FLIP Fortnightly Wrap #5: Fresh Updates, Big Moves
We’re back, folks! The FLIP Fortnightly Wrap is making its comeback, and this time, we’re switching things up. No more live updates — we’re going to keep things easier to digest and refer back to. Expect the same mix of developer updates (yes, those beloved ones), community highlights, product news, and ecosystem updates.
It’s been a while since our last developer update, so let’s dive straight into what’s new in our upcoming release.
V1.8 Release: The changes making an impact
After an impressive run of major feature rollouts last year — including Solana integration, DCA support, and the launch of Boost — recent updates may seem less glamorous but are essential for strengthening the protocol’s foundation. The upcoming v1.8 release delivers impactful improvements aimed at streamlining integrations, enhancing user experience, and reinforcing economic security. Here’s what’s coming:
Vault Swaps: Flexible Solutions for Integrators
Vault swaps, or smart contract swaps, allow swaps to be submitted directly via Ethereum smart contracts. Previously, this wasn’t supported for Bitcoin and Solana, creating challenges for integrators whose infrastructure required more flexibility.
We listened to our integrators and are rolling out vault swaps to provide them with more integration options. By enabling interaction with smart contracts instead of deposit channels, vault swaps speed up the process for end users and adapt to the unique technical requirements of each integrator’s system.
With vault swaps, Chainflip is more flexible than ever, empowering integrators to build the way they need to while delivering a seamless experience to their users. While we can’t reveal all the partnerships in the works, this feature unlocks opportunities that weren’t feasible before.
CCM Gas Improvements: Making Cross-Chain Aggregation Easier
The way we’ve historically handled gas estimation for cross-chain messaging (CCM) has created friction for integrators, especially for those trying to aggregate Chainflip swaps into their systems. This update addresses those challenges.
The Problem
Integrators struggled with our current gas-budgeting mechanism due to:
- Fluctuations in Gas Costs:
- Ethereum gas prices can double or triple between transaction submission and execution, especially during network congestion.
- On Arbitrum, additional L1 fees make estimations even harder.
- Unpredictable Exchange Rates:
- The exchange rate between the source asset and the gas asset can vary, impacting calculations.
- Over- or Under-Estimation Dilemmas:
- Overestimating gas leads to wasted funds and less competitive quotes.
- Underestimating gas risks failed transactions or bad UX.
The Solution
With v1.8, gas estimation becomes smarter and more aligned with integrator needs. By revamping the gas budgets calculation system and incorporating more accurate forecasting, we reduce manual intervention and improve pricing competitiveness. This unlocks seamless routing experience for integrators, allowing them to connect Chainflip routes with the likes of Jupiter, Uniswap and any other aggregator of their choice.
This means partners like Squid Router will no longer need to overcompensate for transaction gas estimations due to gas upfront management, and you swappers will be able to trade your latest AI Agent coins with ease across any network with ease!
Boost Fee Split: Enhancing Economic Security
As part of the v1.8 release, we’re implementing a Boost fee split, as proposed in last year’s governance discussion. This change allocates a portion of Boost fees to more FLIP buy-and-burn, improving economic security and aligning incentives across the protocol.
For a full breakdown of why this is necessary and how it works, check out our Boost Fee Split blog post.
What’s Next?
The v1.8 release isn’t just an upgrade — it’s a foundation for what’s coming next. From vault swaps to gas improvements and the Boost fee split, these changes set the stage for integrators, LPs, and swappers to get even more value from Chainflip.
We’re hyped to hear your thoughts, so don’t hold back! Join us in the usual community channels to share your feedback and stay tuned for updates. Exciting times ahead!