- **Pixelproof** is a new photo storage app built on Polkadot.  
- It aims to be like Google Photos but with more privacy and user control.  
- Uses **IPFS and Polkadot storage** to keep photos safe and decentralized.  
- No complicated passwords—**easy wallet login**.  
- Includes **AI tools** to help keep content safe.  
- Plans to finish in **6–8 months** with $575,000 funding.  
- Wants to be Polkadot’s first big **consumer-friendly app**.  
- Full details are in the **[proposal PDF](link)**.

Deciding

big_spender

***Update: 11.07.2025:***

***We have heard the community loud and clear and will post an updated referenda with a more detailed document and a lower ask.***

***



![PixelProof.jpg](https://i.ibb.co/rGW7vXGK/Pixel-Proof.jpg)Apillon, in collaboration with Parity Technologies and R0gue, is proud to submit this proposal for **Pixelproof** — a fully decentralized, production-grade photo storage application built on the Polkadot ecosystem. Our goal is simple yet bold: to create the **first flagship consumer-facing dApp** on Polkadot that rivals mainstream solutions like Google Photos, but with **true user ownership, privacy, and decentralization** at its core.

Despite Polkadot’s maturity in infrastructure and protocol-level innovation, the ecosystem still lacks powerful, user-first applications that resonate beyond crypto-native circles. Pixelproof fills that gap.

Pixelproof is more than a technical showcase — it is a usable, polished, multi-platform application designed for everyday users. It leverages:

* **IPFS + Polkadot-native storage (built by Eiger)**
* **Embedded wallet authentication** with no seed phrase friction
* **Smart contract-based access control and monetization** features
* **AI-powered content moderation and safety layers** using Umanitek
* **Phala Cloud deployment** for privacy-preserving self-hosted instances

This proposal outlines a **6–8 month development roadmap** with the total requested funding of **$575,000**, covering infrastructure, smart contract development, wallet integration, UX, DevOps, and open-source tooling.

We invite the Polkadot community to review the [full proposal PDF](https://bafybeic5xgz7lynqjqdl5leh6xf3pehixi55vuzaornkvvzrfing5kpob4.ipfs.web3approved.com/?token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJjaWQiOiJiYWZ5YmVpYzV4Z3o3bHlucWpxZGw1bGVoNnhmM3BlaGl4aTU1dnV6YW9ybmt2dnpyZmluZzVrcG9iNCIsInByb2plY3RfdXVpZCI6IjRiZDI1NDZiLTY3MTQtNDU3Ni1hZTAxLWY4NmUxZWE5NjVlNiIsImlhdCI6MTc1MDg0Mzk3NCwic3ViIjoiSVBGUy10b2tlbiJ9.QJr2H4LcheK1sUkL38aejleQsi0Iz72o5kstE_6XOjk "full proposal PDF") for an in-depth breakdown of architecture, and the strategic value Pixelproof brings to the ecosystem.

Together, let’s show the world what a real Web3 app can look like.

Vote NAY - Pixelproof – A Decentralized Photo App for Everyone

- Polkadot Art Space is a fun way to teach people about Polkadot using art.  
- It uses a small, moving art gallery on a three-wheeled bike.  
- People can see NFT art, watch videos, and do art activities.  
- The goal is to help kids, students, and others learn about Web3 in a simple way.  
- It will start in one place and grow to more cities.  
- The project will give out art kits and hold events.  
- It will track how many people learn and share about Polkadot.  
- The idea is to make Polkadot friendly and exciting for everyone.

small_spender

### **Executive Summary: Polkadot Art Space Proposal**

**Polkadot Art Space** is a groundbreaking initiative that leverages the power of **art, creativity, and real-world engagement** to onboard non-Web3 users into the **Polkadot ecosystem**. This proposal outlines a pilot-to-scaling model that combines **education, community building, and visual storytelling** through a unique, mobile gallery format.

***

### **Vision & Purpose**

The core vision is to make **Polkadot accessible, human-centered, and culturally relevant** by reaching people where they are—offline, on the streets, in schools, at community events.

The initiative is designed to:

* Engage new audiences with **zero prior blockchain knowledge**
* Transform the perception of Polkadot through **tangible, creative experiences**
* Develop a **scalable, franchise-ready model** that can expand regionally and sustainably

***

### **What Is Polkadot Art Space?**

At the center of the project is a **custom-designed mini art gallery** mounted on a **three-wheeled vehicle (bajaj)** that will:

* Display **NFT artworks** from Polkadot creators
* Feature **educational videos** about JAM, Polkadot, and Web3
* Host **DIY art activities** (like totebag painting)
* Serve as a **mobile meetup and learning space**

It’s not just an art space—it's an **IRL (In Real Life)** activation unit that brings blockchain to the public in a joyful, visual, and inclusive way.

***

### **Why This Matters for Polkadot**

Despite Polkadot’s strong developer ecosystem and technical sophistication, outreach efforts have primarily focused on Web3-native users. Polkadot Art Space:

* Reaches **non-Web3 audiences**—students, artists, children, and general communities
* Addresses the **lack of creative educational interfaces** in the Polkadot ecosystem
* Provides a **new model for public engagement** using art and culture as the medium
* Creates **network effects** by partnering with local schools, universities, and art institutions

***

### **Project Components & Deliverables**

**Milestone 1 – Pilot Launch ($34,000):**

* Build the **Mini Gallery** on a tricycle with custom livery, screen, and interior
* Develop and distribute 500+ **Polkadot DIY Packs** (totebags, paint, kits)
* Launch **weekly exhibitions** at Maros Car-Free Day & local meetups
* Establish **Polkadot Corner** collaborations with universities
* Generate digital presence: content creation, influencer outreach, review videos

