What Is Ankr & How Does It Work? Who Created ANKR? (2024)

What is Ankr (ANKR)?

Ankr was founded in 2017 by CEO Chandler Song, who had the idea to create an easily accessible platform for the development of Web3, otherwise known as the decentralized internet. Ankr is a blockchain-based cross-chain infrastructure with a DeFi platform that enables staking and dApp development. It hosts various protocols related to the development of dApps and the DeFi sector.

Ankr was designed and developed based on the vision of a new internet that is based on distributed ledger technology, with applications, protocols, and systems that are decentralized, more private, and secure for users. The main idea is to remove the need for central authorities and middlemen, giving the ownership and control over data and applications to users and network participants.

After releasing the Ankr mainnet in 2019, the dev team behind the ANKR project launched a staking protocol, dubbed Stkr. Stkr allows users to stake Ethereum (ETH) in return for aETH, which represents the future gains on the deposited staking balance. That is how network participants are rewarded for staking through the Stkr protocol. Users can likewise deploy development nodes and build dApps on the network, or deploy staking nodes and enjoy the perks of becoming stakers on the ANKR Web3 platform.

How Does Ankr Work?

Ankr is a company that is globally distributed to fulfil its mission of creating and developing the next-generation decentralized internet. To achieve decentralization of applications and staking nodes and support the Web3 infrastructure, Ankr uses computing power supported by DLT to collect data resources that are deployed to stakers and developers through data centers at lower costs, which is how developers and stakers can easily create and deploy dApps and stake their balances.

Ankr staking is supported by the Stkr protocol, launched in 2020, which supports staking of ETH in return for aETH. The latter represents the value of staked ETH plus the expected returns on the staking balance, creating a system with high liquidity for the future stakers of Ethereum 2.0.

ANKR is the native token of the network and has multiple utilities, which include payments and access to applications deployed on the network, staking, and voting on governance proposals. Ankr aims to support more blockchain protocols as part of its work on the development of Web3, the more private and secure decentralized internet.

Who Are the Founders of Ankr? (Ankr History)

Ankr was created in 2017 by its Co-founder and CEO, Chandler Song. Since its inception, the ANKR team has grown to become a global network of professionals working on creating a functional Web3 infrastructure.

The team is composed of people from 16 different countries across the globe, working on decentralizing the web and enabling easy access to Web3 applications and staking protocols. Ankr currently hosts over 40 different protocols for development and staking and keeps growing as a global decentralized network that enables easy access to Web3. Ankr was first hosted on the Ethereum blockchain and ANKR was launched as an ERC-20 type token, though BEP-2 and native versions of the token now also exist. In 2019, Ankr released its mainnet and in 2020, the team launched a staking protocol, Stkr. Ankr keeps developing while the infrastructure of Web3 is growing exponentially.

What Makes Ankr Unique?

Ankr is not the only DLT project that aims to decentralize the internet and contribute to the development of Web3, but it is certainly one of the most prominent in the DeFi sector. As such, Ankr makes for a unique project that supports the development of the decentralized, more secure, and more private internet. Ankr is unique in its employment of the Intel SGX. This technology is the main component of the system and it allows dApps to be executed with the hardware system. That way, ANKR can offer cost-efficient solutions for developers and enterprises.

As a unique project, Ankr hosts functional options for developers, stakers, and other network participants alike.

What Gives Ankr Value?

Ankr is part of a rather volatile market, which means that the value of ANKR can change rapidly according to trend reversals and various influential factors. The crypto market has proven to be more volatile than traditional financial markets, which means that drastic price changes are characteristic of the still immature market of digital assets.

ANKR price is influenced by a variety of factors, which include the limited supply of 10 billion ANKR tokens, which acts as an anti-inflation mechanism. Ankr can also be influenced by conditions in the wider economy such as the major rebound experienced by the majority cryptos in the first quarter of 2021. Developments, updates and upgrades, such as the release of the Stkr staking protocol and the ANKR mainnet, are also factors that determine and define the market price of ANKR tokens. The intrinsic value of Ankr is mostly defined by its technology, technical capacity, and use cases.

How Many Ankr Coins Are in Circulation?

Ankr has a limited supply of 10 billion ANKR tokens, which means that no new coins should be minted once the total supply is exhausted unless changes are proposed and voted on by network participants. The finite supply serves as an anti-inflation mechanism, meaning ANKR may be a good store of value in the long term.

Out of the 10 billion tokens in the total supply, tokens are currently in circulation. The Ankr market cap is equal to the price of ANKR multiplied by the number of tokens in circulation. The market cap ranks the crypto in comparison with its cryptocurrency peers and determines the market share of ANKR.

Other Technical Data

With ANKR, users can participate in three different ways: by running their own nodes and staking, by developing and deploying applications, or by accessing enterprise solutions. Network participants can easily deploy their nodes and earn a passive income for powering the network and enabling smooth operations for developers and enterprise users who can gain easy and cost-effective access to Web3.

