$LINK rank 17

Release year: 2017

General data and information

Chainlink (LINK) is a decentralized network that provides information (oracle) for smart contracts. Founded in 2017 by Sergey Nazarov and Steve Ellis, Chainlink aims to address the issue of sourcing off-chain information through smart contracts for execution parameters. Smart contracts are designed to automatically execute when certain parameters are met; however, when these parameters exist off-chain, they must rely on information sources (known as oracles) to provide the necessary data. Off-chain oracles tend to be centralized and depend on third parties to deliver critical information in a reliable and timely manner. Chainlink aims to break this dependency by providing information for smart contracts through a network of decentralized oracles that work together on the Link blockchain to verify and relay important information to these contracts. The Chainlink network allows users to access data feeds or APIs carrying information to easily provide data for smart contracts in exchange for LINK tokens.

Milestones

September 2017 - Chainlink ICO.

November 2018 - Town Crier (smart contracts and data security project) acquired.

June 13, 2019 - Partnership with Google announced