# Overview

The Metalayer is designed to power settlement for intents-based protocols. We’re starting with bridging use cases, but plan to onboard a wider set of these protocols over time.

The Metalayer provides a secure message passing system built on Hyperlane, automatically deployed on every Caldera chain. Messages can optionally include cross-chain state reads from an arbitrary number of chains, enabling real-time data access across the network.

<figure><img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/metalayer/metalayer/images/message-passing.svg" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### [​](https://docs.caldera.xyz/metalayer/message-passing/overview#configurable-finality)Configurable Finality <a href="#configurable-finality" id="configurable-finality"></a>

Messages in Metalayer support two finality modes, allowing developers to balance speed and security:Soft Finality (Default):

* \~10 second latency
* Validators confirm sequencer commitment to include transaction
* Optimal for most applications needing quick settlement
* Trust assumption: Validators honestly report sequencer feed data

Finalized Mode:

* Requires batch submission to parent chain and finality on that chain
* Provides protection against sequencer reorgs
* Note: Optimistic rollups retain 7-day dispute window
* Same validator trust model as soft finality, but with additional reorg protection
* Recommended for high-value transfers or security-critical applications

As rollup stacks evolve to support stack-native interoperability (like Superchain or ZKSync native bridging), Metalayer will automatically upgrade to use these mechanisms. Applications specifying “finalized” mode will seamlessly benefit from improved security guarantees without any code changes. Finalized mode brings the future benefits of this stack-native interop to developers today — without forcing devs to lock into a specific ecosystem.