Developer APIs allow devs to use and deploy any type of blockchain applications in a cost-efficient way as Ankr acts as a cloud computing network that offers solutions for enterprises and developers who would like to make the most of the new decentralized internet. Ankr offers ETH 2.0 staking through the Stkr protocol so that stakers can make a profit based on their staked balances. The Ankr network consists of mining nodes, data center nodes, and computing nodes.

Computational power is distributed through clients to enable cost-efficient operations within the development and staking protocol. Ankr therefore makes a prominent addition to the DeFi sector and the development of the decentralized web.

How is the Ankr Network Secured?

Ankr is secured through the use of computational power that distributes blocks across the network and creates a structure that supports the deployment of developer APIs, enterprise solutions, and staking protocols.

The security of Ankr is facilitated through validator nodes, with nodes being selected in a random fashion from the node pool. The system is designed so that all stakers have the chance of being selected, not just the stakers with the biggest balances. Selection is based on the level of service and positive contribution of nodes, instead of on the amount staked.

How to Use Ankr?

ANKR is a utility token with more than one use case. It can be used for staking, voting on governance proposals, and as a payment method for accessing services on the ANKR network, such as dApp and protocol deployment.

ANKR also serves as a reward for stakers and network participants. The token can be traded in the crypto market, while its main utility is powering the ANKR ecosystem.

How to Choose an ANKR Wallet?

The ERC-20 ANKR token can be stored in any wallet that supports Ethereum and the wallet you choose will likely depend on what you want to use it for and how much you need to store.

Hardware wallets or cold wallets like Ledger or Trezor provide the most secure option for storing cryptocurrencies with offline storage and backup. However, they can require more technical know-how and are a more expensive option. As such, they may be better suited to storing larger amounts of ANKR for more experienced users.

Software wallets, such as Atomic, provide another option and are free and easy to use. They are available to download as smartphone or desktop apps and can be custodial or non-custodial. With custodial wallets, the private keys are managed and backed up on your behalf by the service provider. Non-custodial wallets make use of secure elements on your device to store the private keys. While convenient, they are seen as less secure than hardware wallets and may be better suited to smaller amounts of ANKR or more novice users.

Online wallets or web wallets are also free and easy to use, and accessible from multiple devices using a web browser. They are, however, considered hot wallets and can be less secure than hardware or software alternatives. As you are likely trusting the platform to manage your ANKR, you should select a reputable service with a track record in security and custody. As such, they are most suited for holding smaller amounts of cryptocurrencies or for those making more frequent trades.

Kriptomat offers a secure storage solution, allowing you to both store and trade your ANKR tokens without hassle. Storing your ANKR with Kriptomat provides you with enterprise-grade security and user-friendly functionality.

Buying and selling ANKR, or trading it for any other cryptocurrency, is done in mere moments when you choose our secure platform as your storage solution.

Ankr Proof of Stake

Ankr is not a mineable coin in the traditional sense, although it currently relies on the Proof of Work protocol used by the Ethereum network. Ankr supports Ethereum through staking as Ethereum is working on developing Ethereum 2.o and transitioning from Proof of Work to the more cost-effective Proof of Stake.

ANKR tokens can be staked on the network, while the staking protocol Stkr enables the staking of ETH in return for aETH, as mentioned before. Stkr is based on the Proof of Stake mechanism and represents the market for computing power and storage. Staking ETH and ANKR on the Stkr protocol enables users to make a profit based on the validity of staking.

Conclusion

Ankr is a valuable project in the sector of DeFi and cloud storage, that complements staking of ETH 2.0 and ANKR tokens. As ANKR aims to decentralize the internet and offer easy access to Web3 and all related functionalities, the project facilitates functional enterprise solutions, developer APIs, and staking nodes.

ANKR represents one of the top projects of its kind. As the Ankr network keeps growing and developing, ANKR tokens are experiencing a rise in popularity, which could lead to price increases in the future.

Join the crypto revolution and start your Ankr journey today.

Ankr FAQ

Is Ankr a good investment?

Ankr is an important addition to the DeFi market, which could make it a good investment in the long run. Staking ANKR tokens can also generate returns for network participants.

How to buy Ankr?

If you’ve been wondering how to buy Ankr, you will be happy to learn that buying Ankr is easy with Kriptomat, with a range of payment methods available. Simply create a free account and follow the on-screen instructions in the “Buy” tab..

How to sell Ankr?

You can sell Ankr as easily as you can buy it on Kriptomat by navigating the interface and choosing your desired payment option.

Ankr Price

Ankr’s price is subject to frequent changes due to the volatility of the market. As well as traditional factors like project developments, market sentiment, and the broader economy, the price of ANKR is also influenced by the expansion of the Ankr ecosystem and the amount of ANKR being staked.

The current ANKR price is EUR.

The 24-hour trading volume of ANKR is EUR. ANKR is currently ranked of all cryptocurrencies by total market cap, with a market cap of EUR. It has a circulating supply of ANKR.

Register now to begin your journey into the world of Ankr and cryptocurrencies with Kriptomat!

If you’re experiencing any issues or have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to reach our Customer Support Team. We’re always here to help!