## What Is Dero (DERO)?

[Dero](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/dero/) is the first crypto project to combine a [proof-of-work](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/proof-of-work-pow) blockchain with a [DAG](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/directed-acyclic-graph-dag) block structure and wholly anonymous transactions. It aims to be a revolutionary improvement from existing privacy coins like [Monero (XMR)](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/monero/) or [Z-Cash (ZEC)](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/zcash/). Dero intends to do that by combining the best of both [consensus mechanisms](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/consensus-mechanism). 

Its implementation builds out a main chain from the DAG network of blocks, which refers to main blocks and side blocks. Side blocks contribute to chain proof-of-work security, making traditional 51% attacks impossible. In contrast to traditional blockchains, Dero considers the transaction as the smallest unit of computation, not the block. Therefore, blocks on Dero can contain duplicate or double-spend transactions, but these are filtered by the client protocol and ignored by the network. 

In plain English, Dero supposedly manages to combine the security and decentralization of a proof-of-work blockchain with the scalability and transaction speed of DAG technology. Dero’s goal is a blockchain network that can serve businesses and individuals worldwide and support secure, fast, and anonymous transactions and [smart contract](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/smart-contract) execution. 


## Who Are the Founders of Dero?

Dero was launched in December 2017 by a team of three full-time developers. Its team is anonymous but claims to have over a decade of experience in cryptography each, with multiple years of experience in blockchain development on top. Given the project’s complexity and the milestones the team reached — it basically designed an entirely new consensus mechanism in Golang, a programming language with a high degree of immunity to security vulnerabilities — it’s safe to assume that Dero was created by people with long hands-on experience in cryptography.


## What Makes Dero Unique?

Dero was developed from scratch to support millions of users with enhanced reliability, privacy, security and usability. It followed a “build it and they will come” approach in the sense that the team focused on designing working technology first, before focusing on marketing.

One of its key features is the utilization of CryptoNote, a protocol that conceals the sender and receiver of a transaction, protecting the identity of all parties involved and ensuring privacy. It is also the first blockchain to have complete SSL in the peer-to-peer layer. This encrypts all its network traffic and conceals it from internet service providers wishing to analyze the traffic.

Dero is also the first CryptoNote blockchain to have 75 transactions per second on its native blockchain, not using any scaling solutions like [lightning networks](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/lightning-network). Notably, this is significantly above the roughly five transactions per second Bitcoin achieves. Furthermore, it has ten times faster Bulletproof than normal. Bulletproofs is a cryptographic technique that reduces the space needed for zero-knowledge range proofs.

As such, Dero might address use cases that require privacy such as voting services, escrow services, and address certification/verification. Given the team's progress made so far, it established a minimum viable product in August 2018 and plans to launch smart contracts on the mainnet in Q3 2021; Dero can lay a legitimate claim on being one of the top privacy coins on the market.


#### Related Pages:

Check out [Iota](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/iota/) — another project built on directed acyclic graph technology.

Check out [Monero (XMR)](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/monero/) — the most popular privacy coin. 

Check out [Z-Cash (ZEC)](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/zcash/) — another privacy coin. 

Learn more about privacy coins in our [detailed guide to privacy coins](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/what-are-privacy-coins).

Get the latest crypto news and latest trading insights with CoinMarketCap’s education portal — [Alexandria](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/).


## How Many Dero (DERO) Coins Are There in Circulation?

Dero has a maximum supply of 18.4 million. An initial pre-mine of two million DERO was established on network launch but is not part of the circulating supply. It will be used to finance development and marketing. Dero has a submission rate of 157,000 DERO/year with a smoothly varying block reward. Its block time is at 27 seconds, significantly faster than that of other proof-of-work blockchains, with confirmation time being 4.5 minutes. 