**Milestone 2 – Expansion & Diversification ($68,000):**

* Develop a **Polkadot character IP** for brand identity
* Launch a **second Polkadot Art Space unit**
* Expand to **Makassar, Sulawesi**, and begin exploring a **franchise model**
* Collaborate with **3 major universities** and expand to **elementary & junior schools**
* Join **Web2 public events** and initiate **cross-ecosystem collaborations** (e.g., with NounsDAO)

**Milestone 3 – Scaling & Sustainability ($95,000):**

* Conduct in-depth **research and evaluation**
* Expand into **5 major cities**: Bali, Jakarta, Surabaya, Solo, Yogyakarta
* Launch the **first Polkadot Art Space Festival** (international-scale art & Web3 fusion)
* Formalize **franchise systems** with trained ambassadors
* Transition into a **self-sustaining business model** (no further funding needed)

***

### **Quantitative Metrics**

* 500+ DIY Kits Distributed
* 8+ Weekly Public Exhibitions
* 150+ Students Educated
* 2+ University Collaborations
* 20K+ Social Media Engagement (X, Instagram)
* 2+ Gallery Partnerships
* 1 Mini Art Festival Conducted



### **Qualitative Metrics**

* Sparked **interest in Web3** among audiences with no prior exposure
* Turned casual engagement (DIY coloring) into meaningful conversation about **blockchain**
* Encouraged **UGC (user-generated content)** where visitors tagged Polkadot online
* Validated strong demand for **educational blockchain experiences** through art

***

### **Community & Collaboration Strategy**

* Monthly reporting to the community and Polkadot forum
* Active engagement across **X (Twitter), Telegram, and Instagram**
* Open channels for ecosystem partnerships and co-hosted events

***

### **Why Now? Why Polkadot?**

With a declining NFT market and limited non-technical outreach in Web3, this is the perfect time for Polkadot to:

* **Lead with creativity**, not just code
* **Reach new audiences** who value culture, community, and experience
* **Demonstrate the values of decentralization** in a warm, human format

**Polkadot Art Space is not just a project—it’s a movement.**
It invites people into Web3 *without asking them to understand it first*. It begins with color, curiosity, and creativity—and ends with community.

***

### [**FULL PROPOSAL LINK**](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1T5rzW8VlBXlZtYcP2r1iEJdthQq49LZt5FQW0i1BZYM/edit?usp=sharing "FULL PROPOSAL LINK")

**Polkadot Art Space Exterior Design**

### ![](https://i.ibb.co/jqRQBcT/1.png "exterior design")

### **Polkadot Art Space Interior Design**

### ![](https://i.ibb.co/bMQZtd77/2.png "interior design")

Polkadot Art Space : A Mini Gallery on a Tricycle as a Medium of Integration Between Art and Education Polkadot - Milestone 1

- The $DOT token will be renamed to $JAM by 2026.  
- JAM will power a new trustless supercomputing platform.  
- It will offer CoreChains, CoreVM, and CorePlay services.  
- The name JAM fits better than DOT for future growth.  
- The change helps attract new developers and users.  
- The rebrand includes updates to websites, wallets, and events.  
- The transition will happen step-by-step by mid-2026.  
- The goal is to make JAM the top trustless supercomputing platform.

wish_for_change

Rebrand $DOT to $JAM in 2026

- LunoKit is a tool for Web3 apps to connect wallets easily.  
- It works with Polkadot and helps developers save time.  
- It supports many wallets like Talisman and SubWallet.  
- Developers can use ready-made buttons and panels.  
- It helps manage accounts and switch chains smoothly.  
- The team has built big blockchain projects before.  
- Future plans include supporting more chains and features.  
- Contact them at lunolab1@gmail.com.

LunoKit: Developer-friendly Web3 account connection infrastructure

- A new idea for Polkadot to work with Ethereum  
- Wants community opinions before starting work  
- Uses existing tools to make Ethereum work better on Polkadot  
- Keeps things safe and fast  
- Helps current Polkadot projects like Moonbeam  
- Needs small funding (30k-60k USDC) to start  
- Made by Wei Tang, who knows Ethereum well  
- Different from Parity's current plan

treasurer

This is a symbolic treasury proposal that aims to gather community sentiment regarding a brand-new direction for Polkadot's Ethereum-compatibility layer. It's similar to the expensive referendum track of Wish for Change but only for a specific project (and not the whole network, therefore justifying a lower decision deposit). Due to this being an alternative approach compared with the direction that Parity is currently working on, we first would want to gather some serious opinions from voters, and therefore we think it's important to put this into coin voting to understand how things stand. If passed, beginning in September, we would then start a small treasury proposal for detailed initial work that will likely cost 30k-60k USDC.

This proposal will not replace Parity's Ethereum-compatibility approach that is scheduled on Polkadot Hub (AssetHub), but it's an alternative approach to it. The aim is to avoid the security concerns of Parity's proposal, and to avoid splitting the ecosystem (Polkadot Hub vs. Moonbeam / Acala EVM).

To do this, we aim to utilize the existing work of [revmc](https://github.com/paradigmxyz/revmc) from Paradigm that compiles EVM bytecode to LLVM, and then target that to PolkaVM. We build the full stack on the [existing full Ethereum-compatibility solution of Frontier](https://github.com/polkadot-evm/frontier). This will result in comparable performance with Parity's *revive* Ethereum-compatibility layer, without the drawbacks described below. This brand-new direction will be a **full-compatibility** solution, compared with *revive*'s **almost-compatibility** solution.

