What Is Somnia?

1. What Is Somnia?

Somnia (token SOMI) is an EVM-compatible Layer-1 blockchain built for high performance, low cost, and real-time applications. It is designed especially for gaming, metaverse, social platforms, and other consumer-facing apps requiring speed, scalability, and sub-second finality. It features innovations such as Multistream Consensus, ICEdb, native compression, and compiled EVM bytecode to deliver ultra-low fees and high throughput. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

2. Why Somnia Was Created

Somnia was created to solve key issues hindering adoption of blockchain for mass-consumer and interactive use cases:

• Scalability limits of existing chains: Many blockchains cannot process enough transactions per second for large multiplayer games, metaverse or social apps. Somnia aims for 1M+ TPS. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
• High latency / slow finality: Users expect near-instant responses; Somnia targets sub-second finality. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
• Cost constraints (gas fees): Many DeFi, GameFi experiences are limited by high transaction fees; Somnia’s goal is “sub-cent fees”. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
• Developer friction: Wanting to use existing EVM tools but also needing better performance; Somnia’s compatibility with EVM, its own compiler, custom database, etc., reduce the hurdles. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
• Real-time, consumer interactive apps: Gaming, metaverse, reactive social platforms require blockchains that can respond to events, scale horizontally, and handle data intensity. Somnia is built with that in mind. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

3. How Somnia Works

1. Validator Data Chains: Each validator runs its own independent data chain to produce transaction blocks without needing consensus with all other validators for those data chains. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
2. Consensus Chain Aggregation: Periodically, the consensus chain (using proof-of-stake + BFT style consensus) takes heads or snapshots of all validator data chains, ensuring global state convergence and security. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
3. Compiled EVM Bytecode Execution: EVM smart contract bytecode is compiled to native code (or highly optimized form) to boost execution speed, reduce overhead, and improve transaction throughput. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
4. Custom Database (ICEdb) + Compression: Uses ICEdb for fast reads/writes with snapshotting, and streaming compression plus other optimizations for data availability and bandwidth efficiency. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
5. Token Usage for Staking, Fees & Governance: The native token SOMI is used to pay gas fees, stake validators or delegate, and grant governance power. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
6. Ecosystem & Developer Support: Somnia offers large ecosystem funds, grants, developer tools, and incentives to attract builders (games, interactive apps, metaverse). :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}

4. Key Features of Somnia

• Over 1,000,000 transactions per second (TPS) in test environments. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}
• Sub-second finality and sub-cent transaction fees. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}
• EVM compatibility + compiled bytecode for accelerated execution. :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}
• Multistream Consensus (data chains + consensus chain) for horizontal scaling. :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}
• Custom database “ICEdb” with fast, predictable reads/writes, snapshotting. :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}
• Streaming compression & signature aggregation to optimize data throughput. :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}
• Strong ecosystem fund and grants program (~US$270 million) to support builders. :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}
• Mainnet launch has occurred; strong partnerships, large developer community. :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}

5. Who Can Use Somnia?

• Game developers building real-time, interactive, on-chain games with high user counts. :contentReference[oaicite:20]{index=20}
• Metaverse creators needing immersive worlds with many users and low latency. :contentReference[oaicite:21]{index=21}
• Social platform builders who want reactive, event-driven applications on chain. :contentReference[oaicite:22]{index=22}
• DeFi or crypto apps needing high throughput and low fees (e.g. decentralized exchanges, limit order books). :contentReference[oaicite:23]{index=23}
• NFT / creator economy participants who want flexible, portable, and remixable content and upgraded metadata. :contentReference[oaicite:24]{index=24}
• Token holders and validators who want governance, staking, and participation in securing the network. :contentReference[oaicite:25]{index=25}

6. What Is the $SOMI Token?

$SOMI is the native utility token of the Somnia blockchain. It is used to pay gas fees, secure the network via staking, and enable governance. :contentReference[oaicite:26]{index=26}

Somnia has a fixed maximum supply of 1,000,000,000 SOMI tokens. :contentReference[oaicite:27]{index=27}

At launch, approximately 160,200,000 SOMI (~ 16.02 %) are in circulation. :contentReference[oaicite:28]{index=28}

Key tokenomics and utility include:

• Staking & Delegation: Tokens are staked by validators or delegated by holders to support network security. :contentReference[oaicite:29]{index=29}
• Gas / Fee Payments: SOMI is used to pay transaction fees on Somnia. :contentReference[oaicite:30]{index=30}
• Governance: SOMI holders will vote on protocol upgrades, economic parameters, and ecosystem decisions. :contentReference[oaicite:31]{index=31}
• Deflation via Fee Burning: 50% of transaction (gas) fees are burned, reducing circulating supply over time. :contentReference[oaicite:32]{index=32}
• Distribution & Airdrops: ~5% of total supply was allocated for early supporters, testnet users, creators, etc., via airdrops. :contentReference[oaicite:33]{index=33}