Prevailing filecoin logo | |
Denominations | |
---|---|
Plural | filecoins |
Symbol | ⨎ |
Code | FIL |
Subunits | |
Development | |
Original author(s) | Protocol Labs and Juan Benet |
White paper | "Filecoin: A Decentralized Storage Network", 2017-07-19 "Filecoin: A Cryptocurrency Operated File Storage Network", 2014-07-15 |
Implementation(s) | go-filecoin, lotus, forest |
Initial release | 15 July 2014 |
Code repository | https://github.com/filecoin-project |
Website | |
Website | filecoin |
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Filecoin (⨎) is an open-source, public cryptocurrency and digital payment system intended to be a blockchain-based cooperative digital storage and data retrieval method.[1][2][3][4] It is made by Protocol Labs and shares some ideas from InterPlanetary File System[5] allowing users to rent unused hard drive space.[6] A blockchain mechanism is used to register the deals.[7] Filecoin is an open protocol and backed by a blockchain that records commitments made by the network’s participants, with transactions made using FIL, the blockchain's native currency. The blockchain is based on both proof-of-replication and proof-of-spacetime.[8]
The project was launched in August 2017, and raised over $200 million within 30 minutes.[7][9]
In April 2021, the Filecoin Foundation donated 50,000 filecoins worth $10,000,000 to the Internet Archive.[10] In addition, Internet Archive's founder Brewster Kahle and director of partnerships Wendy Hanamura joined the boards of advisors of Filecoin and the Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web.[11]
As of January 2023, the total storage capacity was 18.8 EiB,[12] and total data stored was 495 PiB.[13]