SFT Protocol & Titan Network AMA Recap — Unlocking New Horizons: SFT Protocol and Titan Network Partnership

Welcome to today’s recap of the insightful Ask Me Anything (AMA) session hosted by Joseph, featuring two guests, Rufus, the CEO of SFT Protocol, and Konstantin, the CSO of Titan Network. The discussion delved deep into the partnership between SFT Protocol and Titan Network, their innovative approach to Web3 infrastructure, their broader impact on the blockchain ecosystem, and their future plans.

PART ONE: Introduction

The AMA started with the self-introductions of the two speakers, from which we learned about their rich experience in the field and excellent professional backgrounds.

Host: We are about to embark on an exciting journey today. I trust everyone is present and ready. Today’s session promises to be both informative and engaging, featuring four exciting segments. We aim to ensure steady progress and substantial achievements.
First, I would like to welcome Rufus Wright, CEO of SFT, and Konstantin, CSO of Titan Network, here to share valuable updates and information. Can you make a brief self-introduction to our listeners? Konstantin, over to you.

Konstantin: Hello, everyone. It’s a pleasure to join you today. I am Konstantin, the Chief Strategy Officer of Titan Network. For those unfamiliar with Titan Network, we are an innovative incentive layer for global idle resources. Essentially, we are a digital resource network that incentivizes matching community idle resources with global demand. I’m eager to discuss Titan Network and our collaboration in more detail over the next hour.

Host: Thank you, Konstantin. Rufus?

Rufus: Hi, I’m Rufus, CEO of SFT Chain. My background spans from Wall Street to crypto, where I began mining and running crypto data centers in 2017. I joined SFT to bridge the gap between hardware and software in crypto, which I believe represents the future of this industry.
We are thrilled to collaborate with Titan on this project and look forward to sharing more details and insights.

Host: Thank you both for the introductions. We are excited to dive deeper into this discussion and explore the potential of our collaboration. Let’s proceed with our segments, starting with the specifics of Titan Network and SFT’s innovative solutions.

PART TWO: In-Depth Conversation

In this session, the two speakers engaged in an in-depth discussion about the vision, core technologies, and future collaboration plans of their respective projects.

Host: Konstantin, could you please provide us with a detailed overview of Titan Network, including the scope of our partnership and the concept of L1 Guardian nodes?

Konstantin: Certainly. Titan Network is essentially a Layer 1 blockchain that coordinates community-built resources. Our network is powered by edge nodes, which are lightweight, compatible with devices like cell phones and edge devices. Currently, we have over 150,000 nodes connected and consistently online. During our two test nets, we had more than 450,000 unique users connecting and sharing their resources.
This achievement demonstrates the power of DePIN and how it should be distributed across the ecosystem rather than being centralized. However, edge nodes, while flexible, may not always meet the performance and reliability needs of some users. For example, edge nodes can connect and disconnect based on the user’s activities, which can be unpredictable.
To address this, we introduced L1 Guardian nodes, which are more powerful and provide continuous, reliable services. These nodes handle intensive computational tasks and ensure that applications requiring consistent performance are adequately supported. This is where our collaboration with SFT comes in. SFT’s expertise in running Web3 hardware makes them an ideal partner for operating these L1 nodes.
By partnering with SFT, Titan Network aims to enhance its reliability and ensure faster transaction verification and robust data throughput. This partnership also enables us to scale our operations and offer more comprehensive DePIN solutions to our users. Currently, we are running multiple L1 Guardian nodes and validator nodes across data centers in Southeast Asia, making these resources available to our users through the SFT platform.
Our goal is to provide high-quality services for our community and end users, offering flexibility and choice. We aim to build an open-source solution, soon to be released as a Layer 1 blockchain, ensuring all these services are delivered at the highest quality. The support from our joint ecosystem is a strong indication that we are on the right path to achieving something truly transformative.

Host: Thank you, Konstantin. That’s incredibly insightful. Now, Rufus, could you share a bit more about SFT’s background, the partnership with Titan, and the concept of L1 Guardian nodes from your perspective?