With this proposal, we also make sure existing Polkadot parachains are not left behind. As most current Ethereum-compatibility projects uses Frontier in one way or another, this brand-new direction will also be easily deployable to parachains like Moonbeam and Acala.

## Background

### The many Ethereum-compatibility layers of Polkadot

Ethereum-compatibility on Polkadot has long been in existance. This older project is called [Frontier](https://github.com/polkadot-evm/frontier). The on-chain component of `pallet-evm` and `pallet-ethereum` contain an EVM interpreter that executes EVM bytecode in a full-compatible way. An off-chain component provides compatibility for RPCs. The project has been used in productions for a long time. Current parachains, like Moonbeam and Acala EVM, either directly use Frontier or heavily modify it to suit their own needs. However, as Ethereum-compatibility was not Polkadot's focus, the project was always on the sideline.

In the past two years, the direction of Polkadot's smart contract platform has pivoted, and it was decided that Ethereum-compatibility is one of the main focus. Parity then starts to work on a new Ethereum-compatibility layer. The new architecture is named *revive*. It consists of an on-chain runtime *pallet-revive*, the unmodified Solidity compiler *solc* that compiles Solidity source code to YUL intermediate language, and the *resolc* compiler that compiles YUL to PolkaVM bytecodes. The new architecture is still in development but is expected to launch later this year according to the public roadmap.

### Security in focus

We must not forget why we were on a different direction in the first place and why the choice of Ethereum/EVM was not popular among Polkadot developers. Solidity and EVM were designed in the very early days of the blockchain history. They are, unfortunately, not well designed, and we should not underestimate the security implications of this. As an example, Parity itself was under [a massive hack](https://blog.openzeppelin.com/on-the-parity-wallet-multisig-hack-405a8c12e8f7) that resulted loss of over 150k ETH (30m USD at that time), directly affecting Polkadot presales. Not to mention all the specification surprises, unnoticed issues till the last minutes that even delayed Ethereum hard forks, as well as some of the more massive hacks (for example, theDAO). All those contributed to Parity's eventual discontinuation of its Parity Ethereum client and disengagement with the Ethereum ecosystem. The unsafety of Solidity and EVM was one of the important reasons why ink/Rust was used for smart contract.

At this moment we're deciding to move back to Ethereum, but we must not forget our expensive past lessons. Embracing Ethereum-compatibility means that security is again on high alert.

### The importance of a security-principled approach

It's in the author's opinion that revive, Parity's planned Ethereum-compatibility approach, [has safety concerns](https://forum.polkadot.network/t/almost-compatibility-is-unsafe/12990).

*revive* uses an "almost-compatibility" approach. The aim is to be able to compile the majority of Solidity source code unmodified, as to encourage users to migrate from Ethereum to Polkadot. Due to the fact that PolkaVM and EVM are different as well as the design differences of *revive*, the compiler has a large number of [documented differences](https://contracts.polkadot.io/revive_compiler/differences_yul_translation) compared with Ethereum.

Being able to compile Solidity source code unmodified to PolkaVM sounds nice on surface. However, as the author has argued in the above section, embracing Ethereum-compatibility means that security must be on high alert. EVM/Ethereum/Solidity is a subtle target, the Javascript of Web3. The problem of them does not often come from lack of security audits -- it's a multi-billion network and the code base often receives sufficient scrutiny. The problem often comes because it makes it easy for users to write unsafe code. Most of the common pitfalls on Ethereum are already well-documented after this many years. However, we're making the same mistake in Polkadot as the early day Ethereum. The codebase of *revive* can always be audited, but the way users write code on it cannot be fully anticipated in advance. This makes it difficult for even the most experienced security auditors to investigate the consequences of those differences and also how they will interact with existing known pitfalls on Ethereum.

This makes *revive*'s position of being an "almost-compatibility" system, not "full-compatibility", not "some-compatibility", slightly awkward. Some code changes are still occasionally required. Code audits must be redone.

Having those differences also make fuzz testing impossible. For a full-compatibility solution, one can always test all possible cases against another existing implementation until it reaches 100%. However, for an almost-compatibility solution, there will always be a large number of test cases failing attributed to the "known differences".

The essence of the problem is a lack of security-principled approach. The objective is set prematurely (compiling Solidity source code unmodified without a full consideration of what means "unmodified"), and also without a detailed call for review with the ecosystem shareholders and a full look at the desired user experiences.

### A split of the ecosystem

The approach of *revive* also splits Polkadot's Ethereum-compatibility ecosystem into two. The existing parachains like Moonbeam use Frontier. The vast difference in approach makes it difficult for them to adopt or migrate to take advantage of the performance of PolkaVM. We are making Ethereum-compatibility an important focus, but in the mean time we're abandoning "Polkadot-compatibility".

### A step back of the strategy

As with everyone else in the Polkadot community, it's also in the author's hope that the new *revive* Ethereum-compatibility layer can bring a massive inflow of dapp developers to Polkadot. But we also must consider the possibility if this won't be the case and prepare accordingly.

For example, Ethereum core devs, till today, still have the belief that the VM performance is not the main bottleneck. This belief is supported by the benchmarking work of Reth who used EVM-to-LLVM compiler to sync mainnet, and found only 10% performance improvements. In the future, as we have more performance-critical contracts, this may change, but because the dapp developers we attract will come from Ethereum, they may continue to be relauntent. The contract size compiling down to PolkaVM, compared with compiling down to EVM, will be significantly larger. In addition, we're so far not the only chain that has adopted RISC-V in production, and dapps developers may get attracted to them compared with us.

