Chainlink has launched its Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) on its Mainnet, aiming to bridge traditional capital markets with blockchains. CCIP aims to establish a standard communication system between different chains, connecting decentralized finance (DeFi) applications with various other chains. The protocol leverages the same security model as Chainlink’s price oracles, ensuring resistance against flash-loan attacks and other threats. CCIP has already been adopted by DeFi lending protocols Aave and Synthetix, and Chainlink has partnered with major players in the traditional finance space such as Swift, BNY Mellon, Citigroup, and BNP Parabens. This move also coincides with BlackRock’s significant foray into the Bitcoin ETF market. With CCIP, banks will gain access to real-world asset tokens, enabling them to participate in the blockchain industry in multiple ways. Sergey Nazarov, co-founder of Chainlink, highlights that this banking interest in crypto sets this down cycle apart from previous ones, as it is driven by client demand rather than token prices.