Explore $MPC token

Provable, fast-track consensus for efficiency and accuracy

Partisia Blockchain’s provable fast-track consensus is a new approach to blockchain consensus that addresses the inefficiencies and limitations of the Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT) model. The BFT model, traditionally used in blockchain systems, ensures consensus by waiting for the verification of two-thirds of the nodes, which can be a slow process affecting scalability.

Partisia Blockchain’s Eager FastTrack consensus model operates on a “trust but verify” principle. Transactions are added to the ledger immediately, executed node-by-node right after signing, and a peer-to-peer network that aggregates signatures establishes consensus. When a node receives signatures from at least two-thirds of all nodes, it registers a proof-of-justification (PoJ) and moves on to the next block, a process described as lightning-fast finalisation.

In rare cases where the Eager FastTrack model fails to reach consensus, the protocol reverts to a complete, BFT-style consensus before restarting the FastTrack model. This approach achieves rapid finalisation while maintaining the security of a BFT-style consensus.

Partisia Blockchain has also developed measures to ensure validators construct and validate transactions. It requires validators to build a cryptographic proof specific to each node, indicating it has signed the correct version of the blockchain before authenticating a block.

Complete sharding for speed

The “blockchain trilemma” is the challenge of achieving security, scalability, and decentralisation simultaneously in a blockchain system. Sharding, which involves partitioning the workload between groups of nodes called shards, is the solution to this problem.

A common governance shard organises and delegates the validation work to other shards in this system. Each shard performs its allocated validations and returns the results to the governance shard. This process ensures all nodes are evenly represented across all shards and participate in validating every transaction.

Sharding does not affect the blockchain’s provable consensus model or its decentralisation and security but allows validations to coincide, significantly enhancing scalability. For instance, a blockchain with three shards could handle three times as many concurrent transactions as a non-sharded blockchain. Each shard in the Partisia Blockchain has a capacity of 1000 transactions per second (TPS), with new shards created as needed.

Even during a rare, time-consuming reset, the effect on the overall capacity of the blockchain is minor, as the governance shard reallocates the workload to other shards. In essence, complete sharding allows Partisia Blockchain to dynamically balance load, similar to techniques used in cloud computing, enhancing its scalability without compromising security or decentralisation.

Collateralized token bridging for flexibility

Partisia Blockchain’s collateralized token bridge facilitates interactions between independent blockchain networks. Traditional token bridges often face security challenges as they shift value between differing security models.

Partisia Blockchain’s solution incorporates the bridge into the network’s infrastructure and relies on cryptographic tools and economic principles for stability. At its core, the bridge operates through collateralized token transfers, which maintain a one-to-one representation across two blockchain networks, mirroring a double bookkeeping system used in banking.

The token bridge consists of three parts:

• It utilizes a double bookkeeping principle that syncs information on both blockchains within regularly expiring epochs. A select set of Oracle nodes, the Small Oracle, manages this task.
• Collateralized bridging occurs within these epochs, with Small Oracle nodes holding sufficient $MPC tokens—our native utility token—to function as collateral. If there is suspicion of fraud in an epoch, any $MPC token holder can stake to initiate a dispute.
• An MPC-based signature scheme, managed by a Large Oracle that includes all available baker
  nodes, selects the Small Oracles.

The Large Oracle also mirrors the identities of the Small and Large Oracle members on the partner chain.

Zero-knowledge layer for security

Partisia Blockchain aims to address the lack of confidentiality and privacy in mainstream blockchain technology, a challenge that currently hinders its widespread use. Traditional blockchains provide complete transparency and pseudonymised user representation, complicating private transaction integration.

Partisia Blockchain’s design introduces privacy in a regulatory-compliant and flexible way. It builds privacy atop a transparent mainstream blockchain model, allowing developers to balance transparency and privacy. Privacy-preserving computation is added as a service on the primary blockchain, enabling complete privacy if needed.

This privacy-preserving computation is provided and operated by accredited ZK nodes in known jurisdictions, ensuring regulatory compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR. Personal Identifiable Information (PII) never enters the transparent blockchain but is managed exclusively by the ZK nodes in encrypted form. Jurisdiction management on the ZK nodes also ensures that the PII data remains within a given jurisdiction and stays encrypted. This system allows for compliance with GDPR requirements, such as the “Right to privacy” (keeping data private at all stages: at rest, in transit, and during processing) and the “Right to be forgotten” (using data ad hoc and deleting encrypted data used in zero-knowledge computations after use).

Unified public and private smart contracts for ease-of-use

Partisia Blockchain’s smart contracts add a vital dimension to blockchain technology by incorporating privacy-preserving computations. These smart contracts, programs executed on the blockchain according to predefined conditions, allow for an automated data-driven economy where users fully control their private data. This innovation represents a shift from the current internet economy, where third parties control user data.

The smart contracts on Partisia Blockchain coordinate public and private computations using a unified language that allows developers to use advanced technologies like zero-knowledge computation or MPC-as-a-service. The platform aims to embed the expertise of its team into the smart contract language over time, simplifying the adoption of MPC technology while increasing efficiency and preventing security breaches.

Combining general privacy-preserving computation with a unified smart contract language will advance the blockchain ecosystem and open new use cases.

Market for trust for peace of mind

Partisia Blockchain is developing a trust-based marketplace to foster a strong network of efficient and trusted nodes. This system will incentivise nodes that efficiently validate, propagate information, and operate zero-knowledge computations and token bridges that users trust.

The first part of the trust market will incentivise individual nodes running essential blockchain services such as peer-to-peer propagation of information, validation, and execution of transactions. The initial incentives will adjust the reward sharing, focusing on measures like the number of blocks produced as Sequencer. The scheme will extend to incentivize nodes revealing hidden activities in the peer-to-peer network and incentivize the most active information propagators.

The second part of the trust market will concentrate on the services of zero-knowledge and Oracle nodes. As the network grows, users will influence the selection of nodes for zero-knowledge computation and token bridges. The selection process will evolve into a market that incentivizes quality—the most trusted nodes will receive a higher price for their services.

This two-sided incentive structure sets a new standard for incentivising a decentralised network by creating a comprehensive and transparent market for trust.