Chainlink Launches CCIP 2.0 With Optional Verifiers

Chainlink said CCIP 2.0 was live on September 28, giving institutions the option to add custom verification checks to cross-chain transfers while retaining the protocol’s default network of 16 node operators. The upgrade also introduces configurable compliance and transaction-finality controls, though reports said early use of the new verifiers had not been clearly established. The Cross-Chain Verifiers, or CCVs, can be operated by an institution itself or obtained from third-party providers. They are designed to add checks before a transfer is approved, alongside the existing 16-operator network, which Chainlink says reaches consensus on transactions. The company says existing integrations can continue without changes. CCIP 2.0 also offers controls including know-your-customer checks, anti-money-laundering screening and sanctions screening. Organizations can set transaction confirmation thresholds, balancing faster execution against waiting for stronger finality, according to Chainlink’s description of the system. The launch follows an April exploit in which about $292 million in rsETH was drained from Kelp DAO’s bridge, which used LayerZero.