Whether or not our Ethereum-compatibility strategy delivers good results, the bottom line is that our strategy shouldn't hurt us, and it's in the author's opinion that we should never have security as the trade-off. A high-value hack on *revive*, regardless if we later decide it's purely the dapp developers' fault, is sufficient to kill all the momentum we have built up for PolkaVM, and gives us the label of being another unsafe smart contract platform. We shouldn't let that happen. We shouldn't trade security with performance.

In any case, it's important that we don't rush things. Once smart contracts are deployed, they become immutable. A rushed, but failed deployment is worse than delayed deployment. Whatever our methods are, we should ensure that it won't potentially do harm to Polkadot -- at least we shouldn't expose ourselves to an even more messy situation than Ethereum.

## Design

So here enters an alternative approach compared with revive.

*revive* uses a compiler stack as follows: Solidity -> YUL -> PolkaVM -> *pallet-revive*. The new approach in this project uses the compiler stack as follows: Solidity -> EVM -> PolkaVM -> Frontier. The Solidity pipeline becomes entirely unaltered. We compile native Solidity to native EVM bytecode. We then hook up the `revmc` project from Paradigm, which is an EVM-to-LLVM recompiler that has successfully synced Ethereum mainnet. This then gives us PolkaVM bytecodes, which is fed into Frontier and use the existing full-compatible system calls.

### EVM alongside PolkaVM

In this proposal, we will have EVM alongside PolkaVM. Frontier will still have its EVM interpreter and EVM bytecode will still be interpreted. Alongside with that, a native PolkaVM executor is deployed. This means that we can support all "fallback" cases and still remain full-compatible. Contract creation can either deploy PolkaVM directly (via a new transaction type) or it can still emit EVM bytecode and Frontier will handle everything just fine.

This allows for incremental speed-up that takes into considerations of existing Ethereum smart contracts already on Polkadot. An offchain compiler allows users to compile new contracts from EVM bytecode to PolkaVM and then deploy on-chain with native PolkaVM performance. If something is not possible, there is always the EVM interpreter as fallback.

### Code introspection

The main pain point for anything that is not EVM bytecode is code introspection. Because only new contracts will be deployed on-chain in PolkaVM, the issue of code introspection is solvable -- we simply disallow code introspection in the EVM -> PolkaVM compiler. As also discussed in the last section, for any deployed PolkaVM contract, we still allow it to emit EVM bytecode when necessary, and in this case we still have the EVM interpreter in Frontier for all fallback cases.

### EOF (EVM Object Format)

In this proposal, we anticipate that we'll likely heavily utilize EOF (EVM Object Format). This is a major upgrade on Ethereum that resolves many of the pain points of the existing EVM format. In particular, dynamic jumps are disabled. Bytecode is split into code sections. And code and gas introspection may be disabled. Many important features for EOF support is already well implemented in the toolchains. It's simply that EOF has not yet been deployed in Ethereum mainnet.

By utilizing EOF and compiling EVM to PolkaVM, we will accomplish really close to native speed. Compared with Parity's *revive*, the goal is also to take possible future Ethereum upgrades into account, but not working on an "independent" solution that will become obsolete in the next few years due to further Ethereum development.

### Gas metering and system calls

We utilize PolkaVM native gas metering solution, with certain precautions taken as not to break existing EVM/Solidity invariants.

All system calls are handled by the existing Frontier implementation with production-ready Ethereum compatibility.

## Discussions

The goal of this Ethereum-compatibility proposal is to bring a new **full-compatibility** solution built on Frontier instead of Parity *revive*'s **almost-compatibility** solution. We also want to make sure the solution, while accomplishing better performance utilizing PolkaVM, does not alienate existing Polkadot ecosystem players like Moonbeam and Acala EVM.

## Impact

If this proposal passes, we'll work on a more detailed specification with a treasury proposal in the amount of 30k-60k USDC for the initial work going in the new direction with clearly defined deliverables.

## Our vision: an ecosystem that does not work against itself

The *revive* project is argubly a project built at the expense of its own ecosystem. No matter whether it fulfills the goal of attracting developers from the Ethereum community, one thing is certain -- it will compete with existing parachains like Moonbeam and Acala EVM.

In addition, *revive*'s choice of "almost compatibility" is unfortunately in an awkward spot. Dapp projects must nonetheless be adopted specifically for PolkaVM. Solidity code changes are sometimes needed. Security audits must be redone. And even if a project manages to avoid all of that, the dependencies and build scripts must still be changed.

We therefore have a real risk of an internal split of Polkadot's own ecosystem between Moonbeam/Acala's Ethereum-compatibility and Polkadot Hub's Ethereum-compatibility. This proposal aims to at least partially consolidate that, and brings a viable, and also arguably better solution for everyone, not just for Polkadot Hub.

## About

Wei Tang has been deeply involved in Ethereum core dev. He is the author of EIP-2200 as well as several other protocol specifications that are deployed in Ethereum mainnet. He maintains `rust-evm`, a Rust Ethereum Virtual Machine implementation. He is also the author and maintainer of Frontier, the current Ethereum-compatibility layer for Polkadot that is used in production by many Polkadot parachains.

## FAQ

### Have you tried proposing this alternative design to Parity?

Unfortunately due to office politics, this was never possible while the author worked in Parity. Discussions have been sought over the year. On May 19, the author posted in the Polkadot Forum his opinion that [almost-compatibility is unsafe](https://forum.polkadot.network/t/almost-compatibility-is-unsafe/12990). 9 days later on May 28, the author received Parity's letter for termination of employment.

### Who is the contact person if I have additional questions but would like to discuss privately?

Please contact Wei Tang (wei@bitarray.dev).

