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Canton Network

The Canton Network is the first privacy-enabled interoperable blockchain network, designed for regulated, real-world assets. Blockchain applications in the Canton Network can use the Global Synchronizer to enable atomic transactions across sovereign blockchains, without sacrificing privacy or control.
  • The Global Synchronizer is a decentralized and transparently governed interoperability service for the Canton Network.
  • Canton Network’s native token, Canton Coin, is a utility token launched as part of the Global Synchronizer. Designed to overcome enterprise adoption barriers of other networks and be compatible with an ecosystem used by regulated financial enterprises.
If you need more details on any particular mechanism (such as fee calculations, activity record structure, or minting rounds), the following white papers provides further technical specifications: Canton Network white paper, Canton Coin white paper.

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Global Synchronizer

The Global Synchronizer is a decentrally operated service, using a 2/3 majority Byzantine Fault Tolerant (BFT) consensus protocol for message ordering and confirmation, and BFT majority voting on governance changes. Its infrastructure is operated by independently acting organizations, called Super Validators, that run components of the decentralized infrastructure, and coordinate activities via an on-chain governance application. Its open source code is maintained in Splice. The Canton Foundation (“CF”) has been created in partnership with the Linux Foundation to coordinate the governance of the Global Synchronizer and lead efforts to grow the Global Synchronizer ecosystem. The CF provides transparency into Super Validator governance and operations. The CF also operates a Super Validator node, and takes part in governance votes on behalf of its members.

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Super Validators

Super Validators form the backbone of the Global Synchronizer’s decentralized interoperability and synchronization infrastructure. They ensure the integrity, security, and operational reliability of the Global Synchronizer by:
  • Running the core infrastructure of the Global Synchronizer
  • Sequencing transactions across the network
  • Validating Canton Coin transactions
  • Participating in network governance and decision-making

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Validators

Validators work within the broader Canton Network—a “network of networks” where each node stores only the data it needs, and interacts with other Validators via synchronizers. Validators typically connect to one or more synchronizers (which might be run as centralized or decentralized services) to receive and confirm encrypted messages. The primary roles of a Validator in the Global Synchronizer ecosystem are to:
  • Validate transactions
  • Record activity
  • Facilitate network connectivity for users and applications
  • Coordinate upgrades and migrations

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Tokenomics

Canton Coin incentivizes application builders, users, and infrastructure providers to use the Global Synchronizer through a burn-mint equilibrium mechanism: users burn Canton Coin to pay for synchronizer traffic, and Validators, Super Validators, and application providers mint new Canton Coin in return for their infrastructure, application, usage, and liveness contributions. See Tokenomics of the Global Synchronizer for the full economic model, including traffic-fee mechanics and the CC-USD conversion rate.