[DigitalToday reporter Chi-gyu Hwang] The cryptocurrency industry stresses decentralisation, but transferring value between blockchains is being shaped by a small number of centralised intermediaries, critics say.

On Jan. 18 (local time), Cointelegraph reported that Michael Steuer, president and CTO of Casper Network, said interoperability in crypto should be approached from a user-experience perspective rather than a technical one. He said factors consumers do not care about in other technologies are becoming essential in crypto.

In practice, moving value between blockchains requires complex steps such as choosing a network, checking wallet compatibility and reviewing whether a bridge is supported. In contrast, in existing payment systems, once users choose cash or a card, the backend automatically handles everything. In crypto, sending to the wrong network can permanently lose assets, which is an obstacle to mainstream adoption.

Asset transfers between blockchains take place through bridges, but Steuer said they are a prime hacking target and reinforce centralised structures.

He said current interoperability is controlled by a small number of firms such as Chainlink, LayerZero and Axelar. He said they build their own cross-chain interfaces, decide which protocols to activate and control access.