What is Subsquid (SQD)?

By CMC AI
19 January 2026 07:30AM (UTC+0)

TLDR

Subsquid (SQD) is a decentralized data infrastructure protocol designed to provide developers with high-performance, permissionless access to blockchain data.

  1. Modular Data Layer – Acts as a decentralized "data lake" for indexing and querying blockchain data across 200+ networks.

  2. ZK-Secured Architecture – Uses zero-knowledge proofs and modular design to ensure scalability and security.

  3. Enterprise Adoption – Powers real-time data feeds for institutions like Deutsche Telekom and DeFi protocols like PancakeSwap.

Deep Dive

1. Purpose & Value Proposition

SQD addresses inefficiencies in blockchain data access by offering a decentralized alternative to centralized RPC/API providers. It aggregates and structures raw on-chain data into usable formats for dApps, AI models, and analytics platforms. Projects like PancakeSwap use SQD to access real-time trading data, while Deutsche Telekom leverages it for institutional-grade infrastructure (Subsquid Blog).

2. Technology & Architecture

SQD’s architecture splits data processing into modular components:
- Indexers: Extract raw blockchain data.
- Query Nodes: Organize data into structured formats.
- ZK Proofs: Verify data integrity without exposing raw inputs.
This design enables disaster recovery speeds 2,000× faster than competitors like The Graph and supports cross-chain interoperability (Rezolve AI Acquisition News).

3. Tokenomics & Governance

The SQD token has three core utilities:
- Staking: Token holders lock SQD to support network capacity via Revenue Pools, earning a share of enterprise subscription fees.
- Governance: Decentralized voting on protocol upgrades.
- Access: Prioritized query services for developers.
Revenue Pools shift network funding from token inflation to customer payments, reducing sell pressure (SQD Revenue Pools Announcement).

Conclusion

Subsquid bridges decentralized data access with enterprise reliability, serving as critical infrastructure for AI, DeFi, and institutional blockchain adoption. As SQD expands its partnerships and use cases, how might its role evolve in standardizing trustless data flows for next-gen applications?

CMC AI can make mistakes. Not financial advice.