xx BetaNet Reaches Million Round Milestone. xx BetaNet running at volume!

Date: July 27, 2020 | Author: xx network Team

The BetaNet has been stable for over a week recently surpassing the “million rounds” milestone. Blocks are being processed in a few seconds with further improvement expected as we begin to optimize throughput. 150+ nodes are registered to receive xx coin compensation. Half are processing blocks right now and we expect to have 100 nodes operational very soon. New nodes will continue to join as well.

To grow the network we are focused on bringing on new nodes around the world. If you are interested in running a node, or would like to refer node runners, information on joining the network is here. We remain committed to easy-to-use consumer hardware and true decentralization with “Binning” separating nodes into 8 separate geographic regions.

Next steps are integrating the cMix privacy layer with xx consensus running on the xx comms layer of the BetaNet. xx consensus has been running separately on cloud servers deploying up to a thousand nodes with real communication latency. Speed and scale are impressive.

More to come.

Join us at xx.network. Build the future we need.

On The Road to MainNet (05) was originally published in xx network Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

If you have the time, we have the rhyme. Crypto happenings in verse.

Date: July 14, 2020 | Author: xx network Team

Bitcoin, hodling — Satoshi plants the seed
More mindless Twitter than we really need

Supercomputer, smart contract, Ethereum trust
Altcoins, shilling, shitcoins that go bust

Centralized pools and proprietary hardware
Whales and miners take more than a fair share

Networks of nodes floating in the cloud
Who takes all the money? It’s the in crowd

Cabo, Singapore…conferences for the rich
Now everyone’s stuck at home and that’s a real bitch

Meat sacks, IBM, talk, delay and shard
If 2.0 don’t work good, the landing will be hard

Decentralized and random and hard to attack
Runs mix software that they can’t track

Quantum, fast and secure, xx claims to be
But wait, there’s more, there’s true privacy

Teams process rounds in the xx BetaNet
Nodes in 40 countries all have placed a bet.

Scale, performance, and unprecedented speed
On the Road to MainNet, it’s the future that we need!

BetaNet Nodes operate in 8 separate geographic Bins. This is what the birth of a decentralized network looks like.

Join us at xx.network. Build the future we need.

On The Road to MainNet (04) was originally published in xx network Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The First xx node is up. BetaNet is happening.

Date: June 26, 2020 | Author: xx network Team

Node ID: l1Twn3FSq8PLTKm8Bj/CVlGJy4cX09TXD9v2faQ2pb4C

Location: Near Seville, Spain

Missed Node Applications? Learn more

Another 140 nodes, located in 59 countries on 5 continents, are now loading 60,000 lines of xx BetaNet code and joining the xx network.

By the time you read this, full teams of nodes will be processing rounds with all nodes scheduled to onboard by next Wednesday, July 1.

Ways to see what is happening:

1. Take a minute and glance at the Node Handbook. https://xx.network/beta-node-handbook-v1.4.pdf

2. Check out the node listings and information on the Node Forum. https://forum.xx.network/c/betanet/node-runner-applications/5

Then in July, at launch, monitor the xx Dashboard so you can see the xx network running in realtime!

Join us at xx.network. Build the future we need.

On The Road to MainNet (03) was originally published in xx network Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Let’s talk about xx BetaNet

Date: May 7, 2020 | Author: xx network Team

As background, in 2019, three BetaNet node groups totaling 600 were formed according to a public process. Then, during the last 30 days, the xx BetaNet node team has swung into action.

(i) BetaNet hardware requirements have been released;

(ii) xx coin rewards for operators running a BetaNet node have been determined; and,

(iii) The onboarding process for xx nodes to be setup legally to receive xx coin rewards and to join the network has begun.

The hardware specifications that have been released confirm that consumer hardware can be used to reduce cost of capital barriers for node runners. This is however not the case with proof of work consensus, which requires incredibly expensive and powerful ASIC-based hardware consuming large amounts of electricity. With xx, relatively common CPU’s and available network connections can be used by nodes to join the BetaNet (details are here). This means the xx network can include people from all over the world with relatively minimal access to capital.

The role of the xx coin as true decentralized cash is also now becoming more apparent. It started with the completion of the initial xx coin sale for early supporters, but now with operators purchasing hardware for the xx BetaNet in return for xx coin rewards, we see the beginning of xx tokenomics.

Following up on xx AlphaNet, BetaNet is now extending community engagement and decentralization. There is an active forum at xx.network to review and discuss all things xx node with 150 nodes onboarding at first, and more to come. We’re seeing the beginning of decentralized governance of the xx network as well as the decentralized xx network map forming as nodes onboard around the world. With this information in hand, the community will be able to compare the xx network to legacy implementations including bitcoin/proof of work chains.

