What are zAssets?

Important Clarification Note

zAssets is a placeholder term we use throughout this documentation to represent wrapped assets on Fabric. Each zAsset corresponds to a specific asset from an external blockchain that has been securely zipped (wrapped) into Fabric’s ecosystem. For example, Ethereum’s USDT becomes zUSDT, and Bitcoin becomes zBTC. The term 'zAssets' is used throughout this documentation as a general reference to all Fabric-compatible wrapped assets. However, each token retains its unique ticker (e.g., zUSDT, zETH) after zipping.

What Are zAssets?

zAssets are Fabric-compatible, tokenized representations of external blockchain assets created through the Zipper protocol. These zipped (wrapped) assets maintain a 1:1 backing with their original counterparts, securely stored in Zipper’s on-chain vaults. By converting assets from various blockchains into zAssets, users can interact with Fabric-based decentralized applications (dApps) and DeFi protocols.

Differentiation By Chain

Every zAsset on Fabric corresponds to a specific asset from an external blockchain. For accurate traceability, Zipper assigns a unique contract address on Fabric for each originating blockchain’s asset. This system allows users to differentiate between zAssets from different chains, even if they share the same ticker symbol. A great example of this is USDT, which exists on many chains.

There is only one USDT on each individual chain, but on Fabric, all USDTs will co-exist, so they must be differentiated to avoid confusion, mitigate impostor contracts and similar mischievous behavior.

• Contract Verification:

  • The UI throughout the Fabric ecosystem will indicate and guide users to easily identify proper tokens and avoid scams.

  • Users are still recommended to get familiar with where to verify the contract addresses of their zAssets. The easiest way to do this is by visiting FabricScan, which provides a dedicated token page for each zAsset. Here, users can check its contract address on Fabric and confirm its original source blockchain. Always compare contract addresses to ensure you are interacting with the correct asset.
• Why Differentiation Matters:

  • Avoiding Confusion: Every zAsset has a unique contract address on Fabric that corresponds to its original blockchain. This ensures users can trace the source of their assets, verify their 1:1 backing, and prevent confusion between identical tickers from different chains.

  • Security: Helps prevent fraudulent transactions or misuse of impostor contracts and unverified assets within the ecosystem.

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To better understand an example of a zAsset and chain differentiation, here's an example case explained using USDT:

• Chain-Specific Contracts:

  • Each external chain’s asset is mapped to a unique contract on Fabric. There are no assets that will share the same Fabric contract, even if they share the same ticker outside of Fabric.

  • Example:

    • USDT (based on Ethereum blockchain)

      • Original Contract: 0xdAC17F958D2ee523a2206206994597C13D831ec7 (Ethereum).

      • Fabric Contract: zUSDT (Ethereum) not live on Fabric mainnet yet.

      • Ticker on Ethereum: USDT

      • Ticker on Fabric: zUSDT

    • USDT (based on Solana blockchain)

      • Original Contract: Es9vMFrzaCERmJfrF4H2FYD4KCoNkY11McCe8BenwNYB (Solana)

      • Fabric Contract: zUSDT (Solana) not live on Fabric mainnet yet.

      • Ticker on Solana: USDT

      • Ticker on Fabric: zUSDT

  • Both are labeled zUSDT in a wallet app like Metamask, but are distinguishable via their respective Fabric and originating chain contract addresses.

Reminder: While Zipper ensures accurate chain differentiation with unique contracts, it does not verify the legitimacy of the assets themselves. Zipper’s sole purpose is to zip and unzip assets. Asset verification is handled by other applications, such as Polyester.

zAssets maintain fully collateralized 1:1 backing and are traceable via FabricScan.