TL;DR On Sept 16, ZetaChain’s V36 upgrade (UNISON) will make the Universal Blockchain faster, more Ethereum-compatible, and unlock new “smart-contract superpowers” so developers can build Universal Apps that reach users on all major chains including native Bitcoin with less friction.

At ZetaChain, our mission is to build the Universal Blockchain that makes using Web3 as simple and unified as the internet for both humans and AI. You never think about which server a webpage lives on, you just use it. The UNISON mainnet upgrade is the next step toward that feeling. Blockchains in harmony and Universal Apps that reach everyone in one click, everywhere.

What is the Universal Blockchain?

ZetaChain is an L1 blockchain that natively connects major chains (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Sui, and more) so people can access all of crypto everywhere without risky bridges or token wrappers. A Universal App is a single smart contract (on ZetaChain’s Universal EVM) with the following superpowers:

• Compose once → reach everything: One Universal App deployment can reach users across major chains.
• Talks to native assets and dApps: Even native BTC Bitcoin without wrapping, or non-EVM smart contracts on Solana, Sui, Etc.
• Feels chain-agnostic: Users act from any wallet on any chain entry point. The Universal App handles the cross-chain work behind the scenes.

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Why UNISON matters: The better the “engine” (speed, compatibility, capabilities), the simpler and more powerful these Universal Apps become for DeFi use cases and AI agents that need to interact with people and data across today’s major blockchain ecosystems.

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What’s in UNISON?

• Core Upgrade for Speed & Stability: We upgraded ZetaChain to the latest Cosmos SDK so the Universal Blockchain will run smoother and scale for what’s next in crypto.
• More Ethereum-Compatible Than Ever: With Cancun support, your Ethereum tools feel right at home building on the Universal Blockchain. Build with familiar stacks while reaching users across ecosystems (including native BTC) from a single L1 platform.
• **Universal Smart Contract Superpowers**: New EVM precompiles let contracts interact with core ZetaChain functions such as delegate stake, vote, move funds, Etc. without off-chain workarounds or additional code.

Prepare for the UNISON upgrade

• Developers: Migrate staking/governance flows to the new precompiles where relevant. Your existing apps continue to work normally, and now they can do more with less friction.
• Exchanges: The account API response format changed. Please update integrations ahead of Sept 16.
• Users: No action required. Universal Apps keep working and will be faster and smoother behind the scenes.

Looking Ahead

UNISON lays the foundation for the next wave of Universal Apps with a simpler UX, stronger parity with Ethereum, and native access to ecosystems like Bitcoin without wrappers. Next up, we’re working towards Ethereum Pectra support and continuous improvements to the cross-chain developer experience.

Visit V36 on GitHub for the full changelog and release notes.