Exploration of a brand-new direction for Polkadot's Ethereum-compatibility layer

Preparing

VOTE NAY - WRONG TRACK

medium_spender

This referendum doesn't have an amount included in it. Pls vote nay.&#x20;

Pls vote nay

- **Who:** Subsquid Lab  
- **What:** Helps Polkadot and Kusama with data storage  
- **Why:** Supports important apps and tools  
- **Growth:** More data and workers in Q4 2024  
- **Improvements:** Better indexing and new features  
- **Cost:** $308,704 USDC for services and work  
- **Data Served:** Over 11 TB for Polkadot chains  
- **Workers:** 1,600 nodes storing 900 TB

Summary

**Proponent:** [Subsquid Lab Official](https://polkadot.subscan.io/account/13bfKSQXoBn3AMLtZaW6BKv797fqZzsD3PYF6xpJDir3tdoE) - 13bfKSQXoBn3AMLtZaW6BKv797fqZzsD3PYF6xpJDir3tdoE

**Beneficiary:** [Subsquid Lab Official](https://polkadot.subscan.io/account/13bfKSQXoBn3AMLtZaW6BKv797fqZzsD3PYF6xpJDir3tdoE) - 13bfKSQXoBn3AMLtZaW6BKv797fqZzsD3PYF6xpJDir3tdoE

**Contact Details:** 

Subsquid Labs GmbH

6300 Zug, Switzerland

[mf@subsquid.io](mailto\:mf@subsquid.io) 

**Short description:** Ongoing development and maintenance costs for public SQD Archives, providing critical data infrastructure for Polkadot and Kusuma and other public Substrate-based chains in Q4 2024.  

**Archive raw data:** [Archive Infrastructure metrics](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Rj_-4KqM2BZ7pHptIBryLZqcOmiQqi7PdFjBLcN25w4/edit?usp=sharing) - October, November, December

**Requested amount:**  **$308,704 USDC**

**Previous proposals:** [https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/referenda/1526](https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/referenda/1526)


Motivation
==========

**A) Archives** 

SQD Archives are a vital component of the Polkadot and Kusama ecosystem’s data infrastructure, offering scalable access to historical on-chain data for public Substrate-based chains. These archives serve as performant data pipelines for major dApps, APIs, and developer tools, supporting critical ecosystem projects such as:

* Tanssi Network
* Talisman Wallet
* Polimec
* Polkassembly
* Apillon
* Hydration
* Giant Squid API (maintained by LimeChain, see details below)
* SubWallet 
* FiDi
* KodaDot
* RMRK
* ChainSafe (in particular the Multix multi-sig, as well as other projects)
* Phala Network
* Stellaswap
* Polkascan 



By providing free indexing services for the following public chains, SQD lowers barriers for developers and projects building on Substrate, fostering innovation and adoption:



* polkadot
* kusama
* asset-hub-kusama
* asset-hub-polkadot
* bridge-hub-polkadot
* collectives-polkadot
* Westend

Despite transitioning to a fee-based model for private data services to ensure sustainability, SQD remains committed to covering infrastructure costs for public archives, ensuring open access to indexed Substrate Events, Extrinsics, Storage Items, and EVM logs. This commitment aligns with Polkadot’s vision of a decentralized, accessible ecosystem.



**B) Contribution**

During Q4’2024, we made significant contributions to the Polkadot ecosystem: 

* Infrastructure Scaling: Expanding archive capacity to meet growing data demand. 
* Squid SDK Enhancements: Introducing advanced indexing features, including support for new Substrate pallets and improved error-handling mechanisms. 
* Decentralized Network Growth: Increasing SQD Worker Node participation to enhance network resilience. 



# Achievements

**Growth in Archival Data Demand, Network Expansion and Further Decentralization**

In Q4 2024, demand for archival data grew steadily, rising from 11.35 TiB to 11.68 TiB. At the same time, the number of active Worker Nodes in the SQD network increased from 1,139 in October to 1,600 by the end of December—a 40.47% increase. This expansion strengthens the SQD network’s infrastructure, contributing to greater decentralization and resilience across the Polkadot ecosystem.


By the end of 2024, the SQD network had scaled to approximately 1,600 active Worker Nodes, securely storing around 900 TB of data and serving roughly 11 TB daily. This robust, decentralized infrastructure significantly enhances data processing and storage capabilities, delivering improved security, fault tolerance, and scalability for the Polkadot network.



**Squid SDK improvements empowering Polkadot Developers:**

* **Additional unique support for Revive pallet:** Enabling the tracking of contracts deployed to the PolkaVM. 
* **Indexing efficiency upgrades:** Implementation of a novel mechanism to skip and log problematic blocks-those containing invalid or non-decodable data on Substrate based chains, ensuring uninterrupted indexing and improved resilience of the data pipeline. 


# Statistics and data

# <img height="300" width="506" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXda1vvLuOKXie21IM_SFp3-hpyGOgBOpFgnvro0LUpZ_h8cP2mebYkvRF09fLj0nygGv-LKRBQkfQqn_nG8aap9Xtb3HrM3vL15id14SlJ30MGY6S-W_YrkFSvrzO_jEIkMQYjrJg?key=OtINmgDGvVWqK5axEzaXJs4e" />

Over the course of Q4 2024:

* Served a total of **11,668,177,888,249**  (\~10.06 TiB) of data from substrate based chains.
* Served **2,336,249**  archive requests from substrate based archives.
* The highest daily total data transfer recorded for Substrate was **382.57 GiB** within a single 24-hour period (2024-10-05).



