What Is Chia Network (XCH)? Features, Tokenomics and Price Prediction

## What Is Chia Network (XCH)?

[Chia Network](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/chia-network/) (XCH) is a [layer 1](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/layer-1-blockchain) [blockchain](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/blockchain) that uses its own custom-designed programming language called Chialisp and a novel [consensus mechanism](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/consensus-mechanism) called proof-of-space-and-time (PoST). The combination of these two allows the blockchain to use less energy without compromising network security. In contrast to most other blockchains, Chia Network is a public, for-profit, open source company that aspires to become listed on NYSE or NASDAQ. Its blockchain is aimed at enterprise use, which is why Chia Network plans to have XCH on its balance sheet in case of a listing. 

Chia Network’s first proof-of-time function was released in 2019, with the first beta version of its blockchain launching in 2020. Chia Network achieved full functionality, including wallet functionality, transactions and [smart contracts](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/smart-contract), with its [mainnet](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/mainnet) launch in 2021.


## Who Are the Founders of Chia Network?

[Chia Network](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/chia-network/) (XCH) was established in Delaware in 2017 by Bram Cohen, the founder of the popular peer-to-peer file sharing platform BitTorrent. The project is headed by an experienced senior management team, including former NASDAQ CEO Gene Hoffman as chief operating officer (COO) and former Overstock.com CEO Mitch Edwards as chief financial officer (CFO).

Chia Network is also backed by an illustrious list of [cryptocurrency](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/what-are-cryptocurrencies)-focused venture capitalists. It raised $61 million in funding in May 2021 with the participation of leading VCs that included Andreessen Horowitz, Slow Ventures, Naval Ravikant, Galaxy Digital and others.


## What Makes Chia Network Unique?

[Chia Network](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/chia-network/) (XCH) improves upon [proof-of-stake](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/proof-of-stake-pos) (PoS) and [proof-of-work](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/proof-of-work-pow) (PoW) by using a less electricity-intensive consensus mechanism. The network achieves Nakamoto consensus by combining proof-of-space (PoS) with proof-of-time, (PoT) which both function in distinct manners. 

Proof-of-space requires [miners](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/miners) to keep unused storage on their hard disk drives. In this scenario, miners install special software that allocates free space, which is then used to solve a challenge – similar to puzzle-solving in [proof-of-work](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/proof-of-work-vs-proof-of-stake) (PoW). The software stores a collection of cryptographic numbers on the miner's disk and, upon [block](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/block) creation, a challenge number from the previous block is taken. Miners scan their numbers to check if they have a number close to the challenge number that is required. 

On the other hand, proof-of-time demonstrates the passage of time through Verifiable Delay Functions, in a way that is similar to the [Solana](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/solana/) (SOL) blockchain. The Timelords – nodes that document time – ensure that time is correctly documented for solving the proof-of-space functions.

In addition, Chia Network has its own programming language called Chialisp. This is an on-chain programming language that is smart contract-compatible and takes most important components of [Ethereum](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/ethereum/) (ETH), Solidity, and Bitcoin Core but keeps Bitcoin's UTXO model. Doing so allows for simultaneous transactions instead of sequential, making Chia Network a faster and more energy-efficient blockchain compared to its rivals.


## Related Pages:

Check out [Solana](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/solana/) (SOL) — a high-speed blockchain.

Check out [Polkadot](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/polkadot-new/) (DOT) — another blockchain for the multichain future.

Read our [deep dive into Avalanche, another layer 1 blockchain.](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/de/article/a-deep-dive-into-avalanche-avax)

Get the latest crypto news and latest trading insights via the [CoinMarketCap blog](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/categories/blog).


## How Many Chia Network (XCH) Coins Are There in Circulation?

The current supply of XCH is 22,582,025. 21 million XCH were pre-farmed to help fund the creation and administration of Chia. According to the [Chia Network](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/chia-network/) (XCH) whitepaper, farming rewards follow this schedule: 



* 64 chia will be created every 10 minutes for the first three years after launch
* 32 chia will be created every 10 minutes in years four through six after launch
* 16 chia will be created every 10 minutes in years seven through nine after launch
* Eight chia will be created every 10 minutes in years ten through 12
* Four chia will be created every 10 minutes for every year after year 12

That means the network itself controls most XCH and only 21 years from mainnet launch, the farming rewards will catch up with the size of the strategic reserve.


