Decentralized Social DESO
About
What is DeSo?
DeSo is a new layer-1 blockchain built from the ground up to decentralize social media for billions of users.
We believe in empowering an internet that’s creator-led, user-owned, and open to millions of developers around the world to build off one another.
Today, there’s only a handful of big-tech companies that own and control all the information we consume online.
DeSo puts the ownership back in the hands of users, not platforms. Your identity, your profile, your content, and your social graph can now be owned by you in a completely censorship-resistant way.
Creators can now freely monetize in a way they could never do before.
With new crypto-native monetization tools, like Social Tokens, Social DAOs, Social NFTs, Social Tipping, and more — creators have access to monetize their passion and make a living by doing what they love.
Developers can build in a gasless, permissionless, and transparent environment where everything is open and on-chain for ultimate accessibility and composability.
DeSo is built to support storage-heavy or infinite-state applications, opening up a new world of non-financial-based web3 apps that weren’t possible before.
We can now imagine, build and experience the next generation of web3 social.
In the same way, we’ve seen Bitcoin and Ethereum decentralize finance, DeSo is now enabling this for social.
We know our mission is colossal, but we believe the world will be better when users, creators, and developers are put first - not corporations.
It’s time to break free.
To learn more, make sure to check out the vision behind DeSo.
Check out some of our top apps:
Decentralized Twitter
Decentralized Fundraising
Decentralized Social Networks
Decentralized LinkedIn
Decentralized Medium
Decentralized Instagram
Decentralized TikTok
Decentralized OpenSea
Who Are the Founders of DeSo?
DeSo was founded by Nader Al-Naji in January 2019. After graduating Princeton University, Al-Naji worked as a software engineer at the D. E. Shaw Group and later at Google on the Google Search and Google Ads teams. Before DeSo, he raised over $133M to start an algorithmic stablecoin Basis in 2017.
The DeSo blockchain is supported by the non-profit DeSo Foundation, whose broad mission is to support the decentralization of social media. Al-Naji is currently the chairman of the board of the DeSo Foundation, with a $200 million treasury behind it to support its mission.
In October 2021, the DeSo Foundation announced a $50 million developer fund, known as the [Octane Fund].
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What Makes DeSo Unique?
The DeSo blockchain supports not only traditional social features like creating profiles and posts, but also novel blockchain-native features like social tokens (creator coins), tipping, and NFTs.
These features unlock vast new categories of money-enabled products, from social NFT experiences to influencer stock markets. These features enable creators to more effectively monetize their content and connect with their followers on DeSo-powered apps.
Because DeSo treats social data as a public utility, creators aren't locked-in to a handful of centralized apps. All content on DeSo is stored on a decentralized ledger and is immediately available to a large and growing network of independent third-party apps, akin to DeFi applications on the Ethereum blockchain.
DeSo's biggest advantage lies in the fact that it is not a general-purpose blockchain. Instead, it supports a narrow set of social-oriented features that it implements on bare metal, using custom indexes that every node builds during consensus when it syncs from its peers.
This allows the DeSo blockchain to reach highly-scalable storage capabilities that are unparalleled by any general-purpose blockchain. For instance, the cost of 1 GB of on-chain storage on DeSo is as low as 1 DeSo, whereas even the best existing smart contract infrastructures require millions ($1,000,000+) of dollars to achieve the same. DeSo has also announced switching to a Proof of Stake consensus by the end of year 2022, which is expected to reach a throughput of hundreds of thousands transactions per second, owing to the strictly defined transaction schema.
AI Analysis
What is the Decentralized Social (DESO) cryptocurrency good for? What are its main use cases?
Decentralized Social (DESO) is a blockchain-based cryptocurrency designed to power a decentralized social media ecosystem. Its primary goal is to create a fairer, more user-controlled alternative to traditional social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Here are its main use cases and benefits:
1. Decentralized Social Media Platforms
- DESO powers decentralized social networks (like BitClout, now rebranded as Decentralized Social) where users own their content and data.
