Service (ITS)
Deliverables, Milestones, & Timeline
- Month 1: Ship Axelar plugin & CLI
- Month 2: Enable every Axelar-connected chain and pre-wire Squid router for swaps/GMP
- Month 3: 1-click templates for axlUSDC, axlETH, and other wrapped tokens + docs & CI examples
- Month 3-4: Run pilots with 5 flagship partners issuing tokens via Axelar ITS
Risks
- Hidden Cross-Chain Bugs – Without a private, full-fidelity devnet, edge-case failures in GMP/Squid flows surface on mainnet where exploits are costly.
- Developer Drop-Off – Long feedback loops and congested public testnets push builders to rival interoperability stacks with faster DX.
Motivation
Our clients want to build on Axelar, but today they’re stuck debugging cross-chain logic with fragile mocks or overloaded testnets. Our partners have requested that we support Axelar on our testnets. By adding Axelar to Bloctopus we’d help them move faster and also ensure that future clients use Axelar as their default interoperability layer.
Bio & Past Work
- In 2022, Til, co-founder & CTO, was building a core blockchain simulation technology alongside Ethereum Foundation and leading Blockchain researchers. That orchestration engine built on Kurtosis, is now adopted by EF, Optimism, Polygon, Eigen Layer and many others: GitHub - kurtosis-tech/kurtosis: A platform for packaging and launching ephemeral backend stacks with a focus on approachability for the average developer.
- We’re backed by a core crew and together we’ve shipped open-source tools that power fork rehearsals for multibillion-dollar networks
- We have also won multiple EthGlobal hackathon and been awarded grants from the Ethereum Foundation, Coreum, and others.