Blockchain & Cryptocurrency Glossary

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Cross-Chain NFT Bridge

1 min read
Pronunciation
[kraws-cheyn en-eff-tee brij]
Analogy
Like exporting a unique artwork to a sister gallery in another country while ensuring only one original exists.
Definition
A specialized bridge that enables non‑fungible tokens to be transferred, represented, and used across different blockchain networks while preserving uniqueness and metadata.
Key Points Intro
NFT bridges maintain token uniqueness and provenance when moving NFTs across chains.
Key Points

Lock & mint: Originals locked on source, a representative minted on target.

Metadata anchoring: On‑chain commitment of metadata hash ensures integrity.

Burn & unlock: Bridged NFT burn triggers original release.

Provenance tracking: Cross‑chain event logs preserve history.

Example
An ERC‑721 collectible locked on Ethereum triggers mint of a BEP‑721 token on BSC with identical metadata hash, allowing trading on BSC marketplaces.
Technical Deep Dive
Bridge contract emits `LockedNFT` event with tokenId and metadataCID. Relayer submits event proof to destination contract, which verifies via Merkle proof and calls `mintProxyNFT`. Reverse uses `burnProxyNFT` and proof to `unlockNFT` on origin.
Security Warning
Poor proof verification can lead to duplicated NFTs; ensure atomic lock‑mint and burn‑unlock sequences with robust proof checks.
Caveat
Bridged NFTs may lack secondary market support or full metadata availability if off‑chain hosts fail.
Related Terms
ERC‑721
Bridge Router
Proxy Contract

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