## Cost Breakdown

This proposal encompasses the combined costs for running Archives for Polkadot, Kusama, and other public chains, along with the development contributions, amounting to a total of **$308,704 USDC**   [Raw data can be seen here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Rj_-4KqM2BZ7pHptIBryLZqcOmiQqi7PdFjBLcN25w4/edit?gid=466566330#gid=466566330)



The proposal is submitted towards the Polkadot treasury. Here is a summary of the running costs for Archives, in a tabular format:

| Service | Cost | VAT 8.1% | Subtotal |
| ---------------------------------- | ----------- | ----------- | ----------- |
| Compute Engine (GCE) | $92,630.90 | $100,134.00 | $100,134.00 |
| OVHCloud | $28,419.03 | $30,720.97 | $30,720.97 |
| Networking | $2,963.02 | $3,203.02 | $3,203.02 |
| Kubernetes Engine (GKE) | $436.23 | $471.56 | $471.56 |
| Cloud Storage (GCS) | $63.21 | $68.33 | $68.33 |
| Cloud SQL | $396.38 | $428.49 | $428.49 |
| Cloud DNS | $18.01 | $19.47 | $19.47 |
| Cloud Logging | $13,506.84 | $14,600.89 | $14,600.89 |
| Cloud Key Management Service (KMS) | $2.99 | $3.23 | $3.23 |
| Artifact Registry | $336.01 | $363.23 | $363.23 |
| | | | |
| Engineers & Maintenance\* | $144,000.00 | $155,664.00 | $155,664.00 |
| Total | | | $305,677.20 |

Contribution costs:

| Service | Cost / h | Quantity | VAT 8.1% | Subtotal |
| ---------------------------- | -------- | -------- | --------- | --------- |
| Revive pallet support | $100.00 | 16.00 | $1,729.60 | $1,729.60 |
| Indexing efficiency upgrades | $100.00 | 6.00 | $648.60 | $648.60 |
| Product management | $100.00 | 3.00 | $324.30 | $324.30 |
| Project management | $100.00 | 3.00 | $324.30 | $324.30 |
| Total | | | | $3,026.80 |

SQD (fka Subsquid) - Public Data Indexing Infrastructure for Polkadot and Kusama (Q4 2024)

Please VOTE NAY

- **Polkalotto** is a new kind of lottery built on Polkadot’s blockchain.  
- It lets users **stake DOT tokens** to enter, earning rewards and chances to win prizes.  
- Unlike regular lotteries, your staked DOT stays yours and keeps earning rewards.  
- There are **monthly draws** and a special **yearly "Everyone Wins" event** where all participants get prizes.  
- Users can also **learn about Polkadot** through quizzes to earn extra entries.  
- Part of the rewards go to **charities** voted on by the community.  
- It aims to make crypto fun, fair, and helpful for the world.  
- The project is seeking **1 million DOT** to launch.

Polkalotto: The first Planetary Impact Engine Part 1/3 

- Subsquid Lab is asking for $308,704 to keep their public data archives running.  
- These archives help Polkadot, Kusama, and other blockchain projects.  
- Many apps and tools use Subsquid’s free data services.  
- In late 2024, they grew their network to 1,600 worker nodes.  
- They improved their software to handle tricky blockchain data better.  
- The money covers cloud costs, engineers, and new features.  
- They shared detailed spending plans in a table.  
- This keeps important blockchain data free for developers.

Summary

**Proponent:** [Subsquid Lab Official](https://polkadot.subscan.io/account/13bfKSQXoBn3AMLtZaW6BKv797fqZzsD3PYF6xpJDir3tdoE) - 13bfKSQXoBn3AMLtZaW6BKv797fqZzsD3PYF6xpJDir3tdoE

**Beneficiary:** [Subsquid Lab Official](https://polkadot.subscan.io/account/13bfKSQXoBn3AMLtZaW6BKv797fqZzsD3PYF6xpJDir3tdoE) - 13bfKSQXoBn3AMLtZaW6BKv797fqZzsD3PYF6xpJDir3tdoE

**Contact Details:** 

Subsquid Labs GmbH

6300 Zug, Switzerland

[mf@subsquid.io](mailto\:mf@subsquid.io) 

**Short description:** Ongoing development and maintenance costs for public SQD Archives, providing critical data infrastructure for Polkadot and Kusuma and other public Substrate-based chains in Q4 2024.  

**Archive raw data:** [Archive Infrastructure metrics](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Rj_-4KqM2BZ7pHptIBryLZqcOmiQqi7PdFjBLcN25w4/edit?usp=sharing) - October, November, December

**Requested amount:**  **$308,704**

**Previous proposals:** [https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/referenda/1526](https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/referenda/1526)

# Motivation

**A) Archives** 

SQD Archives are a vital component of the Polkadot and Kusama ecosystem’s data infrastructure, offering scalable access to historical on-chain data for public Substrate-based chains. These archives serve as performant data pipelines for major dApps, APIs, and developer tools, supporting critical ecosystem projects such as:

* Tanssi Network
* Talisman Wallet
* Polimec
* Polkassembly
* Apillon
* Hydration
* Giant Squid API (maintained by LimeChain, see details below)
* SubWallet 
* FiDi
* KodaDot
* RMRK
* ChainSafe (in particular the Multix multi-sig, as well as other projects)
* Phala Network
* Stellaswap
* Polkascan 

By providing free indexing services for the following public chains, SQD lowers barriers for developers and projects building on Substrate, fostering innovation and adoption:

* polkadot
* kusama
* asset-hub-kusama
* asset-hub-polkadot
* bridge-hub-polkadot
* collectives-polkadot
* Westend

Despite transitioning to a fee-based model for private data services to ensure sustainability, SQD remains committed to covering infrastructure costs for public archives, ensuring open access to indexed Substrate Events, Extrinsics, Storage Items, and EVM logs. This commitment aligns with Polkadot’s vision of a decentralized, accessible ecosystem.

