What is Ankr?

Ankr was founded in 2017 by a group of blockchain experts who saw the potential of blockchain technology and wanted to create an infrastructure that would allow more people to use it.

The Ankr platform offers a range of blockchain-related services, including node hosting, staking, and data services. The platform aims to provide these services at a fraction of the cost of traditional providers, making it more affordable for developers and businesses to use blockchain technology.

Projects that use Ankr infrastructure include Polygon, Binance, SushiSwap, Optimism, Aave, Avalanche, 1inch, and Zapper. As of April 2023, Ankr is supported across 38+ blockchain networks.

Who Are the Founders of Ankr?

Ankr was co-founded by Chandler Song, Ryan Fang, and Stanley Wu.

Chandler Song, who serves as the CEO of Ankr, has a background in computer science and previously worked as a senior software engineer at Amazon Web Services. During his time at AWS, Song worked on a variety of projects related to cloud computing and data analytics, giving him valuable experience in building scalable and reliable technology solutions.

Ryan Fang, who serves as the COO of Ankr, also has a background in computer science and previously worked as a software engineer at Amazon and Microsoft. Fang's experience in building distributed systems and cloud infrastructure was instrumental in the development of Ankr's platform.

Stanley Wu, who serves as the CTO of Ankr, has experience working in a variety of roles in the technology and finance sectors. Wu began his career in investment banking, working for a number of years at both Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan. After leaving investment banking, Wu worked for several startups, including a mobile payment company and a fintech platform.

What Makes Ankr Token Unique?

ANKR is the native cryptocurrency that powers the Ankr platform and incentivizes users to participate in its network. Originally launched as an ERC-20 token, ANKR has since expanded availability to a long list of blockchain networks. These include BNB Chain, Polygon, Solana, Fantom, and Avalanche.

Users — With a flexible and affordable pay-as-you-go model, users spend ANKR to make data requests to the different blockchains they need to communicate with.

Node Providers — To become a crypto node provider on Ankr Network, one must deposit ANKR tokens as collateral to help ensure honest and optimal network participation. Currently, the minimum deposit amount to become a node provider is 100,000 ANKR. In exchange for serving traffic, 21% of total Ankr Network fees are distributed to node providers.

Stakers — ANKR token holders can stake their assets with Ankr Network full node providers to earn a share of their rewards for serving network traffic. 49% of total Ankr Network fees are distributed to stakers. By staking ANKR, stakers can also participate in the Ankr DAO and vote on important issues. Currently, stakers must lock their funds for 90 days and receive a 9% APY staking reward. Stakers may mint liquid staking tokens that represent their staked assets to have greater utility. Reward-earning ANKR liquid staking tokens can be deployed on other DeFi platforms or sold at any time to exit one’s position.

Ankr Products

Ankr's services offer a valuable resource for developers and businesses that need to store and access data on the blockchain.

Ankr's RPC Service —  Provides developers with access to full nodes for a wide range of blockchain networks, including Ethereum, Bitcoin, and Binance Smart Chain. With Ankr's RPC Service, developers can easily access the full node functionality they need to build and deploy blockchain applications. The service is designed to be reliable, with high uptime and low latency. Ankr's RPC Service also includes features such as load balancing and automatic failover to ensure maximum performance and availability.

Advanced APIs and SDK — Ankr’s Advanced API service is a collection of RPC methods that were created to simplify querying blockchain data of all types, helping developers build on Web3 in the most efficient way possible. Ankr’s Advanced APIs SDK is a JavaScript library that wraps all these API endpoints into easy-to-use JS code.

Ankr AppChains —  is a solution that allows developers to easily create their own blockchain networks without the need for specialized knowledge or expertise. AppChains is designed to be highly customizable, with a range of features and options that can be tailored to meet the specific needs and requirements of different projects. With AppChains, developers can quickly and easily create their own blockchain networks, deploy smart contracts, and build decentralized applications. The solution is also highly scalable, with the ability to support large-scale enterprise applications as well as smaller-scale projects.

Ankr Liquid Staking — Provides users with a simple and secure way to earn staking rewards while maintaining the liquidity of their tokens. With Ankr Liquid Staking, users can earn staking rewards on a variety of blockchain networks, without having to lock up their tokens. The service is designed to be highly secure, with advanced security features such as multi-signature wallets and cold storage. Ankr Liquid Staking also provides users with a user-friendly interface and a range of support services to help them get started with staking.

How Is the Ankr Network Secured?

One key aspect of Ankr's security approach is the use of multi-layered security protocols. Ankr's platform is built on a combination of secure hardware and software, including secure enclaves, secure boot, and encryption, which work together to protect against external attacks and data breaches. In addition, Ankr uses advanced threat detection and monitoring systems to detect and respond to potential threats in real time.

Ankr also implements strong access controls and authentication protocols to ensure that only authorized users are able to access its platform and services. This includes the use of two-factor authentication, password policies, and user roles and permissions to control access to sensitive data and functionality.

Another important aspect of Ankr's security approach is its use of decentralized infrastructure. Ankr's platform is designed to be distributed across multiple nodes, which helps to ensure that no single point of failure or attack can compromise the integrity of the entire system.

Ankr also regularly undergoes security audits and testing to identify and address any potential vulnerabilities or weaknesses in its platform. These audits are conducted by independent third-party security experts, who provide feedback and recommendations on how Ankr can further improve its security posture.

How to Choose an ANKR Wallet?

Since ANKR is supported on a variety of blockchain networks, there are several non-custodial wallets to choose from. Users should consider using AtomicDEX to hold ANKR.

AtomicDEX is a secure non-custodial wallet, cross-chain bridge, and decentralized exchange rolled into one app. AtomicDEX is available on any platform. Check out the mobile crypto wallet or desktop crypto wallet if you prefer to use a downloadable application.

If you prefer to use a web application, try AtomicDEX Web for storing and holding ANKR. As of April 2023, AtomicDEX Web provides wallet and trading support for ANKR on the following networks: Ethereum, BNB Chain, and Polygon.