## How Is the Chia Network Secured?

Besides following a unique approach in combining an adapted proof-of-work consensus mechanism with proof-of-time, [Chia Network](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/chia-network/) (XCH) is governed by a traditional corporate structure. It eschews the crypto-native model of a [decentralized autonomous organization](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/decentralized-autonomous-organizations-dao) (DAO) in favor of being a traditional joint-stock corporation. 

Chia Network intends to list the company's equity on a stock exchange, as it believes that this model aligns incentives better than other models. As such, ownership of coins has no influence on the [governance](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/governance) of the Chia blockchain, which is a distinct approach to the model of other public blockchains. 


## Where Can You Buy Chia Network (XCH)?

[Chia Network](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/chia-network/) (XCH) is available on [Huobi](https://coinmarketcap.com/exchanges/huobi-global/), [Gate.io](https://coinmarketcap.com/exchanges/gate-io/), [Uniswap (V2)](https://coinmarketcap.com/exchanges/uniswap-v2/), [KuCoin](https://coinmarketcap.com/exchanges/kucoin/) and [OKEx](https://coinmarketcap.com/exchanges/okex/). 


Chia

Flow

Ethereum-based DYDX ($ethDYDX) is a governance token that allows the dYdX community to truly govern the dYdX Layer 2 Protocol built on Ethereum ("dYdX v3"). ethDYDX is currently undergoing a migration from Ethereum to the dYdX Chain. More information is available here. If you want to migrate ethDYDX to dYdX Chain DYDX, to enable staking, security and governance of the dYdX Chain you can follow the how-to-bridge guide here.

If you want to read about the new token utility for dYdX Chain DYDX you can read the blog here

ethDYDX (dYdX) is the governance token for the layer 2 protocol built on Ethereum. By enabling shared control of dYdX v3, ethDYDX allows traders, liquidity providers, and partners of dYdX to work collectively towards an enhanced dYdX v3.

Built on StarkWare’s StarkEx scalability engine, layer 2 is used for trading of cross-margined perpetuals on the platform. The scaling solution allows dYdX to increase transaction speed, eliminate gas costs, reduce trading fees and lower​​ minimum trade sizes on the protocol.

A total of 1,000,000,000 ethDYDX have been minted, and started to become accessible over five (5) years, on August 3rd, 2021, at 15:00:00 UTC.

dYdX (ethDYDX)

Hashflow is a DEX Aggregator that offers deep liquidity across the leading blockchains. Hashflow offers traders the best prices, access to $8B in liquidity, and the ability to trade every token both interchain and cross chain. Since launching in April 2021, Hashflow has facilitated over $18B in total trade volume.

Hashflow's team consists of top minds from both web2 and web3 including Airbnb, Amazon, Arbitrum, Citadel, Genesis Trading, and more. Backers include Dragonfly Capital, Electric Capital, Coinbase Ventures, Wintermute Trading, and Balaji Srinivasan.

Hashflow

Mina Protocol is a minimal “succinct blockchain” built to curtail computational requirements in order to run DApps more efficiently. Mina has been described as the world’s lightest blockchain since its size is designed to remain constant despite growth in usage. Furthermore, it remains balanced in terms of security and decentralization. The project was rebranded from Coda Protocol to Mina in October 2020.

To learn more about this project, check out our deep dive of Mina Protocol.

The Mina network has a size of only 22 KB, which is miniscule when compared to Bitcoin’s 300 GB blockchain.

Mina

In a nutshell, Cosmos bills itself as a project that solves some of the “hardest problems” facing the blockchain industry. It aims to offer an antidote to “slow, expensive, unscalable and environmentally harmful” proof-of-work protocols, like those used by Bitcoin, by offering an ecosystem of connected blockchains.

The project’s other goals include making blockchain technology less complex and difficult for developers thanks to a modular framework that demystifies decentralized apps. Last but not least, an Interblockchain Communication protocol makes it easier for blockchain networks to communicate with each other — preventing fragmentation in the industry.

Cosmos’ origins can be dated back to 2014, when Tendermint, a core contributor to the network, was founded. In 2016, a white paper for Cosmos was published — and a token sale was held the following year. ATOM tokens are earned through a hybrid proof-of-stake algorithm, and they help to keep the Cosmos Hub, the project’s flagship blockchain, secure. This cryptocurrency also has a role in the network’s governance.

