What Is Ankr?

1. What Is Ankr?

Ankr is a Web3 infrastructure platform that provides decentralized access to blockchain networks through a globally distributed network of nodes. It enables developers, enterprises, and decentralized applications (dApps) to interact with blockchains efficiently, without the need to run and maintain complex infrastructure. Ankr’s primary value lies in simplifying blockchain connectivity and making it faster, more cost-effective, and more decentralized.

By supporting multiple blockchains—such as Ethereum, BNB Chain, Polygon, and Avalanche—Ankr ensures multi-chain accessibility for developers while also offering tools like RPC endpoints, APIs, and staking services that are essential for the growing Web3 ecosystem.

2. Why Ankr Was Created

Ankr was created to address the inefficiencies and centralization risks in accessing blockchain data. Traditionally, blockchain applications rely on centralized infrastructure providers (like AWS or Infura) to fetch on-chain data or connect to nodes. This approach can lead to:

• High costs for maintaining private nodes
• Single points of failure
• Censorship risks
• Limited scalability and decentralization

Ankr solves these problems by offering a decentralized alternative that allows anyone to host nodes and earn rewards, while developers benefit from reliable, scalable, and censorship-resistant blockchain access.

3. How Ankr Works

1. Node Operators Join the Network: Individuals or institutions run full nodes or validator nodes for supported blockchains and connect them to Ankr’s decentralized infrastructure.
2. RPC/API Requests from Developers: Developers building dApps use Ankr's tools to send requests (e.g., transaction details, smart contract data) to different blockchains.
3. Load-Balancing and Routing: Ankr’s system intelligently routes each request to the best available node based on speed, performance, and availability.
4. Node Execution and Response: The chosen node processes the request and returns accurate, real-time blockchain data to the developer’s app.
5. Node Rewards and Payments: Node operators are rewarded in $ANKR tokens based on the number and quality of requests they fulfill.
6. Staking and Liquid Staking Integration: Users can stake their crypto assets with Ankr and receive liquid tokens that can be used in other DeFi protocols while still earning rewards.

4. Key Features of Ankr

• Decentralized RPC/API Infrastructure for low-latency, high-reliability blockchain access
• Multi-Chain Support for Ethereum, BNB Chain, Polygon, Avalanche, and more
• Node-as-a-Service (NaaS) to deploy and manage nodes without technical complexity
• Liquid Staking options that offer flexibility and DeFi compatibility
• Developer SDKs and APIs to simplify building and scaling Web3 applications
• Reward Mechanism for contributing node resources to the network

5. Who Can Use Ankr?

• Web3 Developers – building dApps, NFT marketplaces, or DeFi platforms
• Enterprises & Institutions – needing scalable, decentralized blockchain access
• Validators & Node Providers – looking to monetize idle hardware and bandwidth
• Crypto Investors & DeFi Users – seeking liquid staking solutions with yield opportunities
• Protocol Teams – wanting reliable infrastructure without centralized dependencies

6. What Is the $ANKR Token?

$ANKR is the native utility token that powers the Ankr ecosystem. It is essential for maintaining the network’s operations, facilitating governance, and incentivizing participation. Key uses include:

• Payment for Services: Used to pay for API/RPC access, staking, and node services
• Node Incentives: Rewarding node operators for uptime and data delivery
• Governance: Token holders can vote on changes to protocol parameters and upgrades
• Staking: Used to stake assets and earn rewards, or participate in Ankr’s liquid staking protocols
• DeFi Utility: Liquid staking tokens derived from $ANKR can be used across DeFi platforms for lending, yield farming, and more