Rufus: Of course. SFT is one of the pioneering projects in the DePIN space. Our goal is to create a marketplace for DePIN projects and facilitate interaction between various decentralized physical infrastructure networks and users. Our partnership with Titan is particularly exciting because it represents a significant step towards realizing this vision.
At SFT, we specialize in running Web3 hardware, making us well-suited to operate Titan’s L1 Guardian nodes. These nodes will help increase the resilience and reliability of Titan Network, ensuring faster transaction verification and robust data throughput. This collaboration also allows us to expand the range of DePIN solutions we offer to our users.
Currently, we are running several L1 Guardian nodes and validator nodes across data centers in Southeast Asia. These nodes are available in real-time to our users through the SFT platform. The strength of our team lies in our ability to connect different networks and resources, providing high-quality services to our community and end users.
Our mission is to offer flexible, high-performing services that are not confined to one application or resource provider. By maintaining an open-source project and soon launching our own Layer 1 blockchain, we aim to deliver these services at the highest standards. The strong support from our ecosystem partners indicates that we are moving towards something truly impactful.

Host: Thank you, Rufus. It’s inspiring to hear how SFT and Titan Network are working together to shape the future of decentralized infrastructure. This partnership not only enhances the capabilities of both networks but also promises to deliver significant benefits to the broader Web3 ecosystem.
Let’s move forward with our discussion and explore the exciting possibilities this collaboration brings.
My first question is, what is the core mission and vision of your company?

Rufus: Our mission is to build the first fully decentralized, fully generalized DePIN DAO. This means creating a platform where any hardware can integrate and provide access to our users, allowing them to interact directly on-chain across multiple platforms. We aim to enable users to leverage Web3 technology to interact with any hardware for various physical infrastructure tasks.
Our vision is to allow users to access AI, IoT, and mining devices all through a single platform, where these devices can interact seamlessly with each other. This would enable users to automate large systems across multiple geographic areas, deliver content, create products, and deploy a wide range of solutions. We aspire to be the general platform that bridges Web3 with physical infrastructure, empowering users to harness the full potential of decentralized technology and hardware integration.

Konstantin: Absolutely. We share a similar ultimate vision for the future of DePIN as the SFT team, which is why our collaboration aligns so well. When discussing the mission and vision of Titan Network, I like to reference the framework provided by Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why.” This framework emphasizes the importance of understanding the purpose behind what you’re building and inspiring others to take action.
So, let’s start with why we are building Titan Network. Our vision is to enable the community to become the true owners of their digital resources. In the 21st century, we have access to various devices and resources daily, but few of us can extract their full value. For example, my mobile phone is idle when I’m sleeping, yet it is a powerful machine capable of running incredible tasks.
The core vision of Titan Network, we are dedicated to enabling the community to become the owners of their digital resources and to shape the Internet of value together. We are building an ecosystem for crowdsourcing digital resources to accelerate the decentralization of the Internet as a universal public good. Our platform is transparent, open-source, and incentivizes participation, allowing the creation and scaling of digital products and services.
In summary, Titan Network is committed to leveraging existing resources worldwide to drive decentralized infrastructure projects, fostering a community-driven Internet of value.

Host: Thank you, Rufus and Konstantin, for sharing your insights and visions with us. It’s truly inspiring to hear how your companies are leveraging blockchain and Web3 technologies to create decentralized physical infrastructure networks. This innovation is not only shaping the future of infrastructure but also empowering communities to take ownership of their digital resources. Now, let’s dive deeper into your thoughts on these transformative technologies and their potential impact.
The next question to advise is tell us about your project and how it relates to blockchain, and with three technologies lives. Hear from Rufus First.

Rufus: Sure. The original innovation of Bitcoin was that it created, for the first time, a way to incentivize and reward a globally distributed network of hardware and software by aligning incentives. At SFT, we believe that this is the core innovation of crypto and Web3. Today, we’re building on this by integrating concepts from Web3, such as DAOs and liquidity pools, to create a globally decentralized physical infrastructure network powered by a DAO. This network will efficiently connect hardware directly to users through a Web3 interface.
We think a network like this has the potential to be globally transformative. With the invention of large language models (LLMs) and the proliferation of AI, there is an unprecedented demand for GPU hardware. Similarly, the mass adoption of crypto has driven demand for ASICs, and innovations in the proof-of-stake space are increasingly burdening RPC servers. Additionally, the potential within the IoT world, as companies like Titan are beginning to exploit, is vast. We see a massive explosion in demand for distributed physical infrastructure networks.
That’s where SFT Protocol comes in. We are building a DAO to create a distributed Web3 marketplace where all these hardware resources can interact directly with users in one decentralized location. We have several projects in the pipeline, and we’re planning to release a new white paper for our DAO in the coming weeks. This will provide more details on our integration with Titan.

