Akash Network has opened the first stage of its planned shift away from Cosmos, launching a portal that lets holders move AKT to Solana in a one-way migration. The portal went live on Nov. 12 and is set to remain available for two years.

Under the process, AKT deposited on Akash’s Cosmos-based chain is locked there, and an equivalent amount is minted on Solana. By Friday midday, about 1.8 million AKT had moved through the system, representing roughly 0.6% of the token’s supply.

How the migration works

Akash said the new route does not rely on a third-party bridge. Instead, users deposit AKT into a new module on the Akash chain, where the tokens are locked, and a Solana program verifies proof of that deposit before minting the corresponding amount on Solana.

The setup also removes the need for users to hold SOL just to receive migrated tokens. According to the project, relayers cover Solana transaction fees for the receiving side of the transfer. The move is one-way only, meaning tokens sent to Solana cannot be returned to the Cosmos chain through this portal.

Staking and timing remain important tradeoffs

The migration does not yet provide a smooth path for staked holders. AKT that is currently staked on the Cosmos chain must first complete the network’s 21-day unbonding period before it can be moved, even though the earlier governance proposal had outlined a one-step flow.

That limitation creates a near-term tradeoff for token holders. Greg Osuri, Akash’s founder, said staking on Solana is not expected to be live for “a few months.” Until a later cutover, staking rewards on the Cosmos chain continue, so holders who migrate now may give up those rewards before a Solana-based staking option is available.

Governance approved the token move, not the full platform shift

Token holders approved the migration plan on Nov. 2, with about 97% of votes cast supporting the proposal. For now, however, only the token is moving. Akash’s decentralized compute marketplace still operates on Cosmos.

A separate vote will be required before the marketplace itself can cut over. Under the project’s stated plan, the old chain would halt 90 days after that later cutover vote. Another consequence of migrating early is governance-related: because the future cutover vote will take place on the Cosmos chain, AKT that has already been moved to Solana will not count in that decision.

Exchange support and security questions are still pending

Centralized exchanges are expected to handle conversion of customer balances on their own timelines. As of Friday, no major exchange had announced a date for doing so, and Akash staff said users holding AKT on exchanges do not need to take any action yet.

The launch also comes with some unresolved transparency and security items. Akash’s Solana programs can currently be upgraded by a 2-of-5 multisig that has no time lock. In addition, the reports from the two audits the project said it would complete before launch had not been published as of Friday; its rollout plan allows 30 days for those reports to be made public.

What comes next

Akash is joining a broader pattern of DePIN-related projects consolidating on Solana, following moves by Helium and Render, while ZetaChain is also expected to begin its own Cosmos exit in December.

For AKT holders, the immediate next step is not necessarily urgent. The migration window remains open for two years, while key milestones still lie ahead, including public audit reports, Solana staking support, exchange conversion schedules, and the separate governance vote that would determine whether Akash’s compute marketplace also leaves Cosmos.

Source: www.bankless.com