Bjorn Wagner - Parity Contributions to Polkadot Growth

In the much-anticipated Polkadot Decoded 2024 keynote, Björn Wagner, CEO of Parity, delivered an insightful address on the significant contributions of Parity to the Polkadot ecosystem. The event highlighted the technological advancements, community growth, and strategic partnerships that have driven Polkadot’s transformation over the past year.

Polkadot Community and Governance Recap

Wagner began by recapping the remarkable growth of the Polkadot community and its governance mechanisms. Over the last 12 months, the network has seen a surge in transactions, surpassing the total of the previous three years combined. The staking rate on Polkadot has also increased significantly, with 850 million DOT staked, providing substantial economic security for the network.

The introduction of OpenGov, Polkadot’s transparent governance system, marked a pivotal development. Since its launch, the number of monthly active referenda has doubled, voter participation has increased by 40%, and the average voting power has seen a staggering 245% increase. These metrics underscore the robustness and sophistication of Polkadot’s decentralized governance.

Polkadot Technical Innovations lead by Parity Technologies

Wagner highlighted several key technical initiatives led by Parity. Agile Core Time was introduced to provide more flexibility for builders, allowing them to acquire core time on-demand or through bulk purchases. This shift aims to lower entry barriers and offer better financial planning for early-stage teams.

Another significant breakthrough was Async Backing, which reduced parachain block production time and increased computing time per block, resulting in a ten-fold increase in throughput. Elastic Scaling, set to roll out soon, will allow parachains to use multiple cores, further enhancing transaction demand handling and cost efficiency.

The introduction of trustless bridges was another milestone. These bridges ensure secure connections between Polkadot, Kusama, Bitcoin, and Ethereum, addressing a long-standing challenge in the blockchain industry. The launch of HyperBridge is poised to provide secure bridges to other major blockchains, such as Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, and BNB.

The New Polkadot Ledger App

Wagner introduced the new Ledger app, which simplifies interactions with the Polkadot ecosystem. This app eliminates the need for individual ledger apps for each parachain, reducing costs and delays. The unified Ledger app enhances security by eliminating blind signing and is compatible with all parachains out of the box.

Polkadot Community Foundation

A significant development is the imminent formation of the Polkadot Community Foundation. This entity will enable the treasury to enter into legal agreements with counterparties, holding them accountable and improving the efficiency of funding allocations. This initiative aims to enhance the impact of community-driven spending decisions.

Polkadot App: Onboarding the Masses

Wagner unveiled the new Polkadot app, designed to onboard beginners into the Polkadot ecosystem. The app emphasizes ease of use, with no seed phrases or passwords required, leveraging Apple and Google Cloud for credential backup. It introduces simplified usernames and facilitates easy DOT transfers, staking, and payments. The app is set to launch in Q3 2024, with plans for international expansion and integration with major brands for cashback rewards.

Polkadot Strategic Partnerships

Wagner emphasized Parity’s focus on high-impact partnerships to drive Polkadot’s growth. One notable collaboration is with Mythical Games, aiming to make a significant impact in the gaming industry. Another key partnership is with RAISE, a company positioned to revolutionize the payments space through the integration of blockchain technology in the gift card industry.

Conclusion

Björn Wagner’s keynote at Polkadot Decoded 2024 showcased Parity’s pivotal role in advancing the Polkadot ecosystem. The company’s technical innovations, strategic partnerships, and commitment to community-driven governance have significantly contributed to Polkadot’s growth and resilience. As Polkadot continues to evolve, the collaborative efforts of Parity and its partners promise a vibrant and robust future for the ecosystem.