Polkadot DOT
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Where to buy →Our take on Polkadot
Polkadot is a network built around interoperability, meaning its main goal is to let separate blockchains work together. Rather than being a single chain that does everything, it is designed as a system where a central relay chain coordinates and secures a set of connected chains. These connected chains, historically called parachains, can be specialized for different purposes while sharing the security provided by the wider network. The native token, DOT, is used for staking to help secure the network, for participating in governance decisions, and within the mechanisms that allocate connectivity to chains in the ecosystem. Polkadot is notable for its emphasis on shared security and on a model where many purpose-built chains coexist and can pass messages between one another. This approach aims to reduce the isolation that can occur when blockchains operate entirely independently. There are considerations to weigh. The architecture is technically intricate, governance decisions can change how the system works over time, and securing a slot or connection in the ecosystem has involved competitive processes that evolve. DOT can be volatile, and the network's success depends on teams choosing to build connected chains and on users adopting them. This is an explanation of the design, not investment advice.
About Polkadot
Polkadot is a platform that allows diverse blockchains to transfer messages, including value, in a trust-free fashion; sharing their unique features while pooling their security. In brief, Polkadot is a scalable heterogeneous multi-chain technology. Polkadot is heterogeneous because it is entirely flexible and makes no assumption about the nature or structure of the chains in the network. Even non-blockchain systems or data structures can become parachains if they fulfill a set of criteria. Polkadot may be considered equivalent to a set of independent chains (e.g. a set containing Ethereum, Ethereum Classic, Namecoin and Bitcoin) except with important additions: pooled security and trust-free interchain transactability. Many of the native parachains of Polkadot will be written using a Polkadot Runtime Environment SDK (e.g. Parity Technologies' Substrate).
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