Looking forward to partnering on the xx network with you.

Join us at xx.network. Build the future we need.

On The Road to MainNet (01) was originally published in xx network Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Last week the team began sharing xx BetaNet source code with Nodes and the community and by July (BetaNet launch), all 60K lines of source code will be available.

Date: May 29, 2020 | Author: xx network Team

Included are two main repositories containing network definitions, message formats, and data structures, as well as core Elixxir cryptographic libraries. This blog provides an understandable overview of the code base structure.

Also, in preparation for launch, the first 150 Nodes responsible for the initial BetaNet implementation are being confirmed publicly on the node forum. The Nodes are divided into four color groups, Teal, Blue, White and the latest group, Violet. Over 100 potential Violet group operators have expressed interest in just the last week.

Releasing code allows Node runners and the community to review, verify and ultimately confirm their trust in the xx BetaNet and all feedback, good and bad, has been encouraged. Industry best practices for testing, integration, good style and adequate documentation have been diligently followed by the xx network development teams. Across the project, test code coverage (a key indicator of reliability) is at minimum 75% but often closer to 90%.

The BetaNet source code is being released under a beta license. Open access to source code is as fundamental to “blockchain” as the blockchain itself and must be a cornerstone of the xx MainNet for true decentralization.

Community contribution is everything to us. Critiquing, analyzing and overall feedback will help us get to MainNet. Read more about the source code reveal here.

Join us at xx.network. Build the future we need.

On The Road to MainNet (02) was originally published in xx network Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In “On the Road to MainNet,” we’ll be providing easy to digest xx information and commentary to explain the significance of key milestones as we move towards xx MainNet.

Date: May 1, 2020 | Author: xx network Team

The xx team is hard at work preparing the xx network for public launch. The next step, over the next few months, will be deploying the xx BetaNet. The process begins in May when we will announce the specific technical, legal, and financial details for BetaNet nodes.

On May 1st, selected BetaNet nodes will be provided with the details, specifications, and specific tested hardware configurations. Right now, through the NodeLab we are working to test more hardware in order to give operators as many options as possible. These technical details go hand in hand with legal and financial preparations. It’s imperative that chosen node operators make an informed decision regarding participation as a partner in the xx BetaNet moving forward.

Nodes will be chosen from those who have applied and registered or KYCed(1) and been assigned a color group (Blue, White, Teal). Following the announcement of selections, we will begin set up and testing in early June, with the network going fully live in July. The intermediary “soft launch” will ensure a smooth operation of the network minimize the work required from node operators.

Please see the timeline below for more information.

Similar to our xx coin sale of ERC1404 tokens, and due to the current regulatory environment, we believe it is necessary to KYC all BetaNet nodes for them to receive xx coin compensation. In order to ensure we’re meeting regulatory requirements, we’re partnering with Coinbase-backed Tokensoft to automate the KYC and tax reporting requirements using their software platform. By KYCing everyone, we may be able to allow US natural persons as nodes and providing them with the appropriate 1099 reporting. We also are allowing all selected BetaNet nodes to make a choice between receiving payment monthly, or delaying payment until MainNet based on their individual tax and regulatory situation. This process will be open and accessed through sale.xx-coin.io. If you are a BetaNet node that purchased in our sale you will already have completed KYC and you need only log back into this same Tokensoft platform to sign the BetaNet contract. If you haven’t KYCed before, the KYC Tokensoft system will be open on May 1st for you to KYC and sign your new contract.

Privacy is paramount. The same privacy practices used during the sale will be used again with this node on-boarding process. During the node application process, we were able to find a balance between the public’s need to review applications and the applicant’s need for privacy. The same kind of privacy protection will be necessary throughout the BetaNet. We will continue to use the same soft anonymization techniques and you can review our privacy policy here and our terms of use here. Please note you can ask us to delete PII at any time (but that will exclude you as a Node.)

If you have any questions about the upcoming process please email nodes@xx.network.

Looking forward to partnering on the xx network with you.

Join us at xx.network. Build the future we need.

On The Road to MainNet (00) was originally published in xx network Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

All code required to run a node is now available on GitLab.

About a month ago, the xx network announced our initial source code release of some core libraries. Today, we are releasing the source code for the rest of the code running on xx network BetaNet Nodes.

This release include the 5 repositories required to run a node:

Elixxir/Comms (comms)

The Comms repository handles all network communication functionality as well as all of the core connectivity logic. It holds a gRPC protocol file along with a thin Client/Server implementation. The repository currently uses TLS certificates with RSA keys for encryption and identification, which will migrate to xx consensus-based quantum secure authenticated channels as development progresses.

