In a move that has caught the attention of the crypto community, Chorus One, a prominent staking services provider for over 40 blockchains and protocols such as Ethereum, Solana, Cosmos, and Polkadot, is stepping into the realm of hosting service providers on the Urbit peer-to-peer network. This development, marked by the launch of the Red Horizon hosting platform, signifies the entry of a major blockchain or technology player into the Urbit network that was not initially part of its close-knit ecosystem.
Urbit, a peer-to-peer network established in 2002, precedes Bitcoin’s 2009 launch. It primarily functions by allocating a personal server to each user for data storage, ensuring local records of interactions between users over the network. Despite not being a blockchain in the technical sense, Urbit shares several core principles with the technology, such as its aim to eliminate centralized middlemen and ‘Web2’ applications that capitalize on user data.
Chorus One’s press release highlights that the new hosting service could be an ideal solution for the general public, decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), and other communities seeking to break free from the constraints imposed by MegaCorps. However, Urbit has been criticized for its complexity and difficult-to-use nature, even by top developers within its ecosystem.
Acknowledging this issue, the introduction of hosting providers emerged as part of an effort to attract more users by simplifying access to the network in exchange for a fee. Urbit Foundation Executive Director Josh Lehman, during a presentation at CoinDesk’s Consensus 2023 conference in May, noted the significant increase in IDs or “ships” on the network as more hosting services became available.
Urbit’s website currently lists three active hosting providers, including Tlon, the for-profit company that underwrote the network’s development until 2021. Chorus One’s decision to provide a hosting service for Urbit, according to Gary Lieberman, seemed like a natural progression in the wake of its staking services for various blockchain networks.
Lieberman expressed his confidence in Urbit’s potential to be a highly sought-after product, stating that “hosting was somewhat of an obvious place to go.” This move not only paves the way for Urbit’s expansion, as increasing numbers of interested users engage with the network, but also underscores the continued adoption of decentralized, peer-to-peer solutions for greater autonomy and control over personal data. With Chorus One entering the Urbit space, we can expect spirited discussions among technology enthusiasts on the merits and drawbacks of this hosting service innovation.
Source: Coindesk
