FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the xx network, xx messenger, founder David Chaum, and more.
Frequently asked questions about the xx network, xx messenger, founder David Chaum, and more.
xx network is the secure and efficient decentralized ecosystem of the future. The network combines the xx consensus protocol with the privacy-protecting xx cMix technology to power a full suite of cutting-edge tech. The result is the first efficient online platform that allows you to quickly and securely communicate and exchange digital currencies on your smartphone without risking the safety of your metadata. While many messaging platforms are encrypted, no one protects your metadata the way we do. Read more about the xx network in our designated whitepaper.
The xx network team and company are proud to be truly global, with collaborative and remote offices around the world. For example, we developed our xx coin digital currency and consensus technology in the Cayman Islands and the xx cMix privacy layer in Los Angeles.
David Chaum, cryptocurrency pioneer, proudly leads the xx network and has spearheaded the development of its privacy-centered tech since 2016.
David Chaum is one of the earliest blockchain researchers and a world-renowned cryptographer and privacy advocate. Chaum first proposed a solution for protecting metadata using mix-cascade networks in 1979. In 1982, his dissertation at the University of California, Berkeley became the first known proposal of a blockchain protocol. Later, Chaum went on to develop eCash, the first digital currency, and has also made numerous contributions to secure voting technology. Today, Chaum leads the xx network, which synthesizes his decades of research experience with his contributions in cryptography and privacy to deliver state-of-the-art blockchain solutions. To learn more about David Chaum, visit www.chaum.com.
The aim of cryptocurrencies (and blockchain more generally) is to decentralize ownership and power, so that coin holders, nodes, and users have control, rather than entrenched, centralized entities. To a large extent, the blockchain movement is a reaction to a global history of self-serving groups attaining power at the expense of the individual.
In the modern tech world, the introduction of the high-speed, global internet has enabled email, social media, and mobile applications to transform the way we communicate and exchange value. However, mainstream companies that have become dominant during this transformation have proven unwilling or unable to protect user privacy and, instead, have prioritized maximizing profits with exploitative advertising.
xx network implements blockchain technology and encryption that obscures metadata to offer a truly private and decentralized messaging and payment platform. With xx network technology, there is no way for any third party — including governments, tech companies, or even the network itself — to see information about the sender or recipient(s) of communications or payments. Plus, the xx network operates seamlessly so that users can send messages and payments just as quickly as they can with any traditional network.
Since the early days of bitcoin, many projects have attempted to develop decentralized platforms that can support global payments systems.
However, these networks have been burdened by large fees, slow payment confirmation, high energy consumption, and outdated cryptography. This has slowed user adoption and prevented decentralized networks from moving fully away from centralization.
xx network is the first blockchain to simultaneously achieve decentralization, speed, and privacy while maintaining quantum-secure technology. Rather than using PoS or PoW, xx network uses a novel quantum-resistant consensus protocol that enables maximum performance. Our xx cMix integrates metadata shredding to ensure privacy goes above and beyond simple message encryption.
The xx movement is a diverse group of individuals from around the globe that care about protecting personal data in messages and the blockchain; we invite you to join us!
Connect with the xx community across the web on YouTube, Twitter, Telegram, and Discord. To learn more about xx network, read our whitepapers!
xx coin is a secure digital currency. xx network users can trade the coin with other users and businesses while facilitating operations on the xx network. xx coin is used to incentivize governance that enforces the network’s transparent operations and empowers users to participate in the decentralized ecosystem. Individuals can also use xx coin to pay for high-volume usage, effect payments, and dApp incentivization.
Before MainNet launch, the xx coin was made available to non-U.S. persons in limited public sales. To learn more, please visit the xx coin project page.
Please visit the xx coin project page for information about tokenomics and distribution.
xx consensus is the unique consensus protocol that protects and secures the xx network blockchain. After transactional data is neutralized through xx cMix, payments are passed to the decentralized xx nodes running the xx consensus protocol. The nodes then confirm transactions and add them to the xx blockchain. Learn more in the xx consensus whitepaper.
xx cMix is the end-to-end encryption tool we use to protect your privacy. It uses a revolutionary metadata shredding technology that obscures the metadata you share when sending messages, making payments, and transferring data. xx cMix does this by mixing all transactions together in batches or “anonymity sets” and processing them simultaneously, which shreds all metadata and prevents third parties from analyzing activity patterns and connecting senders to recipients. Read more about it in the xx cMix whitepaper.
xx messenger is free for consumers. Users running decentralized applications, smart contracts, and businesses on the xx network will be able to use xx coins to purchase higher bandwidth.
Downloading xx messenger is quick and easy. Visit the xx messenger page to get started.