Elixxir/GPUMaths (gpumaths)

The GPUMaths repository accelerates the math used by Server, especially for precomputations. It provides a subset of the math implemented in the Crypto repository, but accelerated on GPUs. Underlying the acceleration is a publicly available CUDA arbitrary-precision math library, CGBN2. Components of this written in CUDA are in a separate repository gpumathsnative.

Elixxir/Server (server)

The Server repository implements the core cMix functionality and is the software that a Node runs. It performs precomputation and real time computation and processes messages. It receives batches of messages from the gateways as well as performs network team operations.

Elixxir/Gateway (gateway)

The Gateway repository contains the API for Clients to interact with the network. Every Node runs a Gateway and the Gateways collect and store messages for Clients. Gateway is designed to be a scalable front-end to the xx network.

Elixxir/Wrapper Script (wrapper)

The Wrapper Script is a Node and Gateway management script that simplifies the running of the xx network software. The script automates the management of the xx network software log files. For easy management or in the event of an error, it starts, stops, and restarts the software without the operator having to revisit the command line.

We have also updated the handbook to version 1.1, adding more complete instructions as to the process of compiling the node software for GPU use.

We are excited to begin the process of community input and collaboration on the source code for the xx network.

For more information, review the BetaNet Software FAQ. Please join the discussion on the BetaNet Forum and the official Discord.

Join us at xx.network. Build the future we need.

Final BetaNet Source Code is Released was originally published in xx network Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

All xx BetaNet source code will be available to the public by the launch of the BetaNet on July 1st.

This initial release includes two repositories: our core Elixxir Primitives libraries, which contains network definitions, message formats, and data structures, and our core Elixxir Cryptography libraries, which comprises implementations of modular arithmetic, wrapping of core cryptographic functions, and various other cryptographic implementations.

In mid June we are planning to release the source code for the remaining repositories necessary to run a node. These are the Comms libraries, GPU Accelerated Cryptography libraries, the implementation of the Node software and Gateway software, and a set of utilities to help run a node.

The xx network team has maintained industry best practices for testing and integration, as well as good style and what we hope is adequate documentation, to ensure the source code is easy to read and understand. Across the project, test code coverage is at minimum 75% but often closer to 90%. Furthermore, all changes to the codebase trigger and are required to pass a robust multi-repo integration test. We strive to constantly improve our process and will continue to do so.

We’ve made great strides in building the core Elixxir codebase to be robust, extensible, and understandable. But the xx network software has a way to go before it is complete. We are anxious for the community to get their hands on it, deploy it, scrutinize it, criticize it, and test it. It also includes the telltale signs of a codebase which has not yet finished its journey. There are more than a few TODOs followed by lengthy comments on proper code structure or future work. There are documented vulnerabilities that need to be addressed and it has yet to undergo crucial security audits. To put it bluntly, the code is in beta.

The BetaNet source code is being released under a beta license. The xx network is committed to open access to source code, facilitating community contribution, execution, and audit. This is as fundamental to “blockchain” as the blockchain itself and must be a cornerstone of the xx MainNet for true decentralization. We look forward to working with the community on more standard licensing as we get to MainNet.

We are excited to invite the community to take part in the software development process of the xx network. Community contribution, whether it be running a node, finding flaws and critiques, or code commits, will be instrumental in bringing the software to completion. Please join us in building this software to bring the vision of data ownership, privacy, and a trustless internet to reality.

The source code can be found at gitlab.com/elixxir. For more information, review the BetaNet Software FAQ. Please join the discussion on the BetaNet Forum and the official Discord.

Join us at xx.network. Build the future we need.

First Public Debut of xx network Code was originally published in xx network Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

xx network sells $9.7M in xx coins.

Date: April 22, 2020 | Author: xx network Team

GRAND CAYMAN, April 22, 2020 — The xx network has completed its initial sale of the xx coin, the revolutionary cryptocurrency led by David Chaum. The sale was focused on rewarding early backers who helped drive decentralization of the xx network.

“The strengths of the xx coin”, Chaum shared, “address the three main technical crypto challenges as well as the one issue that matters to users. “How long does it take for a crypto transaction to complete to finality? Will processing be fast if the whole world adopts? Can bad actors steal or destroy my money? And, is it easy to use?”

