In the evolving world of blockchain technology, sidechains have emerged as an innovative solution to one of the most pressing challenges: scalability. A sidechain is a mechanism that spreads network load across multiple blockchains to ease congestion on the main chain.
For a comprehensive look at how these systems work, explore our detailed guide on what sidechains are in cryptocurrency and their role in modern blockchain architectures.
Users move digital assets to these secondary chains for faster transactions and lower fees. Major blockchains like Ethereum often struggle with scalability during high demand, leading to delays and expensive fees. Sidechains allow transactions to process in parallel without overwhelming the main blockchain, using asset locking to prevent double-spending.
The advantages of this approach include quicker transactions, a safe environment to test new features, and greater decentralization. However, it's important to note that sidechains are still experimental and can be targeted by attacks—if breached, only the sidechain is at risk, not the main network. Similarly, if the main chain is hacked, sidechains keep functioning but lose their link to it.