The blockchain infrastructure and interoperability problem have been hiding in plain sight. While DeFi exploded and retail adoption soared, institutional players have been limited to the sidelines, not by choice, but by regulatory necessity. The very features that make public blockchains powerful also make them problematic for regulated entities.
We’ve spent years watching this unfold. Banks, asset managers, and enterprises want the reach and liquidity of public chains, but they can’t stomach the compliance risks. They need to know where their transactions are processed, who’s validating them, and how to maintain privacy without sacrificing interoperability.
Today, we’re introducing Quant Fusion, a new way to solve institutional interoperability with the first Layer 2.5 network built specifically to solve these institutional roadblocks while supercharging DeFi capabilities.
The problem everyone’s been dancing around
Let’s be direct about what’s broken. Current blockchain architecture forces institutions into impossible choices:
Use Layer 1 directly? You’re exposed to unknown validators in potentially sanctioned jurisdictions. Your transactions are completely public. You can’t safely integrate internal security and key management systems with external blockchains. Your compliance team will have nightmares.
Stick to permissioned networks? You’re isolated from the broader ecosystem, liquidity is limited, and you’re essentially rebuilding the walled gardens blockchain was supposed to eliminate.
Try existing Layer 2s? You’re still tied to a single chain, dependent on clunky bridges, and facing the same fundamental compliance issues. None of these work for serious institutional deployment. And frankly, they limit what’s possible for DeFi protocols, too.
Enter layer 2.5: A different approach
Fusion isn’t just another scaling solution. It’s a patented multi-chain rollup network that operates across multiple Layer 1 blockchains simultaneously. Think of it as horizontal infrastructure rather than vertical scaling. Here’s what makes it different:
Multi-ledger by design. Instead of optimising one chain, Fusion connects multiple chains through our patented multi-ledger rollup technology. For the first time, native interoperability without bridges or wrapped tokens.
Compliance-first architecture. Our Trusted Node Program lets institutions choose exactly who processes their transactions and where. No mystery validators. No jurisdictional surprises. Trusted, safe and secure.
Privacy without isolation. Smart contracts can be public, permissioned, or fully private. Institutions get the privacy they need while still accessing public liquidity.
Enterprise-grade security. Built-in identity management, granular access controls, and seamless integration with existing enterprise systems. For the first time, extend your enterprise security perimeter to extend to public blockchains.
Real use cases, real solutions
Consider a regulated institution that needs to settle tokenised assets across Ethereum and Avalanche while maintaining full control over validator jurisdiction. Today, this requires complex bridge arrangements, wrapped tokens, and significant counterparty risk. With Fusion, it’s native interoperability. Assets move seamlessly across chains through the Layer 2.5 network, settled by trusted nodes in approved jurisdictions. Or take a DeFi protocol wanting to tap liquidity across multiple chains without forcing users through bridge after bridge. Fusion enables true cross-chain applications where assets and logic flow naturally between networks.
The technology behind it
At Fusion’s core is the Overledger platform and our multi-ledger rollup technology. This isn’t theoretical; it’s built on years of enterprise blockchain deployment and real-world usage. The network is secured by QNT, which serves as both the native token and the staking mechanism for trusted nodes. Node operators stake QNT to participate in transaction processing and earn rewards based on network activity.
Key features include:
- Bring your node capabilities for ultimate control
- Granular API permissions for organisational access management
- Flexible connector architecture for easy blockchain integration
- Cross-organisational permission frameworks for complex enterprise workflows
Why now?
The timing isn’t coincidental. After years of permissioned DLT experiments, institutions are ready to move toward public blockchain infrastructure, but only with the right architecture in place.
DeFi has proven the commercial value of on-chain operations. Tokenised assets are moving from experiment to reality. The infrastructure gap between institutional requirements and public blockchain capabilities has never been more obvious, or more solvable.
What’s being built
Fusion launches in phases starting June 2025. The initial release includes core Layer 2.5 functionality and the Trusted Node Program, with expanded features rolling out progressively.
This isn’t a closed ecosystem. We’re building open infrastructure designed to support the entire blockchain industry’s evolution toward institutional adoption.
For developers, that means new possibilities for truly cross-chain applications. For institutions, it means finally being able to leverage public blockchain benefits without compromising on compliance or security. For DeFi protocols, it means access to institutional liquidity and multi-chain functionality without architectural compromises.
The bigger picture
Fusion represents something larger than just another blockchain solution. It’s infrastructure for the next phase of the industry, where institutional adoption and DeFi innovation accelerate each other rather than existing in separate worlds.
The question isn’t whether this convergence will happen. It’s who will build the bridges that make it possible, and who will be positioned to benefit when institutional capital and DeFi innovation finally connect at scale. That’s what we’re building. Not just for institutions. Not just for DeFi. For the blockchain industry’s next chapter.
Want to take part?
https://docs.overledger.dev/docs/introduction
