2024-05-09
Hyperchain, an entertainment-focused platform, aims to establish a robust infrastructure to support gaming, AI, and SocialFi-related protocols.
Sophon, a zkSync Hyperchain with a focus on entertainment, has successfully raised $60 million worth of Wrapped Ether (wETH) through its node sale.
The funds obtained will be utilized to launch Sophon, an ecosystem centered around artificial intelligence (AI) and gaming.
This modular rollup, leveraging zero knowledge (ZK) technology, is set to debut in the third quarter of 2024.
The $60 million node sale has achieved remarkable success for an emerging project.
This achievement can be attributed, in part, to the demand for reliable infrastructure to support entertainment use cases like gaming and AI, as explained by Seb, the co-founder of Sophon.
Seb stated during an interview with Blocksky:
"When it comes to gaming and AI, it is crucial for their technological partners to have the ability to scale affordably and possess a robust infrastructure. Opting for ZK technology in this context is a strategic move, as its TPS capacity surpasses that of optimistic setups, and within the zkSync codebase, the fee fluctuations are significantly less dynamic."
Both gaming and AI protocols heavily rely on resilient infrastructure to cater to user demand and facilitate a substantial number of microtransactions. Seb further emphasized this point:
"Gaming and AI protocols generate millions of transactions, and running a zkEVM [zkEthereum Virtual Machine] in Validium mode ensures the lowest fees and the most scalable infrastructure, which remains stable even during network surges."
The node sale offered a total of 200,000 nodes for purchase, in addition to Sophon's recent $10 million funding round led by prominent investors such as Paper Ventures and Maven 11, with participation from Spartan, SevenX, and OKX Ventures.
Beyond raising capital, the node sale aimed to establish a foundational community of holders who can anticipate airdrops and other valuable rewards in the future. Seb elaborated on this aspect:
"The node sale essentially creates an original community of thousands of individuals who hold a stake even before the chain is launched.
We are committed to consistently delivering value to them through emission fees, airdrops, and other initiatives."
Airdrops serve as a popular method to attract new users to early-stage decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols. They involve the distribution of new tokens to early adopters who have interacted with a protocol previously.
Through its future incentives, Sophon aims to cultivate a strong community of builders and enthusiasts, amplifying the network effects of projects built on the protocol. Seb highlighted the significance of this approach:
"This holds incredible value and is highly appealing to builders. It accelerates a positive flywheel effect that will foster community growth, making Sophon a preferred choice for gaming and AI projects over other alternatives."
