Ankr & WitnessChain Team Up For DePIN and AVS Innovation

Ankr serves as a critical pillar for Eigen Layer, providing the underlying infrastructure for its essential functionality to bring Ethereum security to every new Web3 protocol without scaling challenges. This includes secure node operations, innovative liquid staking solutions, and streamlined scaling services that expedite the launch of new AVS projects.

We are proud to unveil a case study for WitnessChain – one of the first AVSs we are collaborating with in multiple ways to further Web3 innovation across the board in DePIN, shared security, and scalability.

Learn more about Ankr’s role in Eigen Layer

What Is WitnessChain? Unifying DePIN Economies

WitnessChain is the EigenLayer AVS for DePIN coordination. It is the first physical state consensus protocol that is unifying a siloed DePIN economy. Through WitnessChain, a shared economy of integrated physical assets is unlocked, facilitating the exchange of resources like computing power, communication, energy, storage, and beyond. Here's a breakdown:

• Composable: WitnessChain enables DePIN projects to share info about their physical locations, network capacities and more. This will allow DePINs to connect with each other, establishing an end-to-end supply chain of decentralized infrastructure.
• Programmable: WitnessChain unlocks innovation in the DePIN ecosystem by enabling new applications to be built by combining value from various DePINs. Imagine a future with better financial instruments for DePINs.
• Decentralized: For Web3 to achieve genuine security, global participation is essential. Proof of Location incentivizes the physical decentralization of networks, rewarding operators located across diverse geographic regions.

Learn more about Witness Chain

What Is DePIN? A Review

DePIN is one of the biggest blockchain trends of 2024 because of its massive implications for the real-world use cases of Web3 and crypto. Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks harness blockchain technology and crypto incentives to conglomerate and coordinate resources that exist in the real world. This is an extremely powerful idea as it can change the way we provide and source goods and services.

Read more about DePIN

How Do Witness Chain Watchtowers Help DePIN Networks?

Witness Chain ‘Watchtower’ nodes act like independent auditors for DePIN networks. They verify actions, ensure physical infrastructure exists, and help DePINs work together, creating a more robust and trustworthy decentralized infrastructure landscape. Watchtowers act as the trust factor for DePIN networks by enabling several key functionalities:

• Proof of Diligence: These watchtowers verify that computations happening within L2 rollup networks are executed correctly by constantly watching for and cross-verifying L2 state assertions made on the L1, and witnessing that L2 transactions are included in a block. This ensures the overall integrity and security of the network.

• Proof of Location and Proof of Bandwidth: WitnessChain is introducing functionalities like Proof of Location and Proof of Bandwidth. These will allow verification of the physical location of DePIN infrastructure and the actual network bandwidth available. Once two physically separated pieces of infrastructure recognize each other’s locations and can ensure enough connectivity - they can communicate with each other to exchange value, drive demand, enhance reliability, and reduce redundancy.

• DePIN Coordination Layer: By enabling DePIN projects to share information like location and capacity, watchtowers help create an interconnected ecosystem. This allows DePINs to connect and potentially form an end-to-end supply chain of decentralized infrastructure. It will unlock functionalities such as dual-staking, and improve access of financial instruments to DePINs.

How Are Ankr and WitnessChain Working Together?

Ankr Operating Nodes for WitnessChain: By opting in as an AVS node operator for WitnessChain, Ankr commits to providing an essential service for the project. This includes operating validators for WitnessChain and ensuring smooth and secure operations for the protocol.

• High-performance node operations for AVS
• Distributed validation
• Around-the-clock support & maintenance

Contact Ankr to run your AVS nodes

Integrating WitnessChain Watchtowers with Ankr RaaS: Ankr’s Rollup as a Service will integrate WitnessChain to provide developers with the choice of having an extra layer of security with witness chain watchtowers monitoring their chain.

• Enhanced security for new L2s
• Offers additional tool for Ankr RaaS
• Provides new opportunities for L2s

Learn more about Ankr RaaS

Using Proof of Location from Witness: Ankr’s Ultra Sound Infrastructure network is a DePIN that provides the critical service of decentralizing the RPC layer of Web3. Ankr will implement PoL to act as a location verification layer for the Ultra Sound Infrastructure initiative. This will strengthen trust within our DePIN ecosystem with proof of the decentralization and distribution of the program.

• Verifies location data of nodes
• Boosts trust in Ultra Sound DePIN
• Amplifies decentralized RPC infra for Web3

Learn more about Ultra Sound Infrastructure

Final Thoughts

Our collaboration with WitnessChain is just one of the ways Ankr is working to support the ecosystem of innovation brought about by Eigen Layer. Stay tuned for our work with more AVS protocols coming soon.

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