The blockchain landscape is evolving rapidly, with interoperability and restaking emerging as two of the most transformative trends in 2025. At the forefront of this evolution stands PICASSO Network, a cross-chain infrastructure protocol redefining how assets and security are shared across ecosystems. Originally launched on Kusama, PICASSO has expanded its reach into Cosmos, Ethereum, and now Solana—positioning itself as a pivotal hub for interchain communication via the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol.
With its native token $PICA powering governance, staking, and ecosystem incentives, PICASSO is building a decentralized foundation for multi-chain synergy. This article explores the network’s technical architecture, economic model, and strategic integration with Solana—particularly its groundbreaking restaking initiative.
The Role of PICASSO in Cross-Chain Connectivity
PICASSO Network was designed to solve one of blockchain’s biggest challenges: fragmentation. By enabling seamless communication between disparate chains, it acts as a bridge between Polkadot, Kusama, Cosmos, and increasingly, non-IBC-compatible networks like Solana.
A major milestone in this mission is Composable Cosmos, a specialized IBC-enabled chain that simplifies connectivity for Tendermint-based Cosmos zones. It allows chains to join the IBC ecosystem without requiring upgrades or modifications—effectively lowering the barrier to entry for cross-chain interoperability.
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Crucially, Composable Cosmos does not issue a separate token. Instead, it uses $PICA for validator staking and governance, reinforcing the token’s utility across multiple environments. The validator set is capped at 100 members, with the Composable Foundation initially managing staking on behalf of the network to ensure stability during early growth phases.
Picasso-Solana IBC Integration: Bridging Two Powerhouses
One of the most anticipated developments in 2025 is the IBC connection between Solana and PICASSO, unveiled at the recent Solana Breakpoint conference. This integration marks a turning point in cross-chain architecture, allowing Solana—historically isolated from IBC ecosystems—to participate in a broader interchain network that includes Polkadot, Cosmos, and soon, Ethereum.
Key Benefits of the Integration:
- Expanded Application Horizons: Developers can now build cross-chain dApps that leverage Solana’s speed and low fees alongside IBC’s secure asset transfers.
- Seamless Liquidity Flow: Solana’s $10B+ TVL can now interact with IBC-connected chains, unlocking new capital efficiency use cases.
- Trustless Interoperability: Through client blockchain solutions, PICASSO enables trust-minimized bridging even for chains not natively compatible with ICS-23 standards.
This breakthrough was made possible by deploying a provable storage mechanism directly on Solana, allowing IBC light clients to verify state transitions without intermediaries. In essence, PICASSO has created a “virtual IBC layer” atop Solana, opening doors for future integrations with NEAR, TRON, and other high-performance blockchains.
Introducing Solana Restaking via PICASSO
Building on EigenLayer’s pioneering concept of restaking, PICASSO brings this powerful mechanism to Solana. Restaking allows users to reuse already-staked assets (like SOL or liquid staking derivatives) to secure additional protocols, amplifying capital efficiency while earning extra yield.
Starting January 28, 2025, users can restake:
- Native SOL
- mSOL (Marinade Finance)
- jitoSOL (Jito)
- bSOL (Solblaze)
- Orca LP tokens
These assets are deposited into a trustless staking contract via platforms like trustless.zone and then allocated to validators operating on PICASSO’s custom-built client blockchain responsible for securing the Solana-IBC bridge.
This dual-purpose model strengthens both the security of cross-chain messaging and incentivizes participation through attractive staking rewards—projected to yield up to 10% APY for $PICA stakers securing Composable Cosmos.
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The entire Solana <> IBC initiative is undergoing rigorous third-party security audits. Once completed, audit results will be publicly released to ensure transparency and user confidence.
$PICA Tokenomics: Utility Across Ecosystems
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Market Cap | $67.56M |
| Fully Diluted Valuation | $149M |
| Circulating Supply | 4.53B (45.34%) |
| Total Supply | 10B |
$PICA serves as the lifeblood of the PICASSO and Composable Cosmos ecosystems, with seven core utility functions:
- Fragment Staking on Picasso: 25% of transaction fees reward block producers; the rest goes to community reserves.
- Oracle Staking via Apollo: Users stake $PICA to run oracle nodes and provide reliable price data.
- Composable Cosmos Security: Validators must stake 1B $PICA to participate, ensuring robust network security.
- Polkadot Liquid Staking (LSDOT): Generates yield for $PICA holders through liquidity staking fees.
- Gas Payment: Used for transaction fees and dApp interactions, dynamically adjusted based on network load.
- Primary Trading Pair on Pablo DEX: Encourages liquidity provision and trading activity.
- Governance: Enables decentralized decision-making across both Picasso and Composable Cosmos.
Token Distribution Breakdown
- Crowdloan: 30% (18.1% unlocked, 11.9% locked)
- Treasury: 18%
- Liquidity Mining: 15%
- Team: 13.7% (2-year vesting, 6-month cliff)
- Ecosystem Fund: 10%
- Series A Investors: 7% (3-month lock, 2-year vesting)
- Partners & Advisors: 6.35% (6-month lock, 2-year vesting)
A steady unlock schedule runs throughout 2025, with weekly releases of ~31.26M $PICA from crowdloan allocations and larger unlocks (~108M) at key intervals for team, investors, and partners.
Strategic Partnerships and Funding Milestones
PICASSO’s growth has been backed by strong institutional support:
- Seed Round (July 2021): Raised $7M
- Series A (March 2022): Raised $32M+ from top-tier investors including Coinbase Ventures, Jump Capital, GSR, and Blockchain Capital
Strategic collaborations with DAO5—a founder-governed crypto fund—and Santiago Santos, co-host of The Empire Podcast, further strengthen its ecosystem development and market visibility.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is restaking, and how does it work on PICASSO?
A: Restaking lets users reuse staked assets (e.g., SOL or mSOL) to secure external protocols like the Solana-IBC bridge. On PICASSO, these assets back validators who maintain cross-chain security while earning additional yield.
Q: Why is $PICA important for Solana integration?
A: While SOL secures the bridge validators, $PICA secures the underlying Composable Cosmos chain that coordinates IBC messaging—making it essential for system-wide integrity.
Q: Is PICASSO vulnerable to competition?
A: While no direct competitor currently offers Solana restaking via IBC, simplicity and user experience will be key differentiators. PICASSO’s early mover advantage gives it a strong position if execution remains sharp.
Q: How are token unlocks affecting $PICA’s price?
A: Scheduled unlocks are gradual, but large future releases may create downward pressure. Long-term value depends on adoption, utility expansion, and ecosystem growth.
Q: Can I participate in PICASSO governance?
A: Yes. Holding $PICA grants voting rights in both Picasso OpenGov and Composable Cosmos governance forums.
Q: Where can I stake $PICA?
A: You can stake $PICA directly through official channels like the Picasso dashboard or partner platforms integrated with Composable Cosmos.
Final Thoughts: A Catalyst for Interchain Evolution
PICASSO Network is more than just a bridge—it’s an interoperability engine driving innovation across Polkadot, Cosmos, Ethereum, and now Solana. Its introduction of restaking on Solana via IBC sets a new precedent for cross-chain security models.
While challenges remain—including complexity for new users and reputational concerns tied to past leadership issues—the project’s robust funding, strong partnerships, and expanding utility make it a compelling player in the next phase of blockchain evolution.
As multi-chain ecosystems become the norm, protocols like PICASSO will play an increasingly vital role in connecting them securely and efficiently.