Sei Network Drops Cosmos Support to Focus on Ethereum Dominance

In a bold move to streamline its blockchain operations, Sei Network has proposed dropping support for Cosmos in favor of focusing exclusively on Ethereum compatibility.

The founders of the new, fast-growing blockchain, Sei Network, are proposing dropping support for Cosmos in favor of focusing exclusively on Ethereum compatibility.

The proposal, introduced by Philip Su, Engineering Lead at Sei Labs, aims to simplify the blockchain’s architecture, reduce infrastructure overhead, and position Sei as a stronger player within the Ethereum ecosystem.

“This transition will lead to greater adoption, improved developer experience, and a more cohesive community,” Su stated in the proposal. The decision also highlights the intensifying competition among blockchain platforms to attract developers and expand their ecosystems.

While Ethereum has become the dominant force in decentralized finance (DeFi), its infrastructure is based on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). Major blockchains like Coinbase’s Base and Binance’s BNB Chain also rely on EVM, making it the go-to choice for developers. In contrast, Cosmos operates on its own software, CosmWasm, which has seen slower adoption.

Sei’s original design included dual support for both EVM and CosmWasm, aiming to provide flexibility. However, according to Su, this dual architecture created “unnecessary overhead in the codebase and complicated debugging and testing.”

Data from Sei Labs shows that new users overwhelmingly prefer EVM over CosmWasm, further justifying the proposed shift.

If the proposal is approved, it could deal a blow to CosmWasm’s adoption. But Barry Plunkett, co-CEO of Interchain Labs, pointed out that Sei would still retain some Cosmos features, such as staking and governance. “Even if Sei cuts Cosmos support, it is still a Cosmos-based blockchain,” Plunkett added.

Sei's growth since its 2023 launch has been swift. Total deposits in DeFi apps on the network recently hit an all-time high of $1 billion, making it the 15th largest blockchain by total value locked, according to DefiLlama.

This growth accelerated after Sei introduced EVM support in July 2024, which attracted a larger pool of developers and investors. The move also led to a surge in interest in the blockchain among institutions, as reported by Chain Ventures earlier this year.

The proposal to drop Cosmos support has sparked debate within the Sei community. Some members view it as a necessary step to enhance usability and adoption, while others are concerned about the potential loss of flexibility.

To address these concerns, the nonprofit Sei Foundation will host a community call on May 14 to discuss the proposal in detail and gather feedback from developers and users.

The outcome of this decision could set a precedent for other blockchains navigating the trade-offs between flexibility and simplicity. As the blockchain space continues to evolve, Sei's pivot to Ethereum might serve as a case study in strategic adaptation.