Berachain is making waves

Berachain has revolutionized the NFT landscape, capturing widespread interest with its groundbreaking approach to NFT collections. Incorporating rebasing elements similar to those seen in OlympusDAO, Berachain has redefined the realm of digital collectibles. Its inaugural collection, BongBears, has been pivotal in Berachain's rapid ascent, setting the stage for a series of innovative rebased NFTs. Beyond its captivating NFT offerings, Berachain's allure is amplified by its foundation on the Cosmos Layer 1 platform, enhanced with Polaris VM and an innovative Proof of Liquidity consensus mechanism. This infrastructure not only supports its unique NFTs but also underpins a comprehensive ecosystem designed for scalability, ease of access, and enhanced security.

Berachain NFT collections have exploded in valuation due to speculation surrounding the future of Berachain.

Triumvirate of tokens

Berachain distinguishes itself with cutting-edge technology, featuring an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and an innovative Proof-of-Liquidity (PoL) consensus mechanism, setting it apart from the conventional Proof of Stake (PoS) model. This platform is designed to tackle PoS-related issues such as centralization and the impact of token staking on liquidity. Within Berachain's ecosystem, three key tokens play vital roles: BGT as the governance token, BERA as the gas token, and HONEY as the stablecoin, each integral to the functioning of their PoL model.

The PoL system in Berachain is engineered to enhance liquidity, distribute inflation more evenly, and synchronize the objectives of protocols and validators. This strategy has the potential to address the limitations commonly associated with PoS systems, thereby fostering sustained user involvement. At the heart of Berachain's infrastructure are the three tokens - $BERA, $HONEY, and $BGT - which collectively create a versatile platform. This platform adeptly meets the diverse requirements of blockchain users, striking an innovative balance between authority and active participation.

This screenshot is 2+ years old now, the article was published nearly a year ago, and updated just now

The flywheel effect

Since its Testnet launch on January 11, Berachain has experienced remarkable engagement, boasting over 1.5 million wallets and a variety of native decentralized applications (Dapps). As it gears up for its Mainnet launch in Q2, the platform has already attracted interest from over 65 protocols keen on building on Berachain. At its inception, the platform introduced six native Dapps, including:

BEX - A platform for swapping and providing liquidity.
BGT Station - A governance hub for BGT.
Honey - A tool to mint or redeem Honey, the native stablecoin.
Bend - A service for asset supply and borrowing HONEY.
Berps - A platform for perpetuals.
Beratrail - A block explorer.

Berachain's innovative structure separates BERA (the gas token) from BGT (the governance token), thus avoiding the monopolization issues seen in Proof of Stake (PoS) systems. This separation encourages broader participation in liquidity provision (LPing) to earn rewards and delegate, aligning incentives more effectively.

In terms of inflation, Berachain decentralizes it by distributing BGT inflation rewards to active liquidity providers rather than direct stakers, promoting a more equitable distribution of BGT tokens. This design ensures a value flow towards the users.

Furthermore, the platform fosters a collaborative environment where protocols significantly influence validator selection and help accumulate BGT, which can then be used to incentivize delegators through bribes. This collaboration between validators and protocols leverages the flywheel effect, guiding users to delegate their BGT to specific validators. Such a cooperative model not only encourages responsible actions from validators, ensuring network security and enhanced rewards, but also provides users with additional financial incentives to contribute to incentivized liquidity pools. As a result, deeper liquidity leads to increased capital usage and more protocol fees.

The tale of Berachain is still being written, and it promises to be a thrilling saga.

In Berachain's ecosystem, validators and the governance system play a crucial role in setting the reward rates for different methods of earning BGT. Users who delegate their BGT are rewarded with fees in $HONEY, the network's native stablecoin, and they also have the ability to impact how rewards are distributed throughout the system. Notably, BGT can be converted into BERA through a one-way burning process, offering a unique set of economic incentives.

Berachain is strategically positioned to draw in developers and protocols by offering them sustainable methods for building and boosting liquidity. Protocols that succeed in governance votes are rewarded with the inclusion of their smart contracts in the reward system, earning them BGT rewards. This approach enhances the efficiency of capital attraction and utilization.

For its users, Berachain offers an engaging ecosystem where their involvement in liquidity provision directly influences their economic benefits and bolsters the network's security. The platform's design is tailored to avoid the common issue of fleeting forks that often occur with new blockchain launches.

In this ecosystem, validators play a pivotal role. They are at the helm of economic incentives and play a key part in drawing new capital. They have the potential to earn bribes or rewards from protocols in return for directing BGT rewards.

Berachain also tackles the blockchain trilemma – decentralization, security, and scalability – through its distinctive governance model, robust security protocols, and compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) on the Cosmos platform.

The platform's community-centric approach has already cultivated a strong and active user base, encompassing NFT holders, diverse community projects, and a wide array of crypto enthusiasts, even before the launch of its testnet.

The Berachain team, composed of seasoned professionals from leading blockchain initiatives, is dedicated to developing a platform that harmoniously balances the needs of users, developers, and liquidity. As they move closer to their mainnet launch later in the year, Berachain stands as a beacon of the possibilities in merging liquidity and security through innovative blockchain solutions.

The Berachain team is composed of young, dynamic professionals who are experts in fields like computer science, type theory, economic game theory, risk management, and enterprise development. These team members have amassed extensive experience in developing and expanding technology teams at leading companies, including Apple, Coinbase, IBM, and Y-Combinator. Their expertise is further enriched by a profound comprehension of the cryptocurrency sector, gained through significant involvement in some of the most influential DeFi protocols.

United by their enthusiasm for Web3, Toybox, and the democratization of decentralized finance, the team is headquartered in Toronto. This core group of engineers is committed to creating state-of-the-art infrastructure that brings decentralized finance within everyone's reach. Their efforts are robustly supported by substantial funding from prominent digital asset investors, hedge funds, ventures associated with centralized exchanges, and strategic angel investors.

We played around with the local testnet the day it launched, and we will be exploring collabs going forward with this community of degens and gigabrains.