On the 15th, CROSS announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with H Lab for network cooperation. H Lab is the crypto-focused business arm of NEOWIZ Holdings, and through this agreement, H Lab will participate as an independent validator node operator for the CROSS Protocol. Validators are entities responsible for verifying transactions and participating in block generation within a blockchain network.

Based on Al Reem Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE, H Lab is a blockchain infrastructure specialist that has been active as a validator across various Proof-of-Stake (PoS) networks, handling transaction verification, staking, and governance participation. With over eight years of accident-free operation experience based on its proprietary node operation technology, the company has supported more than 20 blockchain networks, including Ethereum, EigenLayer, Cosmos, and Kaia. This agreement is expected to contribute to enhancing the reliability and stability of the CROSS Protocol network.

CROSS Protocol is set to conduct its Mainnet 2.0 'Breakpoint' upgrade on June 1st. Leading up to this, the company has been collaborating to advance network decentralization and expand its global validator ecosystem. The 'Breakpoint' upgrade focuses on transitioning from a holding-centric structure to a participation-based network. This upgrade was approved with a high consensus rate of approximately 98 percent in governance voting.

Jang Hyun-guk, CEO of NEXUS, stated, "Expanding the independent validator ecosystem is key to advancing network decentralization ahead of the Mainnet 2.0 upgrade," adding, "The participation of professional infrastructure companies like H Lab will further strengthen the reliability and stability of the CROSS Protocol."