## How Is the Dero Network Secured?

Dero designed its unique and powerful security mechanism. Besides the outlined features, Dero implemented a new mining algorithm called AstroBWT, an open-source proof-of-work consensus mechanism based on one-CPU-one-vote. This consensus mechanism reduces the performance advantage of specialized hardware, preventing the sort of miner oligopoly that Bitcoin suffers from, with miners using [ASICs](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/asic) to mine Bitcoin. This distributes mining rewards more fairly and a consensus is reached by a majority decision via CPU power of its network of nodes. 

By combining the CryptoNote protocol with DAG, Dero is resistant to hash rate attacks and soft forks without suffering downtime. It is also the fastest CryptoNote-based blockchain deployed. 


## Where Can You Buy Dero (DERO)?

DERO is available on [KuCoin](https://coinmarketcap.com/exchanges/kucoin/), [TradeOgre](https://coinmarketcap.com/exchanges/tradeogre/), [CoinEx](https://coinmarketcap.com/de/exchanges/coinex/) and [ViteX](https://coinmarketcap.com/exchanges/vitex/). If you want to learn more about cryptocurrencies and how to start buying them, you can read more here in our education portal — [Alexandria](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/).


Dero

Haven Protocol is similar to an offshore bank where users can create private tokens that represent stable and volatile assets, including commodities and fiat currencies (such as USD). The protocol is based on Monero, which focuses on secure, private and untraceable transactions.

As a result, most of the features of Monero extend to the Haven protocol, including the bulletproofs and other privacy tech. The base currency of Haven is the XHV, which is burnt to provide users with private, untraceable, synthetic assets and commodities called xAssets.

The network uses a “mint and burn” process to provide users with untraceable digital assets with standard market pricing and real asset-pegged value storage. Simply, users can burn Haven (XHV) for Haven Dollars (xUSD), which is a synthetic stablecoin.

Haven Protocol

Oxen (formerly known as LOKI) is a privacy tech project with a mission. It’s a private cryptocurrency with instant transactions. An enormous and powerful PoS network. A secure messaging platform. A network anonymity layer. Tools to build a more private future for the Internet — all on blockchain.

Our vision is to provide a range of tools and services powered by the OXEN coin, enabling users and developers all over the world to leverage the power of our decentralised blockchain network to achieve unparalleled privacy and security as they work, play, and live their day-to-day lives on the internet. And this isn’t just an empty vision — we've put in the hard yards and spent years building these technologies to make our vision a reality.

The Oxen privacy stack includes:

Session, a fully anonymous, totally decentralised encrypted messaging platform

Lokinet, a powerful low-latency onion router

Oxen Name System (ONS), a registration system that allows users to provably burn OXEN to purchase temporary or permanent usernames for Session (and Oxen wallets), and domain names for Lokinet services

The Oxen coin is used for:

Staking to run Oxen Service Nodes

Purchasing name registrations for Lokinet (our onion router) and Session (our private messenger)

Transferring value through instant, private transactions with our revolutionary Blink transaction tech

Oxen

Function X is mirroring traditional financial products on the Function X network and creating decentralized financial products and a decentralized trading system. It is a highly customizable and expandable multi-chain architecture blockchain network (subnets) that can meet different business needs.

Function X

MiL.k

Strike is a DeFi lending protocol that allows users to earn interest on their cryptocurrencies by depositing them into one of several markets supported by the platform.

When a user deposits tokens to a Strike market, they receive sTokens in return. These sTokens represent the individual’s stake in the pool and can be used to redeem the underlying cryptocurrency initially deposited into the pool at any time. For example, by depositing ETH into a pool, you will receive sETH in return. Over time, the exchange rate of these sTokens to the underlying asset increases, which means you can redeem them for more of the underlying asset than you initially put in — this is how the interest is distributed.

On the flip side, borrowers can take a secured loan from any Strike pool by depositing collateral. The maximum loan-to-value (LTV) ratio varies based on the collateral asset, but currently ranges from 50 to 80%. The interest rate paid varies by borrowed asset and borrowers can face automatic liquidation if their collateral falls below a specific maintenance threshold.