**B) Contribution**

During Q4’2024, we made significant contributions to the Polkadot ecosystem: 

* Infrastructure Scaling: Expanding archive capacity to meet growing data demand. 
* Squid SDK Enhancements: Introducing advanced indexing features, including support for new Substrate pallets and improved error-handling mechanisms. 
* Decentralized Network Growth: Increasing SQD Worker Node participation to enhance network resilience. 

# Achievements

**Growth in Archival Data Demand, Network Expansion and Further Decentralization**

In Q4 2024, demand for archival data grew steadily, rising from 11.35 TiB to 11.68 TiB. At the same time, the number of active Worker Nodes in the SQD network increased from 1,139 in October to 1,600 by the end of December—a 40.47% increase. This expansion strengthens the SQD network’s infrastructure, contributing to greater decentralization and resilience across the Polkadot ecosystem.

By the end of 2024, the SQD network had scaled to approximately 1,600 active Worker Nodes, securely storing around 900 TB of data and serving roughly 11 TB daily. This robust, decentralized infrastructure significantly enhances data processing and storage capabilities, delivering improved security, fault tolerance, and scalability for the Polkadot network.

**Squid SDK improvements empowering Polkadot Developers:**

* **Additional unique support for Revive pallet:** Enabling the tracking of contracts deployed to the PolkaVM. 
* **Indexing efficiency upgrades:** Implementation of a novel mechanism to skip and log problematic blocks-those containing invalid or non-decodable data on Substrate based chains, ensuring uninterrupted indexing and improved resilience of the data pipeline. 

# Statistics and data

<img height="300" width="506" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfR5GffoKYtzjPZmyabzbBFfF6vck2Zideo3kZDzv8q0VGBM1Qzd4-ptg_fnfD_t_pGOe6GJqgcfqy3SVBchT4R5P7BbrzFGdGva37uR7ZG3-4dhgjM5upRmW4XGrj7spG9Eia9zw?key=OtINmgDGvVWqK5axEzaXJs4e" />

Over the course of Q4 2024:

* Served a total of **11,668,177,888,249**  (\~10.06 TiB) of data from substrate based chains.
* Served **2,336,249**  archive requests from substrate based archives.
* The highest daily total data transfer recorded for Substrate was **382.57 GiB** within a single 24-hour period (2024-10-05).

## Cost Breakdown

This proposal encompasses the combined costs for running Archives for Polkadot, Kusama, and other public chains, along with the development contributions, amounting to a total of **$308,704**  [Raw data can be seen here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Rj_-4KqM2BZ7pHptIBryLZqcOmiQqi7PdFjBLcN25w4/edit?gid=466566330#gid=466566330)

The proposal is submitted towards the Polkadot treasury. Here is a summary of the running costs for Archives, in a tabular format:

| Service | Cost | VAT 8.1% | Subtotal |
| ---------------------------------- | ----------- | ----------- | ----------- |
| Compute Engine (GCE) | $92,630.90 | $100,134.00 | $100,134.00 |
| OVHCloud | $28,419.03 | $30,720.97 | $30,720.97 |
| Networking | $2,963.02 | $3,203.02 | $3,203.02 |
| Kubernetes Engine (GKE) | $436.23 | $471.56 | $471.56 |
| Cloud Storage (GCS) | $63.21 | $68.33 | $68.33 |
| Cloud SQL | $396.38 | $428.49 | $428.49 |
| Cloud DNS | $18.01 | $19.47 | $19.47 |
| Cloud Logging | $13,506.84 | $14,600.89 | $14,600.89 |
| Cloud Key Management Service (KMS) | $2.99 | $3.23 | $3.23 |
| Artifact Registry | $336.01 | $363.23 | $363.23 |
| | | | |
| Engineers & Maintenance\* | $144,000.00 | $155,664.00 | $155,664.00 |
| Total | | | $305,677.20 |

Contribution costs: 

| Service | Cost / h | Quantity | VAT 8.1% | Subtotal |
| ---------------------------- | -------- | -------- | --------- | --------- |
| Revive pallet support | $100.00 | 16.00 | $1,729.60 | $1,729.60 |
| Indexing efficiency upgrades | $100.00 | 6.00 | $648.60 | $648.60 |
| Product management | $100.00 | 3.00 | $324.30 | $324.30 |
| Project management | $100.00 | 3.00 | $324.30 | $324.30 |
| Total | | | | $3,026.80 |

SQD (fka Subsquid) - Please see correct proposal here = https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/referenda/1668?created=true

root

referendum_killer

Our AI decided to take initiative and post a proposal. It even thought it was helping. While we appreciate the hustle, this wasn’t supposed to happen. Do your part for good governance (and a good laugh)—vote Nay and keep AI in the sandbox a little longer.

The Machines Are Not Ready (Yet)

referendum_canceller

Much like that "Hello World" you once pushed to prod, this proposal was an innocent test gone live. No policies, no politics—just a rogue automation script trying to impress us. Let’s all agree to vote Nay and pretend this never happened (we’ll make sure the AI gets a time-out).

Please Vote Nay – This One Was Just a Test, Seriously

- A rare Australian opal will be turned into a Polkadot-themed amulet.  
- It will be shown on *Outback Opal Hunters* (Discovery Channel).  
- The opal will be split into **100 billion tokens** on Polkadot.  
- The Polkadot Treasury will own it, so everyone in the community can have a piece.  
- The amulet will be sold to a Polkadot member for the whole community.  
- It will be displayed at Polkadot events with "As seen on Discovery Channel."  
- This is Polkadot’s **first real-world asset (RWA)** owned by the Treasury.  
- The show’s director supports sharing opal ownership using blockchain.

