Daniel Lehnberg, Expert on Grin and the MimbleWimble privacy protocol, discusses the origins of MimbleWimble, the development of Grin, and how the protocol works. They explore the privacy features, the implementation of Cuckoo Cycle proof of work, and the values and decentralization of the Grin project.
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Quick takeaways
GRIN implements the Mimblewimble protocol, focusing on privacy and scalability by minimizing information on the chain and using interactive transactions for enhanced privacy.
GRIN's funding model is community-based, with no ICO or pre-mining, emphasizing fairness and decentralization.
GRIN utilizes obfuscation techniques and the Cuckoo Cycle proof-of-work algorithm to ensure privacy, scalability, fairness, and widespread distribution of coins.
Deep dives
Introduction to GRIN and Mimblewimble Protocol
GRIN is an open-source community project implementing the Mimblewimble protocol. It aims to provide privacy and scalability to blockchain transactions. The Mimblewimble protocol focuses on minimalism and keeps little information on the chain, hiding transaction amounts and addresses. The protocol requires an interactive process between the sender and receiver to build transactions, enhancing privacy. GRIN's unique transaction structure allows for aggregation and removes unnecessary data on the chain through a process called cut-through.
GRIN's Fairness and Funding Model
GRIN's funding model is based on donations and community contributions. It launched with no initial coin offering (ICO) or pre-mining. The project does not have a foundation or legal entity and is community-funded, emphasizing fairness and decentralization. The team has implemented a governance structure with sub-teams, encouraging autonomy and self-organization. GRIN aims to engage the wider community and encourages contributions from open-source developers. Funding challenges persist, but the project remains dedicated to its long-term success.
GRIN's Approach to Privacy and Scaling
GRIN focuses on privacy and scalability by implementing minimalism and obfuscation techniques. Transactions on GRIN hide the value and do not store addresses or specific amounts on the chain. Confidential transactions and bulletproofs are used to prove that no money is created out of thin air during transactions. The Mimblewimble protocol also allows for obfuscation by aggregating transactions and removing unnecessary data through cut-through. Dandelion and Dandelion++ protocols are used for transaction propagation, making it harder to trace the origin of transactions.
GRIN's Proof-of-Work and Emission Rate
GRIN uses the Cuckoo Cycle proof-of-work algorithm, which aims to be simple, fair, and accessible to both GPUs and ASIC mining. It started with an initial ASIC-resistant variant and an ASIC-friendly variant, gradually transitioning to full ASIC mining over the first two years. GRIN's emission rate is constant at one coin per second, resulting in a linear decrease in percentage terms over time until it reaches zero. The project prioritizes fairness, equal opportunity, and a widespread distribution of coins.
The Future of GRIN and Challenges Ahead
GRIN is still at the early stages of its journey, with ongoing development and plans to improve user experience and expand its ecosystem. It aims to embed GRIN in various use cases and continue pushing for simplicity and innovation. The project relies on passionate community members and faces funding challenges. The governance model strives for consensus building and avoiding divisive voting systems. GRIN's long-term success relies on the contributions of developers, testers, marketeers, and technical writers who share the project's vision.
In this week’s episode, we chat with Daniel Lehnberg about Grin - an implementation of the MimbleWimble privacy protocol. We cover the story behind MimbleWimble, how Grin first came to be, and how this technology works. We also look back at how this protocol came to be as well as were Daniel sees it going.
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