- Unlike centralized platforms, users retain control over their posts, identities, and monetization.
2. Creator Monetization
- Direct tipping & payments: Users can tip creators in DESO tokens for content, eliminating middlemen like ad revenue models.
- NFT integration: Creators can mint and sell NFTs (non-fungible tokens) of their posts, art, or videos.
3. Decentralized Identity & Reputation
- User-owned profiles: Unlike traditional social media, where accounts can be banned or deleted, DESO allows users to own their digital identities.
- Reputation systems: Followers and engagement metrics are stored on-chain, making them tamper-proof.
4. Censorship Resistance
- Since DESO is built on a blockchain, it resists censorship by governments or corporations, ensuring free speech (within legal limits).
5. Tokenomics & Staking
- Staking rewards: Users can stake DESO to earn rewards and participate in governance.
- Deflationary model: A portion of transaction fees is burned, reducing supply over time.
6. Interoperability & Future Use Cases
- DESO can integrate with other DeFi (Decentralized Finance) and Web3 applications, expanding its utility beyond social media.
- Potential for decentralized messaging, DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations), and more.
Conclusion
DESO aims to revolutionize social media by giving users control over their data, content, and monetization. While still in development, its vision aligns with the broader Web3 movement of decentralization and user empowerment.
Would you like details on how to buy or use DESO?
What blockchain does Decentralized Social use? Is it its own blockchain or built on top of another?
Decentralized Social (DS) is a decentralized social media platform that operates on the Fantom (FTM) blockchain. It is built on top of Fantom's Opera mainnet, rather than being its own independent blockchain.
Key Details:
- Blockchain: Fantom (FTM)
- Type: Layer 1 (L1) blockchain
- Consensus Mechanism: Lachesis (aBFT-based consensus for high speed and low fees)
- Token: FTM (used for gas fees and governance)
Fantom was chosen for its fast transaction speeds, low fees, and scalability, making it suitable for a decentralized social media platform. Decentralized Social leverages Fantom's infrastructure to ensure efficient and cost-effective operations.
Would you like more details on how Fantom's technology supports Decentralized Social?
Is Decentralized Social programmable? Does it support smart contracts or decentralized applications?
Yes, Decentralized Social (DS) networks can be programmable, and many support smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). However, the level of programmability depends on the specific blockchain or protocol powering the decentralized social platform. Here’s a breakdown:
1. Programmability in Decentralized Social Networks
Many decentralized social platforms are built on blockchain-based protocols that allow for smart contracts and dApp development. Examples include:
- Farcaster (on Ethereum & Base) – Supports smart contracts for custom actions and integrations.
- Lens Protocol (on Polygon) – Built for NFT-based social graphs and supports smart contracts.
- Bluesky (AT Protocol) – Decentralized but not blockchain-based; relies on custom logic rather than smart contracts.
- Mastodon (ActivityPub) – Federated but not inherently programmable with smart contracts.
- Peepeth (on Ethereum) – A decentralized microblogging platform with smart contract interactions.
2. Smart Contract & dApp Support
- Ethereum-based DS platforms (e.g., Farcaster, Peepeth) allow developers to build dApps that interact with social data.
- Lens Protocol enables NFT-based profiles and programmable social interactions.
- Solana-based DS platforms (e.g., Bonk Social) can leverage Solana’s smart contract capabilities.
3. Limitations
- Non-blockchain DS platforms (e.g., Bluesky, Mastodon) rely on custom logic rather than smart contracts.
- Scalability & cost (e.g., Ethereum gas fees) can impact programmability.
Conclusion
If you're looking for a fully programmable decentralized social network with smart contracts, platforms like Farcaster, Lens Protocol, or Peepeth are good choices. However, if you prefer a federated but non-blockchain approach, Bluesky or Mastodon may be more suitable.
