> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://cosmos-docs-selective-ibc-merge.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Overview

> Cosmos EVM is an open-source platform for teams building their own chain, rollup, or EVM-compatible application. It offers the industry's leading Layer 1 stack with custom modules, instant finality, and a native interoperability layer. With Cosmos EVM, you maintain full ownership of your entire stack—from the application layer down to consensus.

export const CosmosOutlineIcon = ({size = 24, color = "currentColor", className = ""}) => <svg width={size} height={size} viewBox="0 0 24 24" className={className} xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
    <circle cx="12" cy="12" r="2" stroke={color} strokeWidth="2" fill="transparent" />
    <ellipse cx="12" cy="12" rx="8" ry="3" stroke={color} strokeWidth="2" fill="transparent" />
    <ellipse cx="12" cy="12" rx="8" ry="3" transform="rotate(60 12 12)" stroke={color} strokeWidth="2" fill="transparent" />
    <ellipse cx="12" cy="12" rx="8" ry="3" transform="rotate(120 12 12)" stroke={color} strokeWidth="2" fill="transparent" />
  </svg>;

export const EthereumOutlineIcon = ({size = 24, color = "currentColor", className = ""}) => <svg width={size} height={size} viewBox="0 0 24 24" className={className} xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
    <line x1="12" y1="2" x2="6" y2="12" stroke={color} strokeWidth="2" strokeLinecap="round" />
    <line x1="12" y1="2" x2="18" y2="12" stroke={color} strokeWidth="2" strokeLinecap="round" />
    <line x1="12" y1="2" x2="12" y2="16" stroke={color} strokeWidth="2" strokeLinecap="round" />
    <line x1="6" y1="12" x2="12" y2="16" stroke={color} strokeWidth="2" strokeLinecap="round" />
    <line x1="18" y1="12" x2="12" y2="16" stroke={color} strokeWidth="2" strokeLinecap="round" />
    <line x1="6" y1="12" x2="12" y2="22" stroke={color} strokeWidth="2" strokeLinecap="round" />
    <line x1="12" y1="22" x2="18" y2="12" stroke={color} strokeWidth="2" strokeLinecap="round" />
  </svg>;

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Ethereum Compatibility" icon={<EthereumOutlineIcon />} href="/docs/evm/v0.5.0/documentation/evm-compatibility/overview">
    Deploy existing Solidity contracts, use familiar tools like MetaMask, Hardhat, and Foundry
  </Card>

  <Card title="Cosmos Native Features" icon={<CosmosOutlineIcon />} href="/docs/evm/v0.5.0/documentation/smart-contracts/precompiles/overview">
    Access staking, governance, IBC, and other Cosmos SDK modules directly from smart contracts
  </Card>

  <Card title="Instant Finality" icon="zap" href="/docs/evm/v0.5.0/documentation/concepts/transactions">
    1-2 second block times with instant finality via 'CometBFT' consensus
  </Card>

  <Card title="Cross-Chain Ready" icon="globe" href="/docs/evm/v0.5.0/documentation/concepts/ibc">
    Built-in IBC support for interoperability across a growing list of ecosystems
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Why Cosmos EVM

Cosmos EVM provides a production-ready foundation for building EVM-compatible blockchains with the full power of the Cosmos SDK. The repository includes `evmd`, a fully functional reference implementation that serves as the canonical starting point for teams launching their own chains.

### Complete EVM Compatibility

From a developer's perspective, chains built with Cosmos EVM are **indistinguishable from canonical EVM chains** like Ethereum mainnet. Your existing tooling, workflows, and even AI coding assistants work without modification:

* **Deploy contracts** using Hardhat, Foundry, or Remix exactly as you would on Ethereum
* **Connect wallets** like MetaMask, WalletConnect, or Rabby without custom configuration
* **Use standard libraries** such as ethers.js, viem, and web3.js with zero changes
* **AI tools work seamlessly** - Claude, ChatGPT, and other AI assistants treat your local testnet as if it's Ethereum mainnet, deploying contracts and interacting with them using standard Ethereum patterns

All user-facing components are identical. The difference lies in what happens under the hood: instant finality, native IBC interoperability, and direct access to Cosmos SDK modules from your smart contracts.

## The Easiest Way To Launch an EVM Layer 1

### Advantages of Starting with Cosmos-EVM

Building with `Cosmos-EVM` comes with numerous benefits::

* **Greater compatibility** - Direct alignment with the module's development ensures configurations work as intended
* **Improved troubleshooting** - Similarity to the base project simplifies diagnosing and resolving issues
* **Proven architecture** - At the core of Cosmos-SDK is `go-ethereum` (Geth), the most widely used and battle-tested Ethereum client
* **Production ready** - Fully audited codebase [(read our audit)](#audits)
* **Active ecosystem** - Join a growing number of projects already running Cosmos EVM and be part of the shift to more efficient, affordable networks
* **Faster go-to-market** - Launch your EVM-compatible chain in weeks, not months by using `evmd` as a foundation

<Card title="Customize and deploy your own layer one EVM network." href="/docs/evm/v0.5.0/documentation/getting-started/build-a-chain/overview">
  Use our `evmd` reference network as a starting point for bootstrapping your own blockchain with full EVM compatibility, from start to finish.
</Card>

## Audits

The [Cosmos/EVM](https://github.com/cosmos/evm) codebase has undergone comprehensive third-party security audits and a full internal review by [Cosmos Labs](https://cosmoslabs.io) most experienced senior engineers:
[Read the full audit reports here.](https://github.com/cosmos/evm/blob/main/docs/audits/sherlock_2025_07_28_final.pdf)