What is Subsquid (SQD)?

By CMC AI
26 January 2026 05:38AM (UTC+0)

TLDR

Subsquid (SQD) is a decentralized data infrastructure layer providing performant, permissionless access to blockchain data for Web3 developers and AI applications.

  1. Decentralized data lake – Aggregates and structures blockchain data for efficient querying

  2. Modular query engine – Enables fast indexing across 200+ chains using ZK proofs

  3. SQD token utility – Powers node incentives, governance, and network rate limits

Deep Dive

1. Core Purpose & Value

Subsquid solves blockchain data fragmentation by creating a unified, decentralized data lake. It allows developers to query historical and real-time on-chain data without relying on centralized providers, addressing critical pain points like slow indexing speeds and high RPC costs. The network serves dApps, analytics platforms, and AI systems needing structured blockchain data, supporting projects like PancakeSwap and Deutsche Telekom's nodes (Rezolve AI).

2. Technical Architecture

The platform uses a modular design:
- Decentralized Storage: Nodes collectively manage over 2.1 petabytes of blockchain data
- ZK-Secured Query Engine: Ensures data integrity via zero-knowledge proofs while processing 5M+ daily queries
- Multi-Chain Support: Indexes data from EVM chains (Ethereum, Arbitrum), Substrate, Solana, and others through batch processing for efficiency

Benchmarks show 2000x faster disaster recovery and 2x faster real-time indexing than alternatives like The Graph (Decrypt).

3. Token Utility

SQD token facilitates:
- Node Incentives: Rewards operators for data storage and query services
- Governance: Token holders vote on protocol upgrades
- Access Tiers: Staking SQD grants higher query rate limits for dApps
Tokens reside natively on Ethereum with Arbitrum bridging for low-cost transactions.

Conclusion

Subsquid establishes a trust-minimized data layer essential for scalable Web3 development, merging institutional-grade reliability with decentralized access. How will its architecture evolve to support next-generation AI-driven dApps as on-chain data demands surge?

CMC AI can make mistakes. Not financial advice.