Strike

sUSD is a synthetic USD token enabled by the Synthetix protocol. It tracks the price of the US Dollar through price feeds supplied by Chainlink’s decentralized network of oracles. sUSD is integrated across the DeFi ecosystem as one of the most liquid decentralized stablecoins, including at Curve. It can be traded without slippage for other assets native to the Synthetix protocol at Kwenta or Synthetix.Exchange.

sUSD

Secret (SCRT) is a privacy-oriented blockchain built on Cosmos. Its smart contracts are called Secret Contracts and allow DApps to use private data on Secret, similar to how smart contracts operate on other blockchains. However, Secret Contracts transfer encrypted inputs into encrypted outputs without exposing data. This is made possible thanks to the encrypted contract states during the execution.

Data privacy is guaranteed by combining encryption protocols and key management within a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE). This allows Secret Contracts to compete for several privacy-related use cases that traditional blockchains have found difficult to accommodate. For instance, private voting mechanisms or credit scoring applications become possible since they do not expose sensitive user data on-chain with Secret.

Secret

Elastos, founded in 2017 and building on a vision from 2000, is a blockchain-powered internet version. Its recent breakthrough is the introduction of BeL2, a Layer 2 solution leveraging SmartWeb technology to revolutionize Bitcoin transactions. Elastos is using SmartWeb technology to build the Bitcoin second-layer network BeL2, which extends the efficiency and scalability of the Bitcoin network through smart contracts. This endeavor will enable Bitcoin to power a smart economy and effectively release the liquidity of hundreds of billions of dollars in staked Bitcoin assets.

With over 50% of Bitcoin's hash power protecting it through merged mining, ELA boasts extremely high security and credibility in its network, earning it the esteemed title of "BTC Queen" within the community.

Elastos

Bifrost is a multichain middleware platform that enables developers to create Decentralized Applications (DApps) on top of multiple protocols. Not restrained to a single blockchain, Bifrost creates a new environment where developers can combine the best protocols to develop substantially more scalable and flexible DApps.

With Bifrost, developers can write smart contracts for multiple blockchain protocols in an unified environment. They simply select the target blockchain for each part of the code, then Bifrost will transpile, compile, and deploy the code into the target blockchains at once. Developers can also easily operate their DApps and even switch the target blockchain as new and better protocols become available.

Bifrost has multiple components that allow for a seamless connection among all blockchains:

Recipe: A language application that defines the programming language of Bifrost and generates smart contract codes with guaranteed code-level flexibility.

Linker: A system that connects the user and Bifrost components, ensuring the seamless operation on top of multiple blockchains.

Builder: An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that offers a customized environment to use the comprehensive suite of features of Bifrost.

Gourmet: An automated testing environment for Bifrost service and smart contract development, updating with the latest technologies for blockchain.

Scan: A dashboard that provides you with a full view of the internal process of Bifrost and shows your blockchain interconnectivity in diagram.

Bifrost

Persistence One

Viction

Kleros (PNK) is a decentralized dispute resolution project that launched in July 2018. It is an open-source online dispute resolution protocol that uses blockchain and crowdsourcing to adjudicate disputes fairly.

Kleros offers a middleman service for decentralized applications (DApps) and their users. If the service provided by the application does not create a dispute, Kleros acts as a trustless third-party service for payment.

When a dispute does occur, however, each party can apply for arbitration through the Kleros arbitrators that are selected from the owners of PNK tokens. PNK is an Ethereum-based ERC-20 utility token with a fixed supply.

At this point, the jurors can make a decision that will favor either party. The arbitration fees are distributed to all arbitrators in the form of ETH; jurors who have issued a minority decision lose part of their PNK tokens for the benefit of the majority of jurors. This decision can be appealed, at a cost. The stated mission of Kleros is to offer easier access to justice and improve individual freedom.

Kleros charges a cost that is payable in ETH and is provided by the parties to the dispute or drawn from the funds previously locked in escrow.

Kleros

Firo (FIRO), formerly known as Zcoin, is a cryptocurrency that focuses on being private digital cash. It created the Lelantus privacy protocol which allows users to burn their coins and redeem them later for brand new ones that do not have any transaction history.