Konstantin: It’s very exciting, Rufus. I look forward to reading your white paper once it’s live. To add to what you’ve said, the innovation here is about enabling users to eliminate the middleman. With DePIN and blockchain technology, we no longer need to rely on centralized authorities or providers. This empowers users to follow their projects and manage their resources as they see fit. Whether they join SFT, Titan, or any other Web3 project, they have the freedom to choose and aren’t locked into a single platform.
The DAO structure supports this vision by allowing people to collaborate and manage resources together without a middleman. This unlocks new value for users, ensuring they can dedicate their time and resources to what matters most to them. It’s not for us to decide what is important to them; we provide the tools and platform, and they choose how to use them. This flexibility and freedom are core advantages of Web3.

Host: Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the transformative potential of blockchain and Web3 technologies. It’s clear that both SFT and Titan Network are at the forefront of this revolution, empowering communities and creating new value chains. For our listeners, if you want to learn more about these exciting projects, be sure to visit their websites, join their communities, and follow them on social media. Both SFT and Titan are very active on social media and eager to engage with you.
Let’s go ahead for our 3rd question. What do you think makes your project unique in the block chain industries?

Rufus: Yeah, so we’re really passionate about DePIN and hardware, and one thing that makes us really unique is that we are one of the largest and earliest deepen projects out there. Um, I think we’re currently ranked number two. Um, not sure. And we’ve always been focused on building and expanding our ability to connect hardware and physical infrastructure directly with users through Web3. I think that this really makes us unique, given our vision and willingness to think big, and our desire to build an entire ecosystem around the hardware, interacting with users and hardware without any bias towards manufacturers or purpose or type of hardware.

Konstantin: Yeah. Well, one specialty that I think Titan brings a really unique can go to the Web3 space, into the deepen space right now, is our ability to connect any type of devices to the networks, to share the resources. I strongly believe that in order to participate in leaking or in Web3 in general, there shall be no barriers for you to enter the ecosystem. And with many existing projects, I think that was kind of the original value proposition of Bitcoin. If you started mining it earlier, you could basically run it on any device at home and be part of the network. These days, you have to have specialized rigs or software and hardware available at any given time in order to make tangible resources from such an ecosystem. And that’s where I feel it’s empowering to step back again and think, what was it that really became impossible with every space? And for me, that’s an opportunity for using all available devices to be part of that. And that’s what we did at Titan. We focused on lowering the barrier to enter for the users and community to contribute their resources to as low as possible. You can connect to Titan network as a node runner with minimal specs, such as half a gigabyte of RAM, one CPU core, 1 Mbps uplink for uploading content and want to give out of surge. And that’s basically it. That’s a very unique aspect that many mobile devices or Raspberry Pis have available, even five, maybe even ten years ago. So with that spec, any user around the world is basically given a ticket or a key to participate in our ecosystem. And that’s what I find truly unique and empowering in designing a network going into the future.

Host: Do you plan to integrate each other’s technologies or services in future development?

Rufus: We are looking forward to deepening our integration across our technology and service spectrum. In the future, we are very interested in integrating further with Titan Network’s decentralized storage solutions, particularly, and getting those integrated onto the SFT protocol platform. We really think that Titan Network’s storage solutions can add a lot of value to the DePIN platform that we’re creating, and bring a lot of usability to our users.
In addition, we’re aiming for a lot of cross-platform functionalities, and we feel the partnerships that we can build with Titan Network will really strengthen our ability to integrate further across platform functionality. We are currently looking into developing security protocols to allow compute resources to be accessed through Titan Network directly through API calls. And, you know, in addition to those, we are interested in any joint development initiatives that we can come up with, particularly the expansion of the Guardian node capabilities, as well as governance and community engagement.
So, you know, we’re really interested in developing further our partnership with Titan Network, and we’re committed to creating more interconnections to effectively create a user-friendly ecosystem that empowers our users to utilize Web3 to access DePIN sectors throughout the space. We see Titan Network as a leader in this, and I think that’s a very unique collaboration.

