What is Request (REQ)?

Deep Dive

1. Purpose & Value Proposition

Request Network is a decentralized payment system where users can request payments and receive money without third parties. By moving invoicing and B2B payments onto an immutable ledger, it aims to make transactions cheaper, faster, and fully auditable. The network integrates with global trade laws for compliance, positioning itself as a blockchain-native alternative to traditional payment processors.

2. Technology & Architecture

The protocol is built on Ethereum, storing all payment requests and invoices on its immutable digital ledger, which serves as proof for auditing. The core functionality is accessed via a developer API that supports seven payment types, including cross-chain swaps and recurring subscriptions, and reconciles transactions across 25+ blockchains in real time.

3. REQ Token Utility & Governance

REQ is an ERC-20 token with several core functions within its ecosystem. It acts as an anti-spam measure, as creating a payment request requires burning a small amount of REQ. Token holders can stake REQ for rewards and participate in governance, such as voting on community contributions via Discord. This burn mechanism creates a deflationary pressure on the token's total supply.

Conclusion

Request Network fundamentally is a blockchain infrastructure layer for programmable, audit-ready payments, powered by a multi-utility token designed to align network security with user participation. How might its API-first approach reshape how businesses automate financial operations on-chain?