What Is Flare Network? All You Need to Know About FLR

BeginnerFeb 15, 2023
Flare Network is a high-performance decentralized cross-chain platform that delivers a set of native open protocols to build interoperable and composable apps.
What Is Flare Network? All You Need to Know About FLR

Blockchain technology has changed the game in many industries, but it still has to deal with problems that have slowed down innovation. The Flare Network is a purpose-built blockchain that aims to solve these challenges and unlock the full potential of blockchain technology. With a vision to scale the industry, Flare Network has been engineered as a high-performance decentralized cross-chain platform that delivers a set of native open protocols, which are secured by the network. These protocols serve as the foundation for building interoperable and composable applications.

In this article, we will delve into the details of the Flare Network and explore how it is solving the challenges that have constrained innovation in the blockchain industry. We will also look at Flare Network from a technical standpoint, including what F-Assets are, its native protocols, and potential use cases, as well as more information about the FLR token.

What is the Flare Network?

Flare is a layer-1 blockchain network that utilizes the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) for its operations. It offers two core native protocols:

  • Flare Time Series Oracle (FTSO)
  • State Connector

Flare Time Series Oracle (FTSO)

The FTSO is a system that helps provide accurate information about the prices of different cryptocurrencies on the Flare network. This is done by using a voting system where token holders submit their estimates of the prices at regular intervals. The system then calculates the median of all the submissions and rewards those that are within a certain range.

Source: Flare Network

Since it can be difficult for individual token holders to submit price estimates, they can delegate this task to data providers who will do it for them and charge a fee for their services. Data providers also need to stake a certain amount of capital to participate in the system and ensure that it is resistant to manipulation. This system is designed to incentivize accurate submissions, and the data obtained can be used for various purposes, such as determining the prices of assets in a decentralized lending protocol.

State Connector

The State Connector protocol is a tool designed for Flare; it allows for the secure, scalable, and trustless integration of information from other blockchains and the internet with smart contracts on Flare. It is made up of two core protocols: the request-commit-reveal (RCR) protocol and the branching protocol. The RCR protocol enables users to submit a request, termed an attestation request, to Flare in order to obtain information from another blockchain. It consists of three phases: request, commit, and reveal. The branching protocol is responsible for accepting or rejecting the requests gathered during the RCR protocol. Together, these protocols allow for the creation of an ecosystem of robust and decentralized interoperable applications connecting everything.

Songbird

Source: Songbird - Flare Network

Canary Network is a decentralized platform built on the Ethereum blockchain by Flare. It is intended to bring the benefits of smart contract functionality to the financial world. The Flare consensus algorithm, which is a hybrid of the XRP ledger consensus protocol and the Ethereum Virtual Machine, is used by the Flare Network (EVM).

The term “canary network” refers to the testing environment for the launch of Flare’s mainnet. It is essentially a “sandbox” in which developers, users, and other stakeholders can test the platform and its features before it is made public. The goal of the canary network is to find any problems or bugs in that feature, which is a question of reaching a consensus in a distributed system with potentially malicious parties.

FBA is an extension of the original Byzantine agreement framework to an open, permissionless setting while inherently avoiding the top-heavy blockchain risk that is presented by economic solutions for providing safety, such as proof of stake. It lets trust overlap in partial quorums and gives a way for quorums to meet in the middle, which makes it possible to reach a consensus in a decentralized and trustless setting. The FCP’s federated virtual voting mechanism is a new way for the FBA to reach a consensus that is faster and more effective.

One of the most pressing concerns about purely economic blockchain protocols like proof-of-stake is how they can support large amounts of value expressed in a network state when the core set of participants is only secured by a finite and smaller amount of capital or stake. FCP is a solution that addresses this concern by using a leaderless and totally ordered consensus mechanism, which makes it difficult for an attacker to influence which of two transactions will be ordered first in a transaction set. This makes FCP a suitable model for internet-level Turing-complete consensus and a promising solution for the Byzantine general’s problem.

F-Assets (Flare Assets)

F-Assets, also known as Flare assets, are the Flare Network’s native assets. They are digital assets that can be used for a variety of purposes and are built on top of the Flare Network. F-Assets can be used to represent any kind of asset, such as money, commodities, stocks, or even real-world assets like property or art.

Use cases

F-Assets are different because they can be tokenized or wrapped versions of existing assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other assets. This enables users to use these assets within the Flare Network and benefit from network features such as decentralized exchanges, lending platforms, and asset tokenization.

One of the most important characteristics of F-Assets is that they can be used as collateral for a variety of financial services on the Flare Network. Lending, borrowing, and even insurance are all examples of this. Users, for example, can use their F-Assets as collateral to borrow other assets or as collateral to obtain a loan. F-Assets can also be used as collateral for insurance contracts, allowing users to safeguard their assets against potential losses.

F-Assets could also be used in decentralized exchanges. The Flare Network enables the establishment of decentralized exchanges (DEXs) that use F-Assets as native assets. This enables fast and efficient asset trading on the Flare Network without the use of centralized intermediaries.

In brief, F-Assets are Flare Network native assets that can be wrapped or tokenized versions of existing assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other assets. They have a wide range of potential applications in DeFi, including collateral for financial services, decentralized exchanges, lending platforms, and asset tokenization. These characteristics give F-Assets a distinct and powerful role in the Flare Network, making them an important part of the DeFi ecosystem.

What is the Flare Token (FLR)?