Cosmos

Self-described as "Polkadot's wild cousin," Kusama is an experimental blockchain platform that is designed to provide a massively interoperable and scalable framework for developers.

Kusama is built on Substrate — a blockchain building kit developed by Parity Technologies. Kusama has almost the same codebase as Polkadot — one of the most successful interoperable blockchains.

By deploying on Kusama, fast-paced projects gain access to a highly scalable, interoperable sharded network, with features that are not yet available on Polkadot. To that end, Kusama describes itself as a “canary network.”

The platform is designed to provide a testbed for developers looking to innovate and deploy their own blockchain and can be used as a preparatory network before launching on Polkadot — though many projects opt to stick with Kusama for their final product.

Kusama benefits from a low barrier to entry for deploying parachains, low bond requirements for validators, and is most commonly used by early-stage startups and for experimentation.

Kusama

Trust Wallet Token, or TWT, is a simple BEP-20 utility token that provides a range of benefits and incentives to Trust Wallet users. Trust Wallet itself is a mobile cryptocurrency wallet that supports dozens of popular native assets, in addition to popular tokens on the Ethereum, Binance and TRON blockchains.

Holders of TWT tokens unlock a variety of benefits when using Trust Wallet, including discounts on in-app cryptocurrency purchases and on the use of decentralized exchange (DEX) services. TWT holders can also participate in the governance of Trust Wallet and can vote on Trust Wallet update proposals, helping to shape the development of the app.

Trust Wallet Token was initially launched as a BEP-2 asset on Binance Chain, but was relaunched as a BEP-20 token on Binance Smart Chain in October 2020.

Trust Wallet Token

The 1inch Network unites decentralized protocols whose synergy enables the most lucrative, fastest, and protected operations in the DeFi space.

The 1inch Network's first protocol is a decentralized exchange (DEX) aggregator solution that searches deals across multiple liquidity sources, offering users better rates than any individual exchange. The 1inch Aggregation Protocol incorporates the Pathfinder algorithm for finding the best paths across over 400+ liquidity sources on 12 chains: Ethereum, BNB Chain, Polygon, Avalanche, Optimism, Arbitrum, Fantom, Gnosis Chain, Klaytn, Aurora, zkSync and Base.

In just over two years the 1inch DEX aggregator has reached 1M users and surpassed $150B in overall volume on the Ethereum network alone.

The 1inch Limit Order Protocol facilitates the most innovative and flexible limit order swap opportunities in DeFi. The protocol’s features, such as dynamic pricing, conditional orders, and extra RFQ support, power various implementations, including stop-loss and trailing stop orders, as well as auctions.

The 1inch Wallet is a multichain mobile platform that provides an easy-to-navigate interface with secure storing, transaction, and staking capabilities. This versatile wallet was built from the ground up to streamline interacting with 1inch’s features.

The 1INCH token is the governance and utility token of the 1inch Network. 1INCH holders can stake their tokens to participate in the 1inch Network's DAO governance, including the 1inch DAO Treasury management. Also, holders can choose resolvers and earn a part of their fees.

With the 1inch Fusion, users can stake 1INCH tokens to receive Unicorn Power (UP), then subsequently delegate their UP to any 1inch Fusion Resolver to start receiving rewards from them. When staking, there is the option to set a custom or preset lock period. User’s st1INCH tokens cannot be unstaked/withdrawn without penalty until the designated lock period expires.

In December 2020, 1inch raised $12 million in Series A funding, led by Pantera Capital, with others including ParaFi Capital, Blockchain Capital, Nima Capital, and Spartan Group. The funding round was conducted through a SAFT (simple agreement for future tokens) sale.

In December 2021, 1inch has closed a $175 million Series B round, led by Amber Group. Among about 50 investors that participated in the funding event are Jane Street, VanEck, Fenbushi Capital, Alameda Research, Celsius, Nexo, Tribe Capital and Gemini Frontier Fund.

1inch Network

Aptos is a Layer 1 Proof-of-Stake (PoS) blockchain that employs a novel smart contract programming language called Move, a Rust-based programming language that was independently developed by Meta (formerly Facebook)’s Diem blockchain engineers.

Aptos’s vision is a blockchain that brings mainstream adoption to web3 and empowers an ecosystem of DApps to solve real-world user problems.

