Best Orb Labs Alternatives for Chain Abstraction in 2025

The rise of Chain Abstraction in 2025 is giving developers new tools to build beyond single-chain limitations. Orb Labs (Orby) is one of several projects tackling this challenge.

If you're looking for the best Orb Labs alternatives for Chain Abstraction in 2025, you're in the right place. In this blog, we’ll explore three other key players building for Chain Abstraction: Arcana, Particle Network, and NEAR Protocol. Each of these platforms brings unique features and capabilities to the table, making them leading voices in the Chain Abstraction space.

What is Chain Abstraction?

Chain abstraction simplifies multichain interactions by hiding the underlying complexities. It enables developers and users to operate across multiple blockchains through a unified interface, eliminating the need for manual bridging. The result:

• Interoperable UX with wallet-less switching
• Developer simplicity, free from chain-specific quirks
• Frictionless onchain experiences without bridging or chain switching

Orb Labs (Orby)

Orb Labs (Orby) is building an intent-based interoperability protocol that enables applications and agents to perform cross-chain actions through a shared messaging and execution layer. With Orby, developers can abstract away chain-specific logic and allow users or agents to interact across multiple chains seamlessly.

Key Features:

• Unified Balances: Orby merges token balances, gas tokens, and metadata across EVM chains.
• Gas Abstraction & Sponsorship: Pay gas in any token, even stablecoins, across all accounts, including EOAs.
• Simulated Transactions: Developers can batch, test, and simulate multichain transactions via one RPC call.
• Seamless Integration: Plug Orby into wallets, apps, or AI agents in minutes—no wallet or app changes required.
• Order Flow Monetization: Built-in mechanisms for apps to earn via transaction routing.

Orby is a middleware “supernode” that turns your node into a chain-abstracted endpoint, blurring chain boundaries and enabling frictionless UX.

While Orb Labs (Orby) is one of the notable players advancing Chain Abstraction, several other protocols are redefining multichain UX, intent execution, and developer experience, each with distinct architectural choices and user-facing benefits. Let’s take a look at three standout alternatives that are pushing the boundaries of what Chain Abstraction enables in 2025.

1. Arcana Network

Arcana is a leading Chain Abstraction protocol that enables a Unified Balance of users’ assets across chains, allowing them to spend on any chain, instantly, without bridging. Built on Cosmos, Arcana’s appchain abstracts complexity at the EOA level, via its self-custodial wallet (Arcana Wallet) and Chain Abstraction SDK, offering seamless cross-chain transactions.

Key Features:

• Unified Balances for USDC, USDT, and ETH across 8+ chains (Ethereum, Arbitrum, Polygon, Base, Optimism, Linea, Scroll, Fuel)
• Self-custody & works seamlessly with any EOA wallet. No need to migrate to a new wallet or address
• One-click cross-chain transactions without bridging or swapping
• Stablecoin gas payments in USDT/USDC (no need for native gas tokens)
• Intent-solver network to coordinate liquidity routing and asset fulfillment
• SDK for dApps to integrate chain abstraction with minimal code changes
• Plug & Play SDK with customizable UI
• Arcana Wallet supports all major DeFi apps: Aave, Uniswap, Hyperliquid, CowSwap, Polymarket, Jumper, Galaxy Exchange, Renzo, Griffy, Malda, and more.

2. Particle Network

Particle Network offers a modular infrastructure stack for Web3, with Universal Accounts powering its chain abstraction layer. These are ERC-4337 smart contract wallets that enable cross-chain execution, gas abstraction, and social login onboarding. Delivered as an SDK, Universal Accounts allow developers to integrate chain-abstracted UX into any app with minimal effort.

The accounts are natively integrated into UniversalX, Particle’s chain-agnostic DeFi platform, where users can swap and transact across EVM chains without bridging or managing gas.

Key Features:

• ERC-4337 Smart Contract Wallet-as-a-Service
• Social login onboarding
• Gasless transactions on supported EVM chains
• Cross-chain execution through a unified UI
• Developer SDK for embedding chain abstraction through smart contract wallets

3. NEAR Protocol

NEAR is contributing to the chain abstraction space with Chain Signatures, enabling users to interact with different chains using a single NEAR account. Alongside Intents and Meta Transactions, NEAR abstracts away cross-chain complexity while maintaining performance.

Key Features:

• Chain Signatures: Sign transactions for other chains using a NEAR account
• Intents: Express intent and allow relayers to execute
• NEAR Wallet integration with multichain capabilities
• Developer-focused SDKs for smart account abstraction

NEAR is blending its Layer 1 capabilities with a vision for a multichain future, leveraging account abstraction and intent-centric UX.

Conclusion

In 2025, Chain abstraction isn’t optional—it’s essential. As blockchain ecosystems multiply, the need for seamless, multichain UX grows, and Arcana, Particle, NEAR, as well as Orby, are paving the way for a more interconnected and efficient future.