Polkadot x Discovery Channel: A Tokenization Story

[Please vote nay!]

Please vote nay&#x20;



(for background: Used this canceller to cancel [https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/referenda/1646](https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/referenda/1646) )

Please vote nay 

[Please vote nay] 

- Gabo helped at Innovation Tech Week Buenos Aires 2025.  
- He worked for 5 hours, including speaking and networking.  
- A $250 tip is suggested for his effort.  
- Gabo studied at PBA University and supports the Polkadot community.  
- He has spoken at many events like LABITCONF and PANAMA BLOCKCHAIN WEEK.  
- People enjoy his clear and helpful talks.  
- Links show his past work and event photos.  
- Nachito sent this request.

Executed

small_tipper

Hi Polkadot community,

I’d like to request a tip in recognition of **Gabo’s** valuable contribution during Innovation Tech Week Buenos Aires 2025, held from June 2nd to 6th.

**Gabo’s contribution spanned 5 hours of work**, covering:

* Developing and refining his talk
* Travel to the venue
* Speaking at the event
* Post-session networking

The suggested tip is **USD 250**, in appreciation of his time, commitment, and support.

📸 Images and posts from the event:

* [https://x.com/DotLatam47012/status/1932449504579465511](https://x.com/DotLatam47012/status/1932449504579465511)



* [https://x.com/DotLatam47012/status/1932449511164567806](https://x.com/DotLatam47012/status/1932449511164567806)



**Who is Gabo?**

Gabo graduated from PBA University in Buenos Aires and has been closely involved in the ecosystem since day one whether actively participating or offering support.

He’s taken part in many events over the years, consistently delivering presentations that are clear, insightful, and highly anticipated by attendees.

Here are some examples of his contributions:

\- LABITCONF 2023 & 2024
[https://x.com/labitconf/status/1869538055448588309](https://x.com/labitconf/status/1869538055448588309)     [https://x.com/PolkadotEspanol/status/1854647201974419831](https://x.com/PolkadotEspanol/status/1854647201974419831)
[https://x.com/Dotcast\_/status/1723702899207700881](https://x.com/Dotcast_/status/1723702899207700881)

\- PANAMA BLOCKCHAIN WEEK&#x20;
[https://x.com/PolkadotEspanol/status/1915156087369507314](https://x.com/PolkadotEspanol/status/1915156087369507314)

\- CRECIMIENTO&#x20;
[https://x.com/DotLatam47012/status/1901685183771984164
](https://x.com/DotLatam47012/status/1901685183771984164)- Sub0&#x20;
[https://x.com/gabo\_posta](https://x.com/gabo_posta)




Best regards,



Nachito.

Retroactive Tip for Gabo - Innovation Tech event

- A developer contributed to Polkadot SDK, improving Asset Hub features.  
- Added support for freezing assets (like locks) and handling deposits.  
- Made balance calculations for assets match native tokens.  
- Working on vested transfers for stablecoins.  
- Spent 196 hours (about 1.84 months) on these projects.  
- Already received $2,224.34 in compensation.  
- Requests $7,575.65 to cover remaining work costs.  
- Contributions help users manage assets better.

big_tipper

Retroactive Tip for Assets-related Contributions to Polkadot SDK in the past 12 months

Rejected

This proposal is the blockchain equivalent of "accidentally replying all." While testing automation, our AI enthusiastically submitted a proposal with the confidence of a DAO in a bull market. But alas, it's not meant for prime time. Help us teach it the value of human oversight—vote Nay and restore balance to the chain.

Please Vote Nay – My AI Got a Little Too Ambitious

In a bold display of overconfidence, our AI confused a dry run for a governance milestone. This proposal slipped through the cracks faster than a meme coin on launch day. No harm done—just a friendly reminder that robots still need supervision. Vote Nay to keep the chain clean and the machines humble.

Please Vote Nay – Our AI Mistook Testnet for Mainnet

- A research project about Polkadot's money supply and inflation is offering $7,000 in prizes.  
- People can join a group to help answer important questions.  
- Supervisors will make sure extra money goes back to the treasury.  
- The project starts July 4 and ends July 31.  
- Questions include how much DOT exists, burned, and future money plans.  
- Research will look at costs, rewards, and other money sources.  
- Results will help decide if Polkadot should change its inflation rules.  
- A tracking sheet will show progress and tasks.

DOT RFP #1 - Crowdsourced Research: Capped Supply & Step Change Inflation

- Polkadot is upgrading to help it grow better.  
- The update stops bad behavior by validators.  
- It fixes problems from a past upgrade attempt.  
- Changes are in versions 1.6.0 and 1.6.1.  
- The upgrade starts on July 16, 2025.  
- More details are in the whitelist link.

Approved

whitelisted_caller

[Whitelisted Caller] Runtime Upgrade to v1.6.1

staking_admin

lease_admin

fellowship_admin

general_admin

auction_admin

OpenGov Referenda

Origin able to dispatch a whitelisted call.

Origin for signaling that the network wishes for some change

Origin able to cancel slashes and manage minimum commission.

Origin for spending up to 10,000,000 DOT from the treasury as well as generally administering it.

Origin for managing the composition of the fellowship.

Origin able to spend around 250 DOT from the treasury at once.

Origin able to spend around 1,000 DOT from the treasury at once.

Origin able to spend around 10,000 DOT from the treasury at once.

Origin able to spend around 100,000 DOT from the treasury at once.

Origin able to spend up to 1,000,000 DOT from the treasury at once.

OpenGov Referenda

Referenda Tracks