In the xx network, dApps (short for decentralized applications) refer to the numerous solutions we offer to those who require high-speed and secure transaction support.
Our flagship dApp, xx messenger, allows users to communicate without revealing their contact database, messaging activity, or content to third parties, including the network itself.
The xx network team is developing additional dApps that will use xx network’s cutting-edge technology to innovate new and exciting sectors. Areas of focus include decentralized fact-checking/content curation, the DeFi market, and better smart contracts.
Despite its potential to penetrate our day-to-day lives, blockchain remains a mysterious technology to many. It doesn’t need to be that way!
In essence, blockchain gives power to the users, removing the incentive and ability of self-interested organizations to take advantage of user data. Blockchain underpins the incentivized governance mechanisms that power decentralization and puts users and other stakeholders in control of the development and operation of the platform.
Existing social media and payment platforms have built their businesses on the monetization of your data, leading to negative outcomes like election manipulation and the selling and leaking of personal data that we regularly see in news headlines. The xx network transforms this narrative by taking away the incentive and ability for centralized organizations to abuse your data.
All xx network technology is proudly built by xx labs, our team of cryptography, digital currency, and telecommunication experts spread across the globe. The xx labs team built these platforms, including xx messenger, xx coin, and xx blockchain to be completely decentralized. Today, users from around the globe now oversee the xx network, helping to manage its governance and structure via their roles as coin holders or node operators.
xx nodes run the xx network. Operators from around the world apply to run nodes for the xx network. Upon approval, they are responsible for running the xx network software. All node operators keep a full copy of the xx blockchain and make sure all operations function as intended. They work in teams with other node operators to complete steps like approving transactions, conducting mixing processes, and completing encryption.
Small teams of nodes are randomly selected from the global population of hundreds of xx nodes to form mixing teams. These teams then precompute the mix and encryption we use for cMix processing.
After completing the precomputation, each team advertises their availability to users so that each user can connect with a team. These mixing teams then process user data in real time. Each user’s data is included in an “anonymity set” consisting of 1,000 pieces of data from other users that includes messages, payment instructions, and/or smart contract information.
These mixing teams are “temporal” because each team is disbanded after it processes its assigned batch. Team nodes return to the general node population, where they are randomly selected to process future batches by participating in another temporal team.
xx nodes also manage and execute xx consensus, where they can play two different roles:
— An xx node can be selected to participate in
an endorsing team that checks and confirms results and reaches consensus for each xx block.
Or
— An xx node can be selected to participate in a block producer team that produces each xx block and records it on the xx blockchain.
As with xx cMix, nodes are randomly selected to participate in these temporal consensus teams. After consensus, teams are disbanded, and new consensus teams are selected randomly for later blocks.
Each node runs the full suite of xx network software, giving the node an equal opportunity to participate as a member of a mixing team, an endorser team, and/or a block producer team for each processed xx block.
Node operators are a valuable part of the xx ecosystem. Nodes receive a share of the reward generated for each block. Assuming that each node performs well in every role it plays, then, over time, the network will allocate the same amount of block rewards to each node. This is due to the random selection of nodes participating in mixing, endorser, and block producer teams.
However, if nodes do not perform well, they will be penalized and lose some, or all, of the block rewards that they would normally earn.
The xx network nominates nodes to participate in the network based on the number of coins staked to each node. Nodes with the most stake are selected to join the network.
Any xx coin holder can stake and help secure the network, support liquidity, or contribute to governance. xx coin holders that own and control coins with a wallet or an exchange supported by the xx network can easily stake an xx node with their coins. In return, they earn rewards. There are three purposes for staking nodes within the xx network.
The source code can be found at gitlab.com/elixxir.
We recommend joining our community on the MainNet Forum and our Discord.
Primarily Golang, with a little Python, C++, and CUDA.
They contain unit tests that demonstrate that the code is correct.
You can start a discussion in our software and network-focused communities in the MainNet Forum and Discord. In the event that you discover a critical security flaw, we request that you inform us as soon as possible so that we can correct the problem before it can negatively impact the network.
Please email [email protected] as soon as you identify a potential security concern. We will try to respond within 24 hours and share whether the issue can be released without danger to the network.
We are looking into creating a bounty program for critical bugs and vulnerabilities. We hope to make an announcement soon.
A node operator will have two options: they can download and compile the source code for the node and gateway themselves, or they can use the provided wrapper script to download automatic updates.
You can configure a node and gateway wrapper script to automatically update.
A node will be fine running older code until future updates become incompatible, at which point it must update or it will be considered offline.
The first and only quantum-resistant and privacy-focused blockchain ecosystem.
xx network does not distribute, offer, solicit sales of, or sell any xx coins in any state or jurisdiction in which such a distribution, offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
Copyright © 2024 xx Foundation