The PoS blockchain can achieve a theoretical transaction throughput of over 150,000 transactions per second (tps) through parallel execution.

In March 2022, Aptos raised $200 million in a seed round led by the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). Other crypto heavyweights like Tiger Global and Multicoin Capital took part in the funding round. Fast forward to July, the startup raised another $200 million in a Series A round with participation from Dragonfly, Apollo Global, Franklin Templeton, Animoca, Jump Crypto and others.

Two months later, Binance Labs made a strategic investment of an undisclosed amount in Aptos.

On Oct. 18, 2022, Aptos announced the mainnet launch, while the Aptos genesis occurred on Oct. 12, 2022.

Aptos

Toncoin (TON) is the native cryptocurrency of the decentralized layer-1 blockchain, The Open Network (TON). The TON blockchain is open-sourced and supported by many network contributors, including the Switzerland-based non-profit organization, the TON Foundation.

Since 2017, the team at Telegram has been developing the codebase for the network, then-named Telegram Open Network (TON) and native cryptocurrency 'Gram.' However, in May 2020, Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov announced the end of Telegram's involvement with the TON Blockchain, following a court order by the SEC. The Gram token was not issued.

Since 2020, the technology has been developed by a non-commercial group of supporters and an independent community of enthusiasts, the TON Foundation. The blockchain was renamed from "Telegram Open Network" to "The Open Network" and Toncoin is the native cryptocurrency of the TON network. The whitepaper contains part of the original codebase written by Dr. Nikolai Durov, co-founder of Telegram and brother of Pavel Durov.

The original idea was to integrate TON into an easy-to-use application that allows users to buy/send/store funds. Clients pay transaction fees and use TON to settle payments or validate transactions. Toncoin utilizes the proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus model for network scalability and reliability. According to the project website, the platform provides fast, transparent and secure payment services, facilitating transactions with minimal fees and third-party applications.

The developers’ mission is to build a full-fledged ecosystem with decentralized storage, decentralized services, a domain name system (DNS equivalent), an anonymous network, an instant payment platform, and affordable/fast transaction processing.

Toncoin

Dash is an open-source blockchain and cryptocurrency focused on offering a fast, cheap global payments network that is decentralized in nature. According to the project's white paper, Dash seeks to improve upon Bitcoin (BTC) by providing stronger privacy and faster transactions.

Dash, whose name comes from "digital cash," was launched in January 2014 as a fork of Litecoin (LTC). Since going live, Dash has grown to include features such as a two-tier network with incentivized nodes, including "masternodes," and decentralized project governance; InstantSend, which allows for instantly settled payments; ChainLocks, which makes the Dash blockchain instantly immutable; and PrivateSend, which offers additional optional privacy for transactions.

Dash

Vega Protocol provides the derivatives scaling layer for Web3. It is a custom-built proof-of-stake blockchain, which makes it possible to trade derivatives on a decentralised network with comparable experience to using a centralised exchange.

VEGA is the network governance and staking token. It is used for:

Voting on the creation of new markets on the network

Running validator nodes on the network via staking VEGA tokens

Earning fees from traders through staking and delegation

Governing important network parameters which ensure markets are secure and fair

Vega Protocol

The Internet Computer blockchain incorporates a radical rethink of blockchain design, powered by innovations in cryptography. It provides the first “World Computer” blockchain that can be used to build almost any online system or service, including demanding web social media, without need for traditional IT such as cloud computing services. As such it can enable full end-to-end decentralization.

Internet Computer

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

To learn more about this project, check out our deep dive of Compound.

When a user deposits tokens to a Compound pool, they receive cTokens in return. These cTokens 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 cETH in return. Over time, the exchange rate of these cTokens 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 Compound pool by depositing collateral. The maximum loan-to-value (LTV) ratio varies based on the collateral asset, but currently ranges from 50 to 75%. The interest rate paid varies by borrowed asset and borrowers can face automatic liquidation if their collateral falls below a specific maintenance threshold.

Since the launch of the Compound mainnet in September 2018, the platform has skyrocketed in popularity, and recently passed more than $800 million in total locked value.

Compound

Polkadot is an open-source sharded multichain protocol that connects and secures a network of specialized blockchains, facilitating cross-chain transfer of any data or asset types, not just tokens, thereby allowing blockchains to be interoperable with each other. Polkadot was designed to provide a foundation for a decentralized internet of blockchains, also known as Web3.

