What Is Cartesi? (CTSI)

CTSI Crypto Explained

Cartesi is a Layer 2 scaling solution that facilitates the development of decentralized applications (dApps) across multiple blockchains.

With increased adoption, certain blockchains have faced scaling challenges that have led to network congestion and high transaction fees. In addition to incorporating more widely explored Layer 2 solutions, like rollups and sidechains, Cartesi addresses blockchain scaling in a number of ways:

It is blockchain agnostic – Cartesi’s dApp building platform can be used across multiple blockchains like Ethereum and Injective Protocol, among others.
It is built using a hybrid model – Cartesi incorporates both on-chain and off-chain components to give dApp developers flexibility.

Cartesi sets itself apart by allowing developers to write smart contracts using coding languages with which they are already familiar, such as Python.

The Cartesi cryptocurrency (CTSI crypto) is a multipurpose token that powers the Cartesi Proof of Stake network. It is primarily used for incentivizing Cartesi node operators to engage with the system honestly, as well as for staking and paying transaction fees in the system.

To keep up-to-date with Cartesi, make sure to follow the development team’s blog.

cartesi ctsi crypto

Who Created Cartesi?

Cartesi was founded in 2018 by Augusto Teixeira, Erick de Moura, Diego Nehab and Colin Steil. It was originally conceived as a trustless artificial intelligence marketplace, but it evolved into a Layer 2 project aimed at solving blockchain scalability and infrastructure limitations.

The project’s four leaders have experience in both software development and the startup space. De Moura serves as Cartesi’s CEO.

In April 2020, 100 million CTSI tokens were offered for sale as part of an initial coin offering (ICO) that raised $1.5 million for the project.

How Does Cartesi Work?

Cartesi brings streamlined software development workflows to blockchain technology by running a hybrid system of on-chain transactions and off-chain computations.

Cartesi Machine and Noether

In an effort to decrease the amount of heavy computations and temporary data stored on the main blockchain, Cartesi relies on several off-chain components.

The Cartesi Machine is a linux-based virtual machine run by Cartesi nodes and is used to execute dApp computations before broadcasting the computation results to the blockchain. Operating in a linux environment allows dApps to be written in widely-used computer programming languages.

Cartesi’s Noether is a sidechain that functions as a data availability oracle. Noether is capable of temporarily recording and storing data that is only needed in the short term. Disposing of data that was only needed for short periods of time saves space and creates efficiencies over the long term for the blockchain.

On-chain components

The state of a Cartesi Machine and its associated dApps is represented by a cryptographic hash on the blockchain. This hash’s information contains the beginning and ending states of all off-chain dApp functions, which allows the network to ensure honesty and transparency across its off-chain network as well.

Communication with the blockchains is achieved by using Cartesi's variant of optimistic rollups, a scaling solution that executes transactions off-chain and posts transaction data to the main blockchain. This preserves Cartesi’s intent of keeping dApps decentralized and verifiable while offering greater scalability to its network.

Why Does CTSI Have Value?

CTSI is the cryptocurrency that powers the Cartesi network and can be staked in Cartesi’s Proof of Stake consensus system. Staking allows token holders to earn a reward for helping to secure the network. CSTI is also used to pay fees when interacting with the Noether side chain.

The CTSI token also guarantees the correct execution of dApps and discourages bad actors, thus securing Cartesi’s network.

Like many other cryptocurrencies, there is a maximum supply of CTSI, meaning that there will only ever be 1 billion CTSI tokens.

Why Use CTSI Crypto?

The blockchain space has grown so rapidly that adoption itself may limit its growth. In order to succeed, Layer 1 chains like Ethereum need to find ways to maintain network efficiency with increased user adoption.

Cartesi is a Layer 2 scaling solution with a novel approach. It streamlines dApp development and allows dApps to run more efficiently while attempting to maintain decentralization.

CTSI is an integral part of Cartesi’s multipronged approach to scaling. Crypto users may be interested in acquiring CTSI tokens in order to participate in its network by running a node, acquiring rewards through staking, designing or participating in dApps or simply because they see the value in the Cartesi platform.