Konstantin: Honestly, if you ask me if we plan to make it deeper, in a sense, running an L1 node protecting the network is already as deep as you can get in the ecosystem. But I definitely think Rufus summarized it well. Beyond just running the infrastructure and providing resources for each other, this partnership comes with a very strong collaborative vision for the Web3 ecosystem space and for the future to be.
Having an alignment and probably building a platform to share those opportunities in the future is part of our scope and the initiation of collaboration right now. This freedom of collaboration and communication, empowered by DAOs and other solutions, is something we have to keep in mind all the time. And I just see there is so much more that projects can do to amplify each other. We are not fighting for the same share of the pie that many traditional Web2 spaces or even traditional industries have. Rather, we can create many, many more opportunities together.
That’s what I value in such future developments of technologies and services together with SFT protocol, and that’s what we are all expecting in the upcoming days. So yeah, I think the future is going to be super exciting, and I hope our users and followers will also be interested in our perspective and what we are doing currently. Yeah, thank you.

Host: Thank you. Now, let’s proceed to our final question for this Q&A segment. What is your vision or plan for future development? And how do you see the trend of blockchain and Web3 technology evolving? Let’s hear from Konstantin first.

Konstantin: Yeah, oh, for me, the vision of development always comes in cycles or spirals, if you will. If we look at the very early days of Internet development, we first saw decentralization with DARPA and the network in the US connecting universities. This was followed by a more centralized phase with major players like Google, Amazon, and others dominating the Web2 space. Now, we see the next spiral of decentralization, where there’s a powerful movement to decentralize everything we can.
In the future, we might see another spiral where we build decentralized ecosystems but then recognize that some specific applications may require centralization at their core. Not everything can or should be decentralized, in my opinion. Defining and working together as an ecosystem to determine what needs centralization and what doesn’t is crucial.
Our immediate goal is to empower as large a community as possible, providing them with the tools and resources to build what they believe matters most. Practically, this means offering APIs, solutions, DAO infrastructure, and other tools on top of our chain to ensure users have the freedom to innovate. We might not be able to predict exactly what the future will hold, but by enabling a freedom of mind and offering tools for even the wildest ideas, we aim to help shape the DePIN future with our own hands and projects.

Host: Oh, it seems like there’s a super exciting vision coming to life. Rufus, we really support what Titan Networks is doing, and it sounds like you have a pretty similar vision. Can you tell us more about your future plans?

Rufus: Absolutely. Over the next few weeks, we are planning to release a white paper for our new DePIN DAO. I don’t want to give too much away before it’s finalized, but we’re really excited about it. It will bring some amazing innovations to the space, from tackling liquidity issues and creating interactive chains of chains built on physical infrastructure to integrating AI and IoT directly into the Web3 ecosystem. We’re really excited about these developments and looking forward to the release. It’s an air of anticipation for the future of the SFT Protocol.

PART THREE: Interaction section

The AMA wrapped up with an engaging interactive segment, during which attendees posed thought-provoking questions to Rufus and Konstantin. Queries ranged from strategies for involvement in both projects to the initiatives planned to enhance benefits for community members and investors.

Host: And yeah, I’m sure our audience shares that excitement. Your priorities and insights into the progress of your projects are invaluable for those navigating the complexities of the blockchain and Web3 space. Listeners, after hearing some exciting insights from our CEOs, we are now moving on to the next segment. I hope you’re as eager as I am. The next segment is where we pick two questions from our audience. So, let’s dive in and see what our listeners are curious about!

Konstantin: I see one question online. Happy to jump quickly onto it. The question is, can Titan be run on multiple devices for a user and for the SFT protocol? Simply put, yes, any user can run multiple devices.
If we’re talking about an individual, you can connect up to five devices to the Titan network from one IP address. That’s the only limitation we have. So whether that’s your phone, your family’s phones, your personal computer, or any other devices, you can connect up to five per IP address.
If we’re speaking more about infrastructure-level ecosystems connecting to us from higher-tier locations, the requirement remains the same — no more than five devices per IP address. However, if you have access to multiple IP addresses or different locations, you can easily connect from any type of device. There should be no problem for you to participate as much as possible in the Titan network.

Host: Thank you for that detailed answer, Konstantin! It’s great to know that users have the flexibility to connect multiple devices and fully participate in the Titan network. Let’s move on to the next question for both sides of how do you plan to attract investors and partners?

Rufus: Yeah, we have several advantages when it comes to attracting investors and partners. As a DePIN platform, we possess a substantial amount of hardware. This is similar to our partnership with Titan, where we can offer value to networks or projects that require hardware resources. This gives us a significant edge in the market.
Regarding our upcoming launch, we haven’t finalized our tokenomics yet, so I can’t delve into the exact mechanics at this moment. However, we are planning to establish numerous partnerships. With the vast physical infrastructure at our disposal, we have the ability to create mutually beneficial partnerships with various projects. This positions us uniquely in the market and allows us to leverage our resources effectively.

