Here is a framework for thinking about the ways blockchain- (and primarily Ethereum-) based projects are serving end-users.
For an overview of Ethereum infrastructure layers / tech stack, please refer to the Ethereum Community Foundation's market map: https://github.com/EthereumCommunityFund/ethereum-ecosystem-map
For an overview of EOS's tech stack, please refer to this picture of an empty PokeBall:
For both blockchain newcomers and OGs, it can be difficult to understand how projects are using blockchain to serve end users. This document provides a framework for thinking through the various use cases of blockchain and blockchain-based technologies.
For each theme, this document captures examples of relevant projects. However, the inclusion of specific projects on this list does not denote an endorsement, nor does it signal projects' legitimacy.
- Add more projects and project links
- Provide map of blockchain projects by industry
- "Curate" ecosystem map to only include projects which meet some objective measure of legitimacy and/or usage
- Open up and crowdsource this list
For now, please create an issue to recommend a change, error, or addition to our database.
- Frameworks
- Markets and liquidity
- Tracking and Authentication
- Self-Sovereign Identity
- Automated Agreements
- Token-Incentivized Markets
- Governance and Voting
- Data Markets
- Uncensored Activity and Publications
Notes:
- Themes are neither mutually exclusive or collectively exhaustive
- Trustless exchange, decentralization, state mutation, and tokenization span each theme
- Projects can be industry-specific or generally applicable
- Examples focus on Ethereum-based projects
- Projects which use the blockchain to represent value and support global exchange
- Such projects use the blockchain both as a payments / value exchange rail and to create digital scarcity
- In success, these projects will unlock P2P resource sharing and frictionless cross-border exchange.
| Project | Category |
|---|---|
| Airswap | Decentralized exchange (DEX) |
| Kyber Network | Decentralized exchange (DEX) |
| Paradex | Decentralized exchange (DEX) |
| Radar Relay | Decentralized exchange (DEX) |
| Virtue Poker | Gambling |
| CryptoKitties | Gaming |
| Funfair | Gambling |
| SpankChain | Entertainment (State channel payments) |
| OmiseGo | Ethereum-based payments (Plasma) |
| GridPlus | Fungible asset exchange - energy |
| Pangea | Nonfungible asset exchange - real estate |
| Golem | Decentralized compute resources |
| IPFS | Nonfungible asset exchange - storage |
| Rarebits | Nonfungible asset exchange - crypto-collectibles |
| Origin Protocol | Nonfungible asset exchange |
- Blockchain as a single source of truth for asset ownership
- Provenance of both physical goods and digital objects
| Project | Category |
|---|---|
| R.A.R.E. Arts | Digital art ownership and verifiability |
| Viant | Asset track and trace / provenance - geared towards supply chain use cases |
| ShipChain | Supply chain tracking |
| CryptoKitties | Gaming (proof of ownership) |
| Ujo Music | Music digital rights tracking |
| POEX | Document verification |
| Codex | Digital asset registry |
Note: CryptoKitties also falls into Markets and Liquidity. That's how clustering works.
- Allows individuals to selectively share personal information as well as the data they produce.
- Individuals able to monetize their data directly.
| Project | Category |
|---|---|
| uPort | SSI Solution |
| Status | SSI Solution |
| Civic | SSI Solution |
| Dominode | SSI Solution |
| Basic Attention Token | Monetize Your Data |
- Digitization and automation of business processes
- Often involve conditional payments and are multi-party transactions (thus benefiting from the trustless nature of blockchain applications)
| Project | Category |
|---|---|
| OpenLaw | Smart legal agreements for conditional value transfer |
| Request Network | Invoicing on Ethereum |
| BlockFi | Lending |
| Lendroid | Non-custodial margin trading |
| Trustology | Smart custody for crypto assets |
| SALT | Blockchain-Backed Loans |
- Projects which leverage token mechanics to solve coordination problems
- Such projects typically incentivize work, create knowledge, and/or "gamify" human coordination
| Project | Category |
|---|---|
| MakerDAO | Crowdsourced research for stablecoin design |
| Gnosis | Prediction market |
| Augur | Prediction market |
| Kauri | Knowledge network |
| Gitcoin and Bounties Network | Work bounties |
| Frontier | Token research platform |
| Civil | Incentivization of fair and accurate reporting |
| AdChain | Token curated registry of non-fraudulent websites for advertising |
- Blockchain provides data permanence, immutability, and auditability
- Such features are convenience for voting
- These voting systems enable blockchain-based governance models, including Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (or DAOs)
| Project | Category |
|---|---|
| GovernX | Decentralized governance |
| Aragon | DAO |
| district0x | Decentralized communities |
| Voatz | Blockchain-based voting platform |
| Colony | Platform for DAO building |
- Open, shared database for data capture (connects disparate data pools)
- Data usage to leverage micropayments and data markets construct
- Data markets can enable IoT device interoperability, machine-to-machine economies, and machine learning data markets
| Project | Category |
|---|---|
| TruSet | Capital markets reference data |
| Winding Tree | Decentralized repo for travel industry data |
| Mediachain | Media datasets |
| Tierion | Blockchain-based data anchoring |
| Streamr | Data marketplace |
| Dbrain | AI data marketplace |
| Augmate | IoT |
- Blockchains designed to minimize censorability and tamperability
- Thus, blockchains enable truly open networks for publication, communication, and value exchange
| Project | Category |
|---|---|
| Orchid Labs | Open internet platform |
| Decentraland | Uncensorable digital world |
| Leeroy | Decentralized social network |
| OpenBazaar | P2P commerce platform |
| Akasha | Decentralized social network |