Sidechain
A separate blockchain that runs alongside a main one. Money can move between them, but the sidechain has its own rules and speed.
Example
Polygon processing thousands of cheap transactions per second while occasionally checking in with Ethereum for security.
Related Terms
Advanced Concepts
⚖️Sidechain vs Rollup
| Feature | sidechain | rollup |
|---|---|---|
| Security | Own validators | Inherits from L1 |
| Speed | Very fast | Fast |
| Trust | Trust sidechain validators | Trust L1 security |
| Examples | Polygon PoS, Ronin | Arbitrum, Optimism |
⚠️Risks & Warnings
- •Sidechains have their own validator set - less security than L1
- •Bridge hacks are common (Ronin lost $600M)
- •Validators can collude to steal funds
- •Less decentralized than main chains