2021 became as soon as a abolish of “coming-of-age” for loads of layer-one (L1) blockchain protocols since the event of decentralized finance (DeFi) and nonfungible tokens (NFTs) compelled customers to mediate alternatives exterior of the Ethereum (ETH) community the set apart excessive expenses and community congestion endured to be boundaries for loads of.
Protocols love Fantom (FTM), Avalanche (AVAX) and Cosmos (ATOM) seen their token values upward push and ecosystems flourished as 2021 got right here to a shut. In the meantime, in model projects love Polkadot (DOT) underperformed, comparatively talking, no matter the excessive expectations many had for the sharded multi-chain protocol.
Atmosphere apart the relate skill that every protocol provides by transactions per 2nd and time to finality, listed below are a lot of issues that can luxuriate in played a role in DOT’s laggard efficiency when in comparison with diversified L1 competitors.
Interoperability is a key factor
One of many major issues of 2021 became as soon as tainted-chain interoperability between separate blockchain networks, with a bridge to Ethereum being the biggest connection to set apart as a consequence of the reality that a majority of projects for the time being trot on the community.
Protocols love Fantom, Binance Shapely Chain, Avalanche and Concord developed tainted-chain bridges and this led to a noticeable bump in their token ticket, entire price locked and on-chain task.
Despite the reality that Polkadot became as soon as particularly designed to supply multi-chain strengthen as a “layer-zero” meta protocol, there became as soon as no major liberate of a bridge that connected Polkadot with Ethereum in 2021 and this left the protocol unloved by crypto merchants searching for to carry with DeFi and NFTs.
Cosmos, likewise, didn’t gaze the liberate of a important bridge that connected its ecosystem with Ethereum, nonetheless there were minor integrations love the addition of Ether as a collateral asset on Terra which demonstrated that tainted-chain compatibility became as soon as imaginable.
The late commence of parachain auctions
As 2021 got right here to a shut, the total previously mentioned networks were seeing a wholesome amount of task and tainted-protocol interactions whereas projects on Polkadot were still finalizing their preparations to commence on the mainnet.
This became as soon as due, in half, to the reality that the parachain auctions for Polkadot didn’t open up till November 11 when Moonbeam (GLMR), an Ethereum-love minded neatly-organized contract parachain, secured the major slot.
DOT seen its ticket upward push to an all-time excessive of $55 on Nov. 4 as those in contributing to the parachain auctions secured their tokens nonetheless by the point the auctions had formally started, its ticket became as soon as already on the downslope toward a low of $23.28 on Jan. 10.
Moonbeam decent went reside on the Polkadot community on Jan. 11 and has managed to rack up bigger than a million transactions as customers were sooner or later in a converse to transfer ERC-20 tokens into the Polkadot ecosystem.
— Moonbeam Network (@MoonbeamNetwork) January 20, 2022
The price of DOT seen a small bump increased following the commence of Moonbeam nonetheless has one more time slid lend a hand down below $25.
Linked: Moonbeam (GLMR) commence brings EVM interoperability closer to the Polkadot community
The advantages of conserving DOT
A third factor that can also very neatly be weighing on the recognition and ticket of DOT is confusion about what the token is same old for and what advantages it provides to token holders.
Focused on selling my $DOT. I don’t gaze the cause of the mission anymore, loads of the chilly projects that were going to abolish on it migrated to $MATIC or so.
Why must still I withhold it?
— Quinten François (@QuintenFrancois) July 29, 2021
On loads of the competing networks, the native token is same old to behavior contract actions similar to token transfers or swaps whereas protocols which would maybe maybe maybe maybe be in the Polkadot ecosystem utilize their native tokens to pay for fuel.
As adversarial to being same old to participate in parachain auctions, the first uses for DOT encompass staking to bolster the operation and security of the community and to be used in governance votes.
While governance abilities are important for the total health of blockchain protocols, the in model cryptocurrency customers still haven’t shown unheard of enthusiasm for taking part in votes and are more in issues love gaming, DeFi and NFTs.
More than one layer-one alternatives are launching developer and liquidity incentive programs and up and coming DeFi protocols are still offering excessive yield staking opportunities. Currently, DOT provides 13.94% APR to stakers and it’s imaginable that right here’s now not enough to meet the trot for meals of yield farmers who wish to win more bang for their buck.
The long-term outlook for Polkadot stays solid and the mission has an exciting and dedicated neighborhood of followers to companion with an skilled pattern crew led by Ethereum co-founder Dr. Gavin Wood.
The commence of Moonbeam would possibly maybe maybe maybe certainly mark a turning point for DOT as tainted-chain compatibility is now reside and diversified parachain projects must still remark in confidence to commence on the mainnet at this time, nonetheless it stays to be considered how long it would carry the community to rob as a lot as its L1 competitors who luxuriate in a head open up on tainted-chain interactions and increased on-chain task.
The views and opinions expressed listed below are entirely those of the creator and abolish now not primarily replicate the views of Cointelegraph.com. Every investment and procuring and selling hotfoot entails menace, you must still behavior your luxuriate in study when making a resolution.
