What Is Avalanche (AVAX)?
Avalanche is a layer one blockchain that functions as a platform for decentralized applications and custom blockchain networks. It is one of Ethereum's rivals, aiming to unseat Ethereum as the most popular blockchain for smart contracts. It aims to do so by having a higher transaction output of up to 6,500 transactions per second while not compromising scalability.
This is made possible by Avalanche's unique architecture. The Avalanche network consists of three individual blockchains: the X-Chain, C-Chain and P-Chain. Each chain has a distinct purpose, which is radically different from the approach Bitcoin and Ethereum use, namely having all nodes validate all transactions. Avalanche blockchains even use different consensus mechanisms based on their use cases.
What Makes Avalanche Unique?
Avalanche attempts to solve the blockchain trilemma, which posits that blockchains cannot achieve a sufficient degree of decentralization at scale. A consequence of this are high gas fees, as is often the case on Ethereum.
To solve this problem, Avalanche designed three interoperable blockchains.
The Exchange Chain (X-Chain) is employed to create and exchange the native AVAX tokens and other assets. Similar to the ERC-20 standard on Ethereum, these tokens follow a set of standardized rules. It uses the Avalanche consensus mechanism.
The Contract Chain (C-Chain) hosts smart contracts and decentralized applications. It has its own Avalanche Virtual Machine, similar to the Ethereum Virtual Machine, allowing developers to fork EVM-compatible DApps. It uses the Snowman consensus mechanism.
The Platform Chain (P-Chain) coordinates network validators, tracks active subnets and enables the creation of new subnets. Subnets are sets of validators, sort of like a validator cartel. Each subnet can be validating several blockchains, but a blockchain can only be validated by one subnet. It also uses the Snowman consensus mechanism.
This division of computing tasks enables higher throughput without compromising on decentralization. For instance, private blockchains on the network could require its subnet's validators to be sufficiently geographically decentralized or comply with certain regulations.
Tokenomics
The total supply of AVAX is 720 million. Its token distribution is as follows:
• 2.5% seed sale, with 10% released on mainnet launch and the rest being released every three months.
• 3.5% private sale, with 10% released on mainnet launch and the rest being released every three
months.
• 10% - public sale, with 10% released on mainnet launch and 15% released every three months over a period of 18 months.
9.26% allocated to the foundation, released over
ten years.
• 7% - community endowment, released over twelve
months. 0.27% testnet incentive program, released over
one year. 5%- strategic partners, released over four years.
2.5% airdrops, released over four years.
10% team, released over four years.
50% staking rewards
How Is the Avalanche Network Secured?
AVAX is traded on the Exchange Chain, which follows its own Avalanche consensus mechanism. Unlike proof-of-work or proof-of-stake, the Avalanche consensus mechanism does not have one leader processing transactions that get validated by others.
Instead, all nodes process and validate transactions by employing a directed acyclic graph (DAG) protocol. That way, transactions are processed simultaneously, and validators' random polling ensures that transactions are correct with statistical certainty. There are no blocks in this consensus mechanism, allowing immediate finalization and significantly improving the blockchain's speed.
