In a bid to enhance user experience and reduce confusion, the Bifrost community has put forth a proposal to align its address format with the Polkadot address format.
Why Address Standardization?
In a series of tweets on X.com, Bifrost co-founder Lurpis Wang put forth the proposal for the unification to simplify the interaction process for users, partners, and exchanges by standardizing the address format across the two networks.
Currently, each parachain within the Polkadot ecosystem uses different address formats, which often leads to confusion, particularly for new users. Bifrost has proposed adopting the Polkadot address format, as it is more familiar and widely used within the ecosystem. By doing so, the platform seeks to reduce complexity and improve user experience.
Polkadot’s Address Format as the Preferred Standard
Bifrost advocates for the adoption of the Polkadot address prefix (0), which is already widely accepted and has the broadest consensus within the Polkadot ecosystem. This format is commonly used for interactions with key Polkadot assets and parallel chains, making it a natural choice for standardization. Additionally, developers find it easier to work with the Polkadot address prefix (0) compared to the more generic Substrate address prefix (42), further supporting this move toward unification.
No Changes to Chain or Services
The announcement from the Bifrost team also promised that the proposed address format update will not result in any changes to the underlying Bifrost chain or its services. Instead, it will strictly involve modifications in how addresses are displayed within the platform’s user interface (UX) and across external services. This update will primarily impact Bifrost’s DApp and the Polkadot.js interface, which will adopt the new unified address format.
Coordination with External Services
The proposal also highlights the need for external services, including wallets, exchanges, and blockchain explorers, to update their systems in line with the new address format. Key platforms such as Subscan, Subsquare, Nova Wallet, Talisman, Subwallet, and various centralized exchanges like Kraken, Kucoin, and Gate, are expected to implement these changes. The execution date for the address format update is scheduled for September 18, 2024, at 10:00 UTC.
Cautious Approach to Chain-Specific Updates
While the address display update will be implemented across user-facing platforms, Bifrost has indicated that changes to chain-specific information, including chainspec updates, will be approached with caution. Since consensus within the broader ecosystem has not yet been fully established, Bifrost plans to delay any modifications related to on-chain data until further agreement is reached.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
