Algorand

Algorand is an independent, decentralized network based on blockchain technology, designed to accommodate a wide variety of applications. Its systems boast security, scalability, and efficiency, all vital for practical, real-world applications. Algorand facilitates computations that demand reliable performance assurances, fostering new forms of trust.

The Algorand mainnet went live in June 2019, quickly demonstrating the capability to handle close to 1 million transactions daily by December 2020. You can view Algorand's transaction metrics here. The initial coin offering (ICO) for Algorand took place in June 2019, with tokens priced at $0.24 each.

Silvio Micali, a computer science professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, founded Algorand. He received the Turing Award in 2012 for his significant contributions to the theory and application of secure two-party computation, digital currencies, and blockchain protocols. This accolade establishes him as one of the pioneering figures in the world of cryptocurrency.

Algorand was developed to accelerate transactions and boost efficiency, addressing the slow transaction speeds seen in Bitcoin and other blockchains. Algorand operates with lower transaction fees and eliminates the need for energy-heavy mining, as it uses a permissionless pure proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchain protocol.

At its inception, the Algorand blockchain was programmed to mint 10 billion ALGO coins. The distribution of this fixed and unchangeable 10 billion ALGO will be completed by 2030, extending beyond the original 2024 deadline. More details on Algorand's tokenomics can be found here.

Security for the Algorand blockchain relies on a permissionless pure proof-of-stake protocol. Unlike proof-of-work (PoW) systems, where the initial block requires validation by randomly-selected validators using computational power, Algorand's pure proof-of-stake allows all validators, who are already acquainted with each other, to simply reach a consensus on the next block to create a new one.