Flare Token (FLR) is a versatile cryptocurrency that can be used for various purposes on the Flare Network.

  • One of the main uses for FLR is assigning voting rights to pools that check the value of tokens on the network. This helps to keep the environment honest and prevent issues such as arbitrage and mass fluctuations in price.
  • Another way to use FLR is by staking it as collateral for the backing of the value of smart contracts. By staking FLR, you can create F-Assets (we mentioned before), which are separate environments such as the XRP ledger, Litecoin, Dogecoin, and XLM. For example, for every 1 XRP value you might need 2.5 FLR, and in return, you would get 100 F-XRP.
  • So a use case for FLR is the ability to wrap other tokens, such as BTC, ETH, and XRP, into a new token called FXRP. This allows you to use these other tokens within the Flare Network and participate in smart contracts and decentralized apps. The process is called tokenization, and it is a significant step forward in the interoperability of different blockchain networks.
  • As we mentioned a few seconds ago, FLR can be used for exchanging and participating in decentralized apps on the Flare Network. Additionally, when you assign your voting rights to a pool or stake FLR, you are usually rewarded with more FLR at the end of the staking period. By utilizing FLR in these ways, you can potentially make a return on your investment.

Source: Tokenomics - Flare Network

In summary, Flare Token (FLR) is a versatile cryptocurrency with a variety of uses on the Flare Network. It can be used to assign voting rights, stake as collateral, and wrap other tokens. Additionally, the Spark token fuels the network’s unique consensus mechanism, Avalanche, and enables the tokenization of other assets.

FLR Tokenomics

Source: flare.network

FLR was made available to the public on January 10, 2023, at an initial price of $0.04. As an inflationary token, FLR is designed to be distributed through the Flare Time Series Oracle (FTSO) we explained, to incentivize network participation. Initially, the annual inflation rate for FLR tokens was set at 10%. However, the Flare Network community has proposed a governance initiative called FIP.01, which aims to adjust the token distribution to reduce both short-term and long-term inflation.

If the proposal is successful, the inflation rate for FLR tokens will be adjusted to 10% in the first year, 7% in the second year, and 5% in the third year onwards, with a cap of 5 billion FLR tokens per year. The tokens will be allocated in the following way: 70% to FTSO rewards, 20% to validator rewards, and 10% to the default Attestation Provider Set of the State Connector. This governance proposal is an effort to ensure a sustainable and healthy token economy for the Flare Network.

Is Flare a Good Investment?

Flare Network has demonstrated its potential to assist businesses and individuals in utilizing the capabilities of the XRP Ledger through its unique smart contract capabilities. The network’s ability to interoperate with other blockchain networks, such as Ethereum, also adds to its versatility and potential use cases. The list of partnerships and companies exploring the use of Flare Network is growing, showcasing the validity and solidity of the project.

As the use of smart contract technology and interoperability between blockchain networks becomes increasingly important, it is likely that more businesses and individuals will turn to the Flare Network for its capabilities. This, in turn, could lead to an increase in demand for the FLR token, making it a potentially good investment opportunity. However, like any investment, it is important to conduct your own research and assess the risks before making a decision.

Overall, the Flare Network has the potential to unlock the full potential of blockchain technology and pave the way for an ecosystem of robust, decentralized, and interoperable applications.

How to Own Flare (FLR)

To own FLR, you can use the services of a centralized crypto exchange. Start by creating an account on a reputable exchange that supports the trading of FLR, such as Gate.io. Then, get your account verified and funded with your desired currency. Once your account is set up, you can go through the steps to buy FLR on the exchange. Remember to do your research and compare prices across different exchanges before buying, and also make sure to store it in a safe and secure wallet.

News on Flare

  • In December 2020, the Flare Network announced that it had successfully launched its mainnet, allowing for the creation and execution of smart contracts on the XRP Ledger.
  • In January 2021, Flare Network announced a partnership with ChainGuardian, a smart contract security auditor, to enhance the security of smart contracts on the Flare Network.
  • In February 2021, Flare Network announced a partnership with ChainGuardian to integrate ChainGuardian’s smart contract security auditor into Flare Network’s smart contract development platform, Atomix.
  • In March 2021, Flare Network announced a partnership with ChainGuardian to integrate ChainGuardian’s smart contract security auditor into Flare Network’s smart contract development platform, Atomix.
  • In April 2021, Flare Network announced the launch of Flare Finance, a decentralized finance (DeFi) platform built on the Flare Network, which allows users to earn interest on their XRP and other assets.
  • In May 2021, Flare Network announced a partnership with ChainGuardian to integrate ChainGuardian’s smart contract security auditor into Flare Network’s smart contract development platform, Atomix.
  • In June 2021, Flare Network announced the launch of its first Decentralized application (dApp) called “FlareSwap” a decentralized exchange (DEX) built on the Flare Network.
  • In January 2023, FLR tokens were shared and distributed to XRP holders who held at least one token during a snapshot in December 2020.

Useful References

For the latest updates about Flare, you can visit:

Official Website

News

Twitter

Telegram

Discord

Take Action on FLR

Check out the FLR price today and start trading your favorite currency pairs.

Author: Piero
Translator: binyu
Reviewer(s): Edward
* The information is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice or any other recommendation of any sort offered or endorsed by Gate.io.
* This article may not be reproduced, transmitted or copied without referencing Gate.io. Contravention is an infringement of Copyright Act and may be subject to legal action.
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