What is Subsquid (SQD)?

By CMC AI
09 October 2025 09:42PM (UTC+0)

TLDR

Subsquid (SQD) is a decentralized data infrastructure network enabling fast, permissionless access to blockchain data for Web3 applications and AI systems.

  1. Decentralized Data Lake – Provides scalable indexing/querying across 200+ chains via a node network.

  2. Token-Driven Access – SQD tokens enable staking for data bandwidth and reward node operators.

  3. Institutional Focus – Rebranded from playful origins to emphasize reliability for enterprise use cases.

Deep Dive

1. Purpose & Value Proposition

SQD addresses fragmented blockchain data access by decentralizing storage and retrieval. It replaces centralized RPC (Remote Procedure Call) providers with a network of 2,900+ nodes storing 3+ petabytes of data. Developers use SQD to build dApps needing real-time or historical data without vendor lock-in. Institutional clients like Deutsche Telekom and PancakeSwap rely on its uptime for critical operations (Subsquid).

2. Technology & Architecture

SQD’s modular design combines a decentralized data lake (raw blockchain data) with a query engine. Key innovations:
- ZK Proofs: Verify data integrity without exposing raw information.
- Multi-Chain Support: Indexes Ethereum, Solana, Polkadot, and niche chains like LUKSO.
- Batch Processing: Reduces costs by 90% vs. traditional indexing methods like The Graph (SQD Cloud).

3. Tokenomics & Governance

  • Staking: Users lock SQD to increase query speed; 30.6% of supply is staked (111M+ tokens).
  • Node Incentives: Operators earn 11.31% APR for storing data and serving requests.
  • Governance: Token holders vote on protocol upgrades, though specifics remain under development.

Conclusion

SQD is redefining decentralized data infrastructure by balancing scalability with enterprise-grade reliability, powered by a token model that aligns user and operator incentives. With adoption by institutions and integrations like Google Cloud, could SQD become the default data layer for AI-driven Web3 applications?

CMC AI can make mistakes. Not financial advice.