Would you like recommendations for a specific use case (e.g., NFT-based social graphs, token-gated content, etc.)?
How fast are Decentralized Social transactions? What is the typical confirmation time and throughput (transactions per second)?
The speed of transactions on Decentralized Social (DeSo) depends on the blockchain's consensus mechanism and network conditions. Here’s a breakdown of its performance:
1. Confirmation Time
- Typical Block Time: ~10 seconds (similar to Bitcoin’s block interval).
- Finality: Transactions are considered secure after ~1 hour (6 blocks), similar to Bitcoin’s security model.
2. Throughput (Transactions Per Second - TPS)
- Base Layer (Bitcoin-like): ~7 TPS (similar to Bitcoin).
- Layer 2 (Rollups & Sidechains): Higher throughput (potentially 100+ TPS) when using optimized solutions.
Comparison to Other Blockchains
| Blockchain | Avg. TPS | Confirmation Time |
|---|---|---|
| DeSo (Base) | ~7 | ~10 sec (final in ~1 hour) |
| Bitcoin | ~7 | ~10 min (final in ~1 hour) |
| Ethereum | ~15-30 | ~12 sec (final in ~15 min) |
| Solana | ~2,000 | ~400 ms |
| Polygon | ~7,000 | ~2 sec |
Factors Affecting Speed
- Network Congestion: Higher demand may slow down confirmations.
- Layer 2 Solutions: DeSo is exploring rollups and sidechains to improve scalability.
- Fee Market: Higher fees can prioritize transactions.
Conclusion
DeSo’s base layer is not as fast as high-throughput chains (e.g., Solana, Polygon), but it prioritizes decentralization and security (like Bitcoin). For faster transactions, DeSo may rely on Layer 2 solutions in the future.
Would you like details on specific DeSo use cases (e.g., NFTs, DeFi, social media)?
How much data can I store on the Decentralized Social blockchain? Does it support on-chain data storage?
The amount of data you can store on a Decentralized Social (DS) blockchain depends on the specific blockchain platform you're using, as there isn't a single "Decentralized Social blockchain." However, many decentralized social platforms (like Mastodon, Bluesky, Lens Protocol, or Farcaster) rely on blockchain technology for identity, moderation, and incentives but often use off-chain storage (like IPFS, Arweave, or traditional databases) for large data like posts, images, and videos.
On-Chain vs. Off-Chain Storage
On-Chain Storage (Limited)
- Most blockchains (Ethereum, Solana, Polygon) have high storage costs and limited capacity due to scalability constraints.
- Storing large files (images, videos) directly on-chain is impractical and expensive.
- Example: A simple text post on Ethereum could cost $0.10–$1+ in gas fees, while storing a 1MB image would be extremely costly.
Off-Chain Storage (Common for Social Apps)
- Decentralized storage solutions like IPFS, Filecoin, or Arweave are often used.
- These systems provide cheaper, scalable storage while still being decentralized.
- The blockchain only stores hashes (content identifiers) pointing to the off-chain data.
Decentralized Social Platforms & Storage
| Platform | Storage Method | Max On-Chain Data | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lens Protocol | IPFS + Arweave (off-chain) | Minimal (metadata) | Uses blockchain for identity & permissions |
| Farcaster | Off-chain (centralized DB) | None (just hashes) | Uses blockchain for identity & events |
| Bluesky (AT Protocol) | Off-chain (PDS) | None (just hashes) | Uses blockchain for identity & moderation |
| Mastodon (Fediverse) | Traditional databases | None | Not blockchain-based |
Conclusion
- On-chain storage is limited and expensive—best for small metadata (e.g., post hashes, user profiles).
- Off-chain storage (IPFS, Arweave, etc.) is the norm for decentralized social apps.
- If you're building a decentralized social app, combine blockchain for identity & governance with off-chain storage for media.
Would you like recommendations for a specific blockchain or storage solution?
Contact Us About Decentralized Social
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