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Regen Web3 Toolkit

Other Chains and Ecosystems

Other Chains and Ecosystems

Section titled “Other Chains and Ecosystems”

An introduction to the blockchain world beyond Ethereum

The Multichain Reality

Section titled “The Multichain Reality”

If Ethereum is one city, the blockchain world has dozens of others, each with its own character, its own strengths, and its own reasons to show up. For regenerative finance, knowing the landscape matters. You don’t need to pick a favourite, but understanding the tools helps you choose what’s right for your work.

This guide covers the major blockchain ecosystems beyond Ethereum.

Solana: Speed and Low Costs

Section titled “Solana: Speed and Low Costs”

Solana is built for speed. Where Ethereum processes roughly 15-30 transactions per second, Solana can handle tens of thousands. Fees are typically a fraction of a cent.

How it works: Solana uses a mechanism called Proof of History, which creates a timestamp record before transactions are confirmed. This allows the network to process many transactions in parallel rather than one after another.

For regenerative projects: Solana’s low fees make it practical for applications involving frequent small transactions, community token distributions, micro-donations to environmental projects, or tracking carbon credits at scale. You could run a system where dozens of small contributions flow in without fees eating them up.

The tradeoffs: Solana has experienced network outages in the past. The technical environment is different from Ethereum, so tools and developer skills don’t transfer directly. Fewer developers know it well.

Cosmos: Your Own Blockchain

Section titled “Cosmos: Your Own Blockchain”

Cosmos takes the multichain idea furthest. Rather than everyone sharing one blockchain, Cosmos lets you build your own, specifically designed for your application, yet able to communicate with other chains through the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol.

How it works: Cosmos provides tools (the Tendermint consensus engine and Cosmos SDK) that make it relatively straightforward to launch a custom blockchain for your specific needs.

For regenerative projects: This matters if you need complete control over your own economics. You could launch a blockchain for a regional community currency with governance rules tailored to your context, while remaining connected to a wider ecosystem of chains.

The tradeoffs: Running your own blockchain is a significant commitment. You need validators, community participation, and ongoing maintenance. For most regenerative communities, this is probably overkill, but for those that need it, Cosmos provides the infrastructure.

Polkadot: Shared Security

Section titled “Polkadot: Shared Security”

Polkadot takes a different approach. Instead of every chain being fully independent, a central relay chain provides security for all connected chains called parachains. Many specialised chains plug into one secure foundation.

How it works: Projects lease a parachain slot, gaining access to the relay chain’s security without running their own validator network.

For regenerative projects: Shared security means you can launch with robust infrastructure rather than building everything from scratch. For a regenerative project that needs reliability without a large team, this has genuine appeal.

Avalanche: Custom Subnets

Section titled “Avalanche: Custom Subnets”

Avalanche uses a consensus mechanism distinct from both Proof of Work and standard Proof of Stake, allowing it to process thousands of transactions per second while maintaining decentralisation. Its subnet architecture lets you create independent blockchain networks with their own tokens, rules, and validator sets.

How it works: A subnet is a custom blockchain network within the Avalanche ecosystem. You can tailor it precisely for your use case.

For regenerative projects: Subnets make sense if you want your own chain but want to stay connected to a larger ecosystem. A carbon tracking network, a community currency, or a local regenerative economy could run as a subnet.

Near: Accessible and Climate-Focused

Section titled “Near: Accessible and Climate-Focused”

Near Protocol prioritises developer experience and user accessibility. It uses sharding (called Nightshade) to scale by processing blockchain data in parallel pieces, and focuses heavily on account abstraction, making the experience simpler for non-technical users. Near has also funded carbon removal for its own operations.

How it works: Nightshade sharding breaks the blockchain into pieces that process simultaneously. Account abstraction means wallet experiences can be designed to feel more familiar to people who don’t already know crypto.

For regenerative projects: Near’s focus on usability aligns well with bringing web3 to people who aren’t already in the space. The platform has explicitly supported climate initiatives and has made deliberate choices about its environmental footprint.

Choosing Where to Build

Section titled “Choosing Where to Build”

When deciding which ecosystem fits your project, consider:

  1. Your team’s skills. If you already know Ethereum tools, EVM-compatible chains will be faster to work with.
  2. Your transaction needs. High-frequency, low-value transactions favour Solana or Near. Large, complex interactions may need Ethereum or Cosmos.
  3. Your community. Which ecosystem are the people you want to reach already using?
  4. Your project type. Custom economics suit Cosmos. Shared security suits Polkadot. Low fees suit Solana.

There is no single right answer. The right choice depends on your specific context.

References

Section titled “References”