@Walrus 🦭/acc is designed as a decentralized storage solution for large binary objects (blobs) that require high integrity, availability, and auditability at a reasonable cost. It specifically serves applications where data is shared among mutually distrustful parties who require a "credibly neutral" storage layer.
The primary use cases for #walrus include:
1. Digital Assets and NFTs
Currently, many non-fungible tokens (NFTs) only secure their metadata on-chain, while the actual media data remains on traditional web servers, making it vulnerable to removal or misrepresentation. Walrus provides the high integrity and availability guarantees needed to ensure that the actual NFT data is as secure as the blockchain-managed metadata.
2. AI and Digital Provenance
In the age of AI, certifying the authenticity of data is critical. Walrus supports:
• Data Authenticity: Ensuring documentary material has not been tampered with.
• AI Training Sets: Protecting large datasets from being manipulated or polluted during the training process.
• Model Certification: Certifying that specific instances of data were generated by specific AI models.
3. Decentralized Applications (dApps) and Software Integrity
While most dApps use blockchains for computation, their front-ends and client-side code are often still hosted on traditional web services, which offer poor integrity. Walrus can be used to:
• Serve dApp Content: Distribute web-based front-ends and binaries directly from a decentralized store.
• Binary Transparency: Support pipelines for reproducible builds, allowing for the strongest forms of software auditing and clear chains of custody.
4. Blockchain Scaling and Roll-ups
Walrus plays a critical role in the Ethereum scaling strategy by ensuring data availability for roll-ups. In this context, storage nodes hold transaction data temporarily, allowing blockchain validators to recover it for execution without requiring the main blockchain to replicate the full sequence of updates.
5. Social Media and Civic Platforms
Decentralized social networks require storage for rich media content, such as long texts, images, and videos. Similarly, collaborative and civic participation platforms can use Walrus to store public interest data in a neutral environment that is not controlled by a single centralized entity.
6. Sovereign Data and Encryption
Walrus can function as the storage layer for encrypted blobs, enabling a paradigm shift in data management. This integration supports:
• Sovereign Data Management: Giving users comprehensive control over their data aligned with the Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (CIA) triad.
• Decentralized Data Marketplaces: Facilitating the trade of data without relying on cloud service providers as fiduciaries.
• Computation over Encrypted Sets: Allowing specialized encryption overlays to focus on Key Management Systems (KMS) while Walrus handles the underlying data availability
