DL Research Content

A conversation with Alex Mizrahi, Co-Founder and CTO, Chromia

A conversation with Alex Mizrahi, Co-Founder and CTO, Chromia
Illustration: Darren Joseph; Photo courtesy of Alex Mizrahi

Chromia’s parent company, ChromaWay, developed the Postchain Protocol and Rell coding language, leading to the creation of the first relational blockchain. What advantages does a relational blockchain have over other blockchain competitors like Polkadot, Cosmos, and Solana?

A relational blockchain excels in structuring and organising large amounts of data, making it easy to query, read, write, and perform calculations. For instance, if you want to airdrop a special edition NFT to every address holding more than 1000 of your project’s tokens, Chromia allows you to run a query, pull all the qualifying addresses, and deliver the NFTs in a single transaction.

Relational databases are a well-established technology that supports many mainstream applications like Reddit, Uber, and Shopify. Chromia plans to use them to attract traditional developers to build scalable decentralised applications (dApps).

Some blockchains rely on centralised external dependencies such as server hosts and data indexers. What advantages do fully on-chain dApps have over centralised apps?

Many blockchains are not efficient at organising data, necessitating third-party services to make it usable. Additionally, some dApps rely on centralised services like AWS for storage. Chromia’s relational architecture efficiently organises complex data, delivering it directly to users, akin to the traditional client/server model. This reduces the need for third-party services, enhancing the decentralisation of its dApps.

What are enhanced digital assets, and how does Chromia utilise them?

“Enhanced assets” are token standards with additional features that improve functionality. For example, NFTs on Chromia can store their metadata and associated images on-chain, allowing dApp logic to interact with this data.

In contrast, most Ethereum NFTs only link to externally hosted metadata, making them opaque to smart contracts. Chromia’s enhanced NFTs are featured on VfB Stuttgart’s Digital Collectibles marketplace, and the upcoming “Originals” NFT protocol will make these features easier to use.

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How does Chromia’s modular architecture benefit web3 dApp development compared to conventional tools?

Chromia consists of an interconnected network of specialised system chains and dedicated dApp chains. Each dApp and system process runs on its own chain, grouped into clusters. This structure offers advantages like parallel scaling, near-instant finality, and predictable network costs. dApps benefit from running on an application-specific blockchain with custom fee policies and prioritisation, while the network handles hosting and security.

How does Chromia’s zero-gas fee structure enhance user adoption?

Unlike traditional blockchains, Chromia has the dApp or its developer pay hosting fees. This allows developers to choose a revenue model (freemium, subscription-based, trading fees, etc.) to cover costs. Users can start using Chromia dApps without needing any cryptocurrency, making onboarding simpler and helping to grow the user base.

Chromia is set to launch its MVP Mainnet on July 16. What were the key challenges in its development?

The biggest challenge was building something new from scratch, starting with the creation of Postchain and the specialised Rell language. The scope quickly expanded to designing token protocols, bridges, and wallets, while addressing numerous other intricacies.

How does Chromia’s $CHR token integrate into the blockchain’s functionality? Will $CHR retain ERC-20 and BEP-20 functionality?

Native CHR is central to the network’s operation. It is used to lease containers for dApp deployment, and network providers must maintain a minimum stake. The ERC-20 and BEP-20 versions will continue to be used for trading and staking.

Later in Q3, Chromia will introduce a native staking system, enabling users to stake native CHR tokens. This system will detect users’ stakes across the Ethereum, BNB, and Chromia chains.

What are the strategic priorities for Chromia post-launch, and how do you plan to scale network activity?

Although the MVP will be able to handle heavy traffic at launch, building ecosystem momentum will take time. Multiple projects are already being developed on Chromia, with announcements expected later this year.

The main priority is to provide everything needed for Chromia dApps, incorporating feedback from projects and users to enhance the tools and system components. Users and projects themselves will help grow the ecosystem. Future upgrades and product offerings are already in the pipeline to expand functional possibilities.