Fluence is a groundbreaking decentralized, serverless computing platform and marketplace that offers a compelling alternative to traditional centralized cloud computing services. At its core, Fluence leverages blockchain technology to create a global, permissionless, scalable, and secure network. This decentralized approach ensures that the platform is resilient and verifiable, providing a robust infrastructure for a wide range of applications.
The blockchain on which Fluence operates is designed to integrate both Web2 and Web3 data storage and management platforms. This integration allows Fluence to harness the best of both worlds, offering users the flexibility and efficiency of modern web technologies while maintaining the security and decentralization inherent to blockchain systems. By assembling excess compute capacity from top-tier data centers worldwide, Fluence forms a global, always-on network that is both cost-effective and reliable.
Security is a paramount concern in any decentralized system, and Fluence addresses this through several mechanisms. One key feature is the use of staking by compute providers. These providers must stake FLT tokens for each added CPU, which acts as a guarantee of network reliability. This staking mechanism not only incentivizes honest behavior but also deters malicious actors, as they would stand to lose their staked tokens if they attempted to disrupt the network.
Moreover, Fluence employs a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) for governance, which is in the form of a Swiss Association. This DAO allows for community-driven decision-making, including protocol upgrades and treasury management. The use of a DAO ensures that the platform remains transparent and that all stakeholders have a say in its development and operation.
The native utility and governance token of the Fluence platform is FLT. This token is crucial for various functions within the network, including rewarding compute providers and enabling voting in the DAO governance. The tokenomics of FLT are designed to maintain a balanced and incentivized ecosystem. For instance, compute providers earn FLT tokens by contributing capacity to the network, and they are required to stake these tokens to ensure the reliability of their services.
Fluence's decentralized nature also makes it a scalable solution. Unlike traditional cloud computing platforms that rely on centralized data centers, Fluence's distributed data center network can grow organically as more compute providers join the network. This scalability is essential for supporting a wide range of applications, from simple web hosting to complex computational tasks.
In terms of its economic model, Fluence is up to 80% cheaper than traditional cloud providers. This cost efficiency is achieved by leveraging excess compute capacity and maintaining an open platform that allows users to switch providers easily. This competition among providers helps keep prices low and service levels high, benefiting all users of the platform.
Founded in 2017 by Evgeny Ponomarev, Dmitry Kurinskiy, and Tom Trowbridge, Fluence launched its mainnet in 2024. The founders bring extensive expertise in blockchain and software engineering, with notable backgrounds in projects like Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR). Their vision for Fluence is to create a decentralized computing platform that is both resilient and verifiable, providing a viable alternative to the monopolistic cloud computing industry.
The FLT token launched in February 2024 with a total supply of 1 billion tokens created at genesis. The initial distribution includes a liquidity bootstrap pool and a developer reward pool, with additional tokens being earned by compute providers through staking. This distribution model ensures that the network remains decentralized and that early contributors are adequately rewarded for their participation.
Fluence's innovative approach to decentralized computing has the potential to reshape the future of cloud services. By combining the strengths of blockchain technology with a global network of data centers, Fluence offers a scalable, secure, and cost-effective solution for a wide range of applications.