What is iExec RLC (RLC)?

Deep Dive

1. Purpose & Value Proposition

iExec tackles the critical challenge of data privacy in Web3 and enterprise applications. Its core proposition is to make confidential computing—processing data in a secure, encrypted environment—accessible to developers. This allows builders to create applications where users retain full ownership and control of their data, enabling new models for private data sharing and monetization (CoinMarketCap). The platform is particularly targeted at sensitive use cases in decentralized finance (DeFi), artificial intelligence (AI), and tokenized real-world assets.

2. Technology & Architecture

The platform's privacy is powered by Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs), specifically Intel's TDX technology. A TEE is a secure area within a processor that guarantees code and data are protected from external access, even from the operating system. On iExec, a worker's hardware must pass a remote attestation to prove it's running genuine, unmodified code inside a TEE before it receives decryption keys for a dataset. This ensures computations are performed confidentially. The network is built on Ethereum and has expanded to Layer 2 solutions like Arbitrum to improve scalability and reduce costs.

3. Tokenomics & Utility

RLC is an ERC-20 token that fuels the iExec network. Its primary utilities are payment and access: users spend RLC to execute applications and to access protected datasets. The token is also used for staking, where participants lock RLC to perform roles like scheduling tasks, with slashing mechanisms ensuring network reliability. The total supply is fixed at approximately 87 million tokens, all of which are in circulation, creating a deflationary model where usage directly drives token demand.

Conclusion

iExec RLC is fundamentally a decentralized infrastructure layer that brings verifiable privacy to on-chain applications through hardware-based confidential computing. How will the demand for truly private smart contracts and AI models shape the adoption of TEE-based networks like iExec?