With the prosperity of Web3 applications, the overall decentralization and data privacy of DApp applications have also become a focus. At the same time, the integration of AI with various scenarios has posed coordination problems for many decentralized applications in terms of network data computation, processing, and result verification. In the face of the increasing demand for various transaction and data communication scenarios in the market, Marlin Protocol can fill the corresponding gaps and become a potential focus.
What is Marlin Protocol?
The main goal of Marlin Protocol is to achieve scalability in decentralized computing through scalable co-processors. This includes using zero-knowledge proofs (ZKP) and Trusted Execution Environments (TEE) to ensure the security and privacy of DApp data processing in distributed networks, guaranteeing the decentralization of core computing. Currently, most blockchains struggle to meet the challenges of large-scale data processing, which is where Marlin's main advantage lies.
Marlin can run off-chain without trusted servers, achieving transparency in on-chain application execution. It also has scalability and fault tolerance mechanisms, providing developers with the necessary computing resources such as CPU and GPU (INTEL SGX and mainstream AI computing GPU H100), with lower hardware costs for node operators compared to other blockchain computing devices. Marlin reduces costs through marketization and token rewards, supports mainstream programming languages such as Python, C++, or Go, and makes it easy for developers to deploy and maintain their decentralized applications while achieving trusted verification results through ZK proofs and TEE proofs.
Marlin has already implemented multiple common scenarios, such as decentralized AI model expansion, decentralized exchanges, oracles, decentralized domain gateways, DApp web frontends, and GameFi.
Marlin Oyster and Trusted Execution Environments (TEE)
Trusted Execution Environments (TEE) is a privacy protection technology based on cryptography. It ensures data security and improves processing efficiency by using secure hardware environments such as SGX CPUs for isolated computations.
TEE has an independent and complete processing space, which can be seen as a "black box." Its security mainly comes from the low attack capability of isolated hardware devices. It also reduces additional computational and communication overhead during the communication process, ensuring data security while significantly improving processing efficiency.
Marlin Oyster is an off-chain computing platform that provides developers and users with TEE-supported software and hardware environments to perform various computing tasks, including deploying backends or extending smart contracts.
Oyster enhances data security through TEE and consumes fewer resources compared to regular servers. It supports complex calculations, significantly improving data processing speed. Additionally, the cost of TEE is relatively low compared to other proof methods such as MPC and FHE, giving it a clear advantage.
Marlin provides an open node market for Oyster. Node operators can configure TEE by using compatible hardware devices such as servers with SGX or AWS and Azure servers. They can lease resources by running the corresponding programs, providing Oyster Serverless serverless runtime environment for DApp developers, and transforming centralized hosting services (APIs, gateways, etc.) into decentralized ones.
For example, in a decentralized frontend environment, developers can use enclave images and deploy them on IPFS using Oyster. They can bind the domain to the secure zone on Oyster using CAA records and set DNS records. This ensures the security of authorization and records and allows SSL certificates to be obtained for connections, enabling the decentralization of the frontend of DApp applications.
Kalypso Zero-Knowledge Proofs
Kalypso is Marlin's integrated solution for zero-knowledge proofs, allowing listed ZK proofs on the market to reduce costs through market competition. Kalypso is modular and can be integrated into ZK programs to meet the processing needs of DApps for ZKP. Kalypso provides a fast and smooth user experience while efficiently utilizing hardware resources. The protocol is also resistant to censorship.
Additionally, Kalypso can be parallelized by segmenting large computation proofs, increasing computational flexibility. Kalypso has its own proof network, not controlled by a single entity, allowing anyone to join and submit bids for generating proofs.
Kalypso consists of proof requesters, Kalypso matching engines, and solvers.
Proof Requesters: Used for interaction with users and DApps.
Kalypso Matching Engine: Matches proof requests with compatible solvers.
Solvers: Provide data processing services using ZK computing resources. Solvers run in the Oyster environment, enhancing data privacy and integrity.
Marlin's Impact and Advantages for DApps
The development of blockchain has to some extent promoted the growth of Web3 applications in various scenarios. DApp applications are expected to become more complex in the future. However, based on the blockchain trilemma, it is difficult to achieve both efficiency and data processing speed while ensuring security. TEE and other methods can promote and solve these issues at the hardware level, further improving efficiency.
Compared to decentralized cloud computing market projects like Akash, Marlin provides efficient blockchain data processing and verification solutions for DApps through the integration of Kalypso and Oyster. It reduces costs, provides a serverless environment, accelerates on-chain performance improvement, and offers a decentralized computing resource market. This allows the environment for running applications to become decentralized, such as web page frontends and decentralized domain implementations. Compared to decentralized computing environments like Chainlink Functions, Marlin also supports HTTPS endpoints, further promoting decentralization.
Project Financing and Tokens
Marlin raised $3 million in seed funding in 2019, with participation from Binance Labs, Arrington XRP, Electric Capital, and NGC. In 2020, it received funding from Cabin VC, and in 2023, it received funding from DWF Labs. The amounts of these two investments were not disclosed.
Marlin has also established partnerships with multiple Web3 application teams, including KONTOS, Lighthouse, Nulink, 3DNS, SpaceID, Bonfida, Prom, etc., to promote the decentralization of data applications and computing. As a Ruby sponsor, Marlin also sponsored this year's Ethereum Community Conference.
The total supply of Marlin's token $POND is 10 billion, with 8 billion already in circulation. The circulating market value is $170 million, ranking 263rd, and it has been listed on well-known exchanges such as Binance and Coinbase. Users can earn $POND rewards by running Marlin nodes and staking, and holders can participate in network voting.
The project team members generally come from Ivy League schools and have excellent technical backgrounds. The founder and CEO, Siddhartha Dutta, is a Zilliqa research analyst and core developer with experience at Microsoft and founding HumBee. Co-founder Prateesh Goyal holds a Ph.D. in computer science from MIT and has collaborated with the Ethereum Foundation.
Conclusion
Marlin Protocol injects new vitality into the prosperity and development of Web3 applications. Through its scalable co-processors and zero-knowledge proof technology, Marlin Protocol not only improves the security and privacy of DApp data processing but also provides developers with efficient computing resources and a serverless runtime environment. With the support of Marlin Oyster and Kalypso, developers can easily build and deploy decentralized applications, enjoying efficient and secure data processing and verification services.
Marlin Protocol's contribution is not only reflected in technological innovation but also in driving and developing the entire industry. As a leader in decentralized computing, Marlin Protocol is committed to breaking the limitations of traditional computing and data processing, paving the way for the development of Web3 applications. By providing efficient and secure computing resources and verification services, Marlin Protocol creates a more open, transparent, and trustworthy network environment for developers and users. In the future, we look forward to seeing Marlin Protocol play a role in more fields, bringing more opportunities and challenges to the entire industry.
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