Polkadot is known as a layer-0 metaprotocol because it underlies and describes a format for a network of layer 1 blockchains known as parachains (parallel chains). As a metaprotocol, Polkadot is also capable of autonomously and forklessly updating its own codebase via on-chain governance according to the will of its token holder community.

Polkadot provides a foundation to support a decentralized web, controlled by its users, and to simplify the creation of new applications, institutions and services.

The Polkadot protocol can connect public and private chains, permissionless networks, oracles and future technologies, allowing these independent blockchains to trustlessly share information and transactions through the Polkadot Relay Chain (explained further down).

Polkadot’s native DOT token serves three clear purposes: staking for operations and security, facilitating network governance, and bonding tokens to  connect parachains .

Polkadot has four core components:

Relay Chain: Polkadot’s “heart,” helping to create consensus, interoperability and shared security across the network of different chains;

Parachains: independent chains that can have their own tokens and be optimized for specific use cases;

Parathreads: similar to parachains but with flexible connectivity based on an economical pay-as-you-go model;

Bridges: allow parachains and parathreads to connect and communicate with external blockchains like Ethereum.

Polkadot

Helium (HNT) is a decentralized blockchain-powered network for Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Launched in July 2019, the Helium mainnet allows low-powered wireless devices to communicate with each other and send data across its network of nodes.

Nodes come in the form of so-called Hotspots, which are a combination of a wireless gateway and a blockchain mining device. Users who operate nodes thus mine and earn rewards in Helium’s native cryptocurrency token, HNT.

Helium’s goal is to prepare IoT communication for the future, identifying inadequacies in current infrastructure from its birth in 2013.

Helium

Ethereum Classic (ETC) is the original Ethereum (ETH) blockchain that launched in July 2015. Its main function is as a smart contract network, with the ability to host and support decentralized applications (DApps). Its native token is ETC.

Since its launch, Ethereum Classic has sought to differentiate itself from Ethereum, with the two networks’ technical roadmap diverging further and further from each other with time.

Ethereum Classic first set out to preserve the integrity of the existing Ethereum blockchain after a major hacking event led to the theft of 3.6 million ETH.

Ethereum Classic

Ravencoin is a digital peer-to-peer (P2P) network that aims to implement a use case specific blockchain, designed to efficiently handle one specific function: the transfer of assets from one party to another. Built on a fork of the Bitcoin code, Ravencoin was announced on Oct. 31, 2017 and released binaries for mining on Jan. 3, 2018 with what is called a fair launch: no premine, ICO or masternodes. It was named in reference to a TV show Game of Thrones.

Ravencoin

NEAR Protocol is a layer-one blockchain that was designed as a community-run cloud computing platform and that eliminates some of the limitations that have been bogging competing blockchains, such as low transaction speeds, low throughput and poor interoperability. This provides the ideal environment for DApps and creates a developer and user-friendly platform. For instance, NEAR uses human-readable account names, unlike the cryptographic wallet addresses common to Ethereum. NEAR also introduces unique solutions to scaling problems and has its own consensus mechanism called “Doomslug.”

NEAR Protocol is being built by the NEAR Collective, its community that is updating the initial code and releasing updates to the ecosystem. Its declared goal is to build a platform that is “secure enough to manage high value assets like money or identity and performant enough to make them useful for everyday people.”

Flux, a protocol that allows developers to create markets based on assets, commodities, real-world events, and Mintbase, an NFT minting platform are examples of projects being built on NEAR Protocol.

NEAR Protocol

Zcash is a decentralized cryptocurrency focused on privacy and anonymity. It uses the zk-SNARK zero-knowledge proof technology that allows nodes on the network to verify transactions without revealing any sensitive information about those transactions.

Contrary to a common misunderstanding, the majority of cryptocurrencies on the market, including Bitcoin (BTC), are not anonymous, but rather pseudonymous; while they do not explicitly reveal the identities of their users, each user has their own public address or addresses which can be traced back to them via the methods of data science and blockchain forensics.

Zcash transactions, on the other hand, still have to be relayed via a public blockchain, but unlike pseudonymous cryptocurrencies, ZEC transactions by default do not reveal the sending and receiving addresses or the amount being sent. There is an option, however, to reveal this data for the purposes of auditing or regulatory compliance.

Zcash was first released on October 28, 2016, and it was originally based on Bitcoin’s codebase.