ChainSafe ERC-20/CIP-56 Middleware

The Canton Network is the premier institutional privacy ledger, but its native Daml architecture creates a silo for EVM-native projects. ChainSafe built the ERC-20/CIP-56 Middleware to bridge this gap, translating EVM commands into native Canton calls so institutions can tap into $10T+ tokenization opportunities without having to rebuild from scratch.

The ERC-20/CIP-56 Middleware enables developers to deploy assets onto the Canton Network without the massive technical tax of rewriting their entire stack in Daml. It allows teams to continue using their existing EVM workflows, internal signing tools, and MetaMask wallets to interact natively with Canton. This drastically accelerates time-to-market and eliminates months of technical debt, meaning institutions can skip the rewrite and start integrating with Canton's privacy-first architecture immediately.

Canton is emerging as the premier privacy ledger for large financial institutions and tokenized assets, but it has historically been siloed away from the broader EVM ecosystem. This middleware was built specifically to bridge that gap. By bringing Ethereum interoperability to Canton, institutions can now access Canton-resident liquidity, tokenized securities, and institutional settlement rails while maintaining their trusted Ethereum-based security rules and infrastructure.

Unlike traditional wrappers or standard bridges, this middleware functions as a high-fidelity translation layer. Rather than forcing users to adopt a new wallet or retrain staff on a new virtual machine, it translates EVM commands into native Canton calls in real time. This means users can send CIP-56 tokens, check balances, and approve transfers exactly as they would an ERC-20 token on Ethereum.

The solution is a comprehensive interoperability stack comprising two main components. The first is the API Translation Layer, which generates the specific data required to trick EVM wallets (like MetaMask) into thinking they are communicating with a standard Ethereum node. The second is the Dedicated Relayer Server, a bespoke, white-label bridge deployed for each partner that acts as a central authority to lock assets 1:1 on Ethereum and mirror them as CIP-56 standard tokens on Canton.

The architecture centers on the API Translation Layer, which intercepts standard EVM/MetaMask signatures and translates them into native Daml smart contract calls for the Canton Network in real time. Concurrently, a dedicated Relayer Server acts as a secure, isolated bridge for specific tokens. It handles the cross-chain logic by securely locking ERC-20 assets on the Ethereum Mainnet and natively minting equivalent CIP-56 assets on Canton, ensuring absolute 1:1 asset integrity across both networks.

By removing the barrier of learning Daml and overhauling existing EVM infrastructure, the middleware provides a critical on-ramp for the $10 trillion tokenization wave to enter the Canton ecosystem. It allows institutions that manage money market funds, tokenized treasuries, and stablecoins on Ethereum to instantly mirror their liquidity on Canton.