Polygon

Taiko

Taiko is a permissionless layer-2 network designed to scale the Ethereum network itself. It leverages zero-knowledge technology and is backed by leading investors such as Wintermute, OKX, Lightspeed and many others.

NEAR Protocol

NEAR Protocol is a layer-1 blockchain, launched in 2020, that focuses on scalability and was a response to Ethereum's scalability woes. Since then, it has pivoted to becoming the 'Blockchain for AI'.

The Open Network (TON)

The Open Network (TON) is a layer-1 blockchain which operates on a type of Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism. Originally founded by Telegram, the pair have since distanced from one another owing to regulatory challenges.

Hedera

Hedera is a layer-1 blockchain network, leveraging the hashgraph consensus mechanism. The network's native asset is $HBAR which launched in 2019 and is listed on nearly all major exchanges.

Cardano

Cardano is an alternative L1 blockchain founded in 2015 by Ethereum co-founder, Charles Hoskinson, among others. It remains a blue-chip crypto project, alongside its native $ADA coin, with its own development ecosystem.

Bitcoin

Bitcoin is the grandfather of all cryptocurrencies. Created in 2009 by the pseudonymous 'Satoshi Nakamoto', Bitcoin and its native $BTC is by far the largest of all crypto assets, now held by the world's biggest institutions and nation states as a store of value.

Ethereum

Ethereum is the original smart contract network and is second only to Bitcoin itself in market cap. Launched in July, 2015, Ethereum has become a hotbed for development and activity and even boasts countless layer-2 networks, designed to improve the scalability of its ecosystem.

Solana

Solana is one of the crypto industry's leading layer-1 blockchains and ecosystems. Launched in 2019 as a response to Ethereum's scalability problems at the time, it offers high throughput and TPS and operates using the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM).

Lido Finance

Lido Finance is the original liquid-staking protocol that popularized the sub-sector. Though it has offered staking for several assets, it is best known as the leading $ETH LST platform and minting $stETH.

Base

Developed by the Coinbase exchange, Base is an Ethereum layer-2 network. Its mainnet launched in mid-2023 and, at time of writing, it has not native governance/speculative token.

Polkadot

Polkadot is an L1 blockchain ecosystem, founded back in 2016, with a native token $DOT. Polkadot originally rose to prominence owing to its unique 'parachain' architecture.