Polkadot’s (DOT) cross-chain technology upgrade, enhancing XCM and shared security, boosts interoperability and scalability, potentially strengthening its market performance by attracting developers and projects. As of March 17, 2025, this could drive DOT’s value higher amid growing Web3 adoption. In contrast, Cosmos leverages IBC for flexible, sovereign chains, but its fragmented security model may lag behind Polkadot’s unified approach. Cosmos’ ecosystem thrives on diversity (e.g., Osmosis), yet Polkadot’s structured parachain system and recent upgrades might give it a competitive edge, especially if Coretime and modular features gain traction.