Cross-chain native token (CCT/OFT)

A cross-chain native token moves between chains without creating a derivative asset held by a bridge. The reference mechanism is burn-and-mint: on transfer, the token is burned on the source chain and minted 1:1 on the destination chain, so the aggregate total supply across all chains stays constant. This removes the need for liquidity pools and the risk of classic wrapped tokens. The two leading standards are OFT (Omnichain Fungible Token) from LayerZero and CCT (Cross-Chain Token) from Chainlink CCIP.

It solves liquidity fragmentation. The asset is the same on every chain, with no wrapped versions depending on the solvency of a custodian or pool. For a stablecoin issuer or a tokenized real-world asset (RWA) that needs to distribute a single token across several networks without losing control of supply, this is the technical foundation. CCT, introduced with the CCIP v1.5 upgrade in 2024, also keeps control of the token contract with the issuer and inherits CCIP security, including its Risk Management Network.

Tether deployed its omnichain version USDT0 on LayerZero's OFT standard, using an OFT Adapter that locks USDT on Ethereum and mints on the destination chain. Stargate Finance uses LayerZero OFTs as a routing primitive across chains. On Chainlink's CCT standard, tokens such as Aave's GHO and Solv Protocol's SolvBTC have integrated, among others. The OFT Adapter variant applies the model to an existing token with no mint authority, locking it on its original chain and minting on the destination.