About

Cosmos is a decentralized network of independent parallel blockchains, each powered by BFT consensus algorithms. It offers tools for developers to build interoperable and scalable applications. The network uses the Inter-Blockchain Communication protocol for blockchain interaction and includes a modular framework for building custom blockchains.

History

Cosmos aims to combine the utility of open-source software, decentralized networks, and time-stamped blockchain data storage to accelerate the scaling, adoption, and use-case experimentation of blockchains. To bypass the hindrances such as limited performance and ad hoc governance that inherently exist in PoW chains, Cosmos was envisioned as a decentralized network of independent, scalable, and interoperable PoS blockchains. The ideal solution, according to Cosmos, was a tool for interacting with multiple parallel blockchains such that the unique value proposed by a chain can be expanded to any other chain.

The idea of a Proof-of-Stake blockchain with Byzantine Fault-Tolerant (BFT) consensus mechanism originates from the year 2014 when the future Tendermint Inc. co-founder Jae Kwon explored the possibilities in his research. With the participation of Ethan Buchman, the other Tendermint Inc. co-founder, this idea was further developed in 2015, and Cosmos was introduced in 2016. Tendermint Inc. and Interchain Foundation (ICF) have been responsible for the development and adoption of the technologies underlying the Cosmos network, Tendermint Core (a BFT consensus mechanism) and the Cosmos SDK (a modular framework for building new blockchains).

ICF ran a successful initial coin offering for ATOM in 2017 and used the collected funds to boost the development of Cosmos SDK, IBC, and Peggy. The first blockchain of the network, Cosmos Hub, launched on mainnet in 2019, and since then, many well-known projects have sprouted in the network such as Terra, THORChain, and Crypto.com.

In December 2024, The Interchain Foundation (ICF) has announced its acquisition of Skip, an ecosystem development team, to accelerate growth and development within the Cosmos ecosystem.

In April 2025, Cosmos rolled out IBC v2 and the Eureka cross-chain routing upgrade, enabling near-instant, low-cost transfers across over 150 blockchains, including major connections to Ethereum, Babylon, Ripple, and others.

In September 2025, The Interchain Foundation (ICF) has announced the rebranding of Interchain Labs to Cosmos Labs.

By October 2025, some of the more notable institutional instruments around ATOM were Coinshares\ Cosmos Staking ETP, Valour's Cosmos ETP, while 21Shares' Cosmos staking ETP has been discontinued, according to JustETF.