Chaum explained, “xx transactions take 10 seconds to finalize and easily meet global transaction rates, all because of unique xx endorser sampling. The xx coin uses national labs level cryptography and with our compact endorsement signatures, a smartphone can validate, instantly in app, which means the xx coin will be easy to use like any fiat payment app.”

xx security “is grounded in quantum secure, hash-based cryptography similar to what NSA uses for its most sensitive data,” William Carter, added. Carter, who leads the Cayman xx consensus team, also pointed out, “ to reach consensus, we use a constant-size subset of nodes to endorse each block, the entire network doesn’t have to communicate. We call this “endorser sampling”. For each block, endorsers use quantum-secure signatures to prove unforkable finality in seconds and the signatures are performant enough for smartphones to validate directly. The result is a decentralized xx network that scales linearly with the number of nodes, supporting tens of thousands of transactions a second while maintaining optimal robustness against insider or network attacks.”

Easy-to-use, with the privacy of true cash, the xx coin is uniquely capable of supporting decentralized, democratic life. While crypto currencies are typically ledger-based, xx coin transactions, denominated in Base 2 xx coins, provide unprecedented privacy, hiding the relationship between the payor and payee as well as the linkages among different payments by the same payor.

The xx BetaNet implementation launches in Q2 2020, with xx MainNet following in early 2021. Details and information on the successful xx AlphaNet, as well as the xx network whitepaper can be found at xx.network.

Join us at xx.network. This is what the birth of a decentralized network looks like.

About xx network:

The xx coin is a high performance digital currency. A store of value, the coin also supports decentralized messaging, payments, and dApps on the xx network. xx was designed in response to growing public concern for user privacy as well as the emerging threat of quantum computing.

Contact: media@xx.network

Initial Sale of David Chaum’s New Cryptocurrency is Complete was originally published in xx network Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

As the xx network community knows, getting the xx coin into as many hands as possible is one of our biggest goals. It’s one of the ways we’ll achieve true decentralization on the xx network, allowing private, anonymous payments and messaging to be accessible to all.

The xx coin token sale has already been a tremendous success. We want to reward community members who are helping to spread the word about our transformative technology and supporting our plans for our next wave of development.

That’s why we’re excited to announce the xx coin Referral Program. When you use your unique referral code to bring new purchasers into the xx network ecosystem, we’ll reward you with free tokens. There’s no limit to the number of times you can refer people, and you’ll be eligible to earn up to 2,777,777 tokens per person(roughly $1,000,000). That’s a lot of xx coins!

Here’s how it works. If you’ve already been approved through the registration process by Thursday 23:00 GMT, you’ll receive 20 bonus tokens + 2.0% percentage tokens per referral’s purchase. If you register after, you’ll receive 15 bonus tokens for each unique person + 1.0% bonus tokens per referral’s purchase. To participate in the referral program, you just need to purchase a minimum of $100.00 tokens either previously or during the referral sale. Then, you will be emailed a unique referral code.

The referral program will begin at Saturday, February 22 at 00:00 GMT and run for four weeks ending at 00:00 Saturday March 21 GMT.

The full rules can be found here below.

We want to thank the xx network community for its ongoing support, and we look forward to strengthening this community over the next four weeks!

Rules: xx coins are not being offered to any U.S. persons as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933. Additionally, there isn’t a sale of xx coins in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

• The xx coin Referral Program is for tokens sold at $0.36 (The current token sale price of $0.35 ends on Friday, February 21 at 23:00 GMT).
• Each purchaser will receive a referral code by email within 24 hours of qualification.
• The Referral program begins 00:00 GMT Saturday, February 22.
• To qualify to receive tokens using the referral code, an individual must purchase at least $100.00 (285 tokens).
• Early Supporters must qualify before 23:00 GMT Thursday and will receive their codes on Friday 18:00 GMT via email.
• Early Supporters (Members approved in our registration process to purchase prior to Thursday, February 20 at 23:00 GMT) will receive 20 bonus tokens + 2.0% percentage tokens per purchase.
• Participants who did not go through the registration process before Thursday, February 20 at 23:00 GMT will receive 15 bonus tokens for each unique person + 1.0% percentage tokens per purchase.
• There is no limit on the number of referrals.
• There is a $100,000.00 (2,857,142 token) cap on money raised worth of tokens per person.
• A purchaser inputting a referral code on the first purchase will receive eight tokens.
• Multiple referral codes can be used by one person to earn percentage rewards, but only the first transaction between the purchaser and referrer earns bonus tokens (the aforementioned 15 or 20 tokens based on registration date). One referral code is entered per transaction.
• The Referral Program runs for 4 weeks ending, on March 20 at 23:00 GMT
• Tokens are distributed every Monday at 23:00 GMT beginning March 2, with the last distribution on March 23. Tokens earned using referral codes will be calculated and distributed on March 23.
• Each referral code will be submitted before each transaction (or purchase) on sale.xx-coin.io.

Join the xx coin Referral Sale to Earn Bonus Tokens was originally published in xx network Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.