Osmosis is an advanced cross-chain Automated Market Maker (AMM) protocol built with the Cosmos SDK, designed to facilitate interoperable cross-chain trading experiences within the Cosmos ecosystem and beyond. It enables developers to design, build, and customize their own AMMs.
Osmosis operates as a sovereign appchain within the Cosmos ecosystem, utilizing the Cosmos SDK and Tendermint Core for its blockchain infrastructure. It employs a Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, with enhanced security through superfluid staking. The platform uses an Automated Market Maker (AMM) algorithm with customizable liquidity pools, allowing users to choose token weights and parameters. Osmosis also supports CosmWasm smart contracts for enhanced functionality and uses the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol for cross-chain interoperability.
Osmosis has several potential use cases, including cross-chain trading, where it enables seamless transactions across different blockchains. It allows users to create and manage customizable liquidity pools and participate in decentralized governance using the OSMO token. Additionally, it supports superfluid staking, which combines staking with liquidity provision. Osmosis also enhances blockchain interoperability within the Cosmos ecosystem and plans to implement privacy solutions through proposed partnerships, such as with the Namada blockchain.
Osmosis was founded in 2021 by Sunny Aggarwal, Dev Ojha, and Josh Lee, officially launching in June 2021 as the first native AMM on the Cosmos blockchain network. A major upgrade, version 16.0.0, introduced new features and performance improvements. Osmosis has seen significant growth in its market presence, with a unique tokenomics structure and reaching notable Total Value Locked (TVL) milestones.