Prior to Lelantus, it was also the first cryptocurrency to code and launch a practical implementation of the Zerocoin protocol which became one of the most prevalent privacy protocols in use, prior to it being replaced by Sigma and then Lelantus after cryptographic flaws were discovered in the Zerocoin protocol in 2019.

Firo

Monero was launched in 2014, and its goal is simple: to allow transactions to take place privately and with anonymity. Even though it’s commonly thought that BTC can conceal a person’s identity, it’s often easy to trace payments back to their original source because blockchains are transparent. On the other hand, XMR is designed to obscure senders and recipients alike through the use of advanced cryptography.

The team behind Monero say privacy and security are their biggest priorities, with ease of use and efficiency coming second. It aims to provide protection to all users — irrespective of how technologically competent they are.

Overall, XMR aims to allow payments to be made quickly and inexpensively without fear of censorship.

Monero

Prom

Wanchain is a distributed ledger that allows for cross-chain transactions and the interoperability of multiple chains. Although Wanchain facilitates transactions between blockchains, it is also a stand-alone blockchain that runs autonomously. The protocol acts as a distributed ledger that processes and maintains records of cross-chain transactions.

Transactions on Wanchain do not only occur between different public blockchains but between private chains as well. As an Ethereum (ETH) fork, Wanchain enjoys some of the properties of the Ethereum blockchain. The protocol securely and autonomously processes applications via smart contracts.  The use cases for Wanchain include decentralized exchanges (DEXs), lending and borrowing platforms, stablecoins, crowdfunding, multi-currency payments and settlements.

The platform is totally decentralized and requires no custodian party to manage or confirm transactions. Unlike other cross-chain systems, Wanchain does not rely on a third-party platform to authenticate transactions. The locked account mechanism is used to secure and manage accounts on the network, eliminating third-party interferences.

Wanchain

Wrapped NXM (wNXM) is a 1-to-1 backed token that can only be generated by wrapping genuine NXM.

NXM can only be traded among Nexus Mutual members, while wNXM is fully tradable but can't be used at all within the Nexus Mutual protocol.

Wrapped NXM

Decred is Money Evolved.

By combining battle tested Proof-of-Work with an innovative take on Proof-of-Stake that places coin holders in charge of shaping the future, Decred is able to adapt to challenges and innovate at a rapid pace. You acquire influence in Decred by putting “skin in the game”.

Decred’s security, privacy, scalability, and decentralized treasury empower stakeholders and provides them with the tools needed to enhance their financial sovereignty.

Decred

MediBloc (MED) is a South Korean-based decentralized blockchain protocol for the healthcare industry through which medical institutions can securely transfer, collect, store and manage data. With MediBloc, physicians can access patient information, medical history, prescribed medication, insurance issues and more. MediBloc makes medical data more accessible by allowing everyone involved to track and record medical conditions, appointments, examinations, treatments and more.

The ecosystem is built on three key elements: MediBloc Core (a layer for storing data and providing additional storage), MediBloc Application (a layer for accessing and managing data through various applications), and MediBloc Service (a layer applying smart contract technology that connects the other layers and allowing input and output of data).

The platform offers three categories of accounts: for general users (patients), healthcare providers (doctors and medical institutions) and data scientists, the latter two require proof of their accreditation. The project is aimed at improving the quality of medical services and infrastructure by optimizing information storage processes and giving users sovereignty over their own data. MediBloc is compliant with the HIPAA Security Rule, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

MediBloc

Aergo describes itself as an open-source enterprise blockchain platform optimized for hybrid deployments, which consist of both permissioned and permissionless blockchain architectures. It includes support for SQL allowing for easy data handling and familiar smart contract programming for developers.

The platform is built and utilized by Blocko, the Samsung-backed South Korean blockchain technology company that, according to Korean media sources, has deployed production blockchain solutions for large-scale clients including Lotte Card, Shinhan Bank, Korea Exchange, Hyundai Motors, and more.