Host: Thanks for clarifying, Rufus. I see another question regarding the partnership and collaboration between SFT Protocol and Titan. How long do you anticipate this collaboration lasting?

Rufus: The collaboration between SFT Protocol and Titan Network doesn’t have a predetermined timeframe. It’s an essential part of our ecosystem, and the more nodes that participate, the stronger the ecosystem becomes. We’re focused on finding alignment and ensuring that running a Titan Node makes sense for everyone involved.
In the Titan Network, running a node comes with incentives corresponding to the resources contributed to the ecosystem. We’re diligently working on balancing the tokenomics and incentives to ensure all participants are motivated to engage. Therefore, the duration of the partnership is dependent on the mutual satisfaction and excitement of both communities.
Given the enthusiasm from both SFT Protocol and Titan Network, I believe we’re onto something great. I’m looking forward to seeing where this collaboration takes us.

Host: The first question from our listener is, how do you plan to engage the community to attract more users and developers?

Rufus: For SFT, our focus is on providing users access to hardware, which we believe will attract a lot of developers. Currently, there is a high demand for hardware, yet much of it remains unutilized or underutilized. By creating an ecosystem where programmers and developers can access hardware directly on-chain, we are addressing a pressing need in the developer community. This is a priority for us, and we anticipate it will garner significant interest, particularly from developers.

Konstantin: From the Titan side, engagement with the community happens at various levels. We offer incentives for individuals contributing to our protocol, whether it’s through running a node or developing on top of our platform. Our project is open source, so developers can see all developments on GitHub and contribute their own ideas or resources. We’re always open to partnerships and collaborations, and we’re excited to explore new ways to work together.
Recently, we supported a large music festival in Thailand called Fansland, where Titan Network provided physical infrastructure resources. Our community members were also able to attend the event, further demonstrating the diverse ways in which collaboration can occur within our ecosystem.
Whether it’s through Discord, Telegram, or other channels, there are numerous avenues for connecting with us. We value contributions from our community members and are committed to finding ways to reward and incentivize their participation. So, if you’re building something exciting and leveraging our resources, don’t hesitate to reach out, and we’ll work together to make it mutually beneficial for both parties.

Host: The second question from our listener is how can your project bring tangible value to community members?

Konstantin: When you run a node on the Titan Network, you’re incentivized by being rewarded for the resources utilized by your device. A significant portion of the reward, 80%, goes directly to the user, which is powerful and ensures users feel secure about sharing their resources. The more resources you share and devices you connect, the more rewards you accumulate. Additionally, we run multiple airdrops and early partnership projects to reward community members. For instance, participants in our second testnet receive additional rewards, and those who stay with us until the mainnet launch will accumulate valuable rewards. We believe in incentivizing people to spread the word about Titan Network and our collaboration with SFT Protocol. We’re currently running an O-T on our Galxe platform to incentivize community participation and promote awareness of our collaboration. Rewarding the community for contributions is a key aspect of our vision, leveraging the opportunities that the blockchain space offers to startups.

Rufus: SFT Protocol provides tangible benefits by offering liquidity to Filecoin participants, enabling access that would otherwise be unavailable. We plan to extend similar solutions to various other coins and the concept of hardware investment. Participants will be able to invest in hardware, turning it into a productive asset that generates income, similar to Filecoin mining. Our goal is to create liquid assets, allowing participants to acquire hardware while still accessing liquidity that would otherwise be tied up in inventory or equipment on their balance sheets. This approach offers significant benefits to participants, enabling them to access hardware and liquidity simultaneously.

Host: What a lively and enriching discussion we’ve had today! Exploring the intricacies of blockchain, web3, and the innovative projects of SFT Protocol and Titan Network has been truly enlightening. Huge thanks to our guests, Rufus and Konstantin, for sharing their insights, visions, and plans for the future. Your passion and expertise have certainly fueled our understanding of this dynamic field.

And to our fantastic audience, thank you for your engagement and thought-provoking questions. Your curiosity and enthusiasm are what drive progress in the world of technology and blockchain.

As we wrap up, let’s remember to stay connected, stay curious, and keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Until next time, this is Joseph signing off. Goodbye for now, and see you in the next adventure!