Introduction
Ault Capital Group has unveiled the public testnet for Ault Blockchain, a new Layer 1 network purpose-built for institutional trading and settlement. In a departure from conventional crypto launches, the project will forego a public token sale entirely, opting instead to distribute its native AULT token through protocol-controlled emissions tied directly to verifiable network participation. This Cosmos-based chain, featuring full Ethereum Virtual Machine compatibility and governed by Ault DAO, represents a deliberate attempt to align network economics with real-world utility from day one.
Key Points
- The network uses a licensed participation framework where Licensed Mining Nodes perform off-chain services like cryptographic randomness, while Proof-of-Stake validators secure consensus.
- Development partners include B-Harvest for protocol engineering, Xangle for blockchain explorers, QuickNode for RPC infrastructure, and Protofire for Safe-related tooling.
- Post-launch roadmap includes spot trading on DEXs, lending services, perpetual trading, and other advanced financial workloads as the network evolves.
A Finance-First Architecture and Unique Economic Model
The launch of the Ault Blockchain testnet marks the first public release of a network explicitly designed with institutional financial applications as its foundation. According to Milton “Todd” Ault III, founder and executive chairman of Ault Capital Group, the development philosophy was inverted from typical blockchain projects. “We started with real financial use cases and then designed the blockchain to support them,” Ault stated. This finance-first approach is embedded in the network’s architecture, which is built on the Cosmos SDK and offers full Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility, allowing Ethereum-native smart contracts and developer tooling to function without modification.
Perhaps the most distinctive feature of Ault Blockchain is its economic model. The protocol will not conduct a public token sale. Instead, the native AULT token will be distributed exclusively through a protocol-controlled emissions schedule. This schedule is tied to measurable network participation, specifically consensus security provided by Proof-of-Stake validators and licensed infrastructure operations. This model is designed to reward verifiable work that contributes to network health, rather than speculative activity. “Participation is based on defined roles and verifiable work, not speculation, with transparent economics that are meant to support long-term network health from day one,” explained Ault.
Governance, Infrastructure, and a Licensed Participation Framework
Governance of the Ault Blockchain protocol is managed onchain by Ault DAO, a decentralized autonomous organization. The DAO oversees protocol rules, economic parameters, and long-term upgrades, ensuring community-driven decision-making aligned with the network’s institutional objectives. Ault DAO was created by and is overseen by Ault DAO, LLC, a Wyoming DAO LLC, providing a legal structure for its operations.
Supporting the network’s infrastructure is a consortium of established partners. B-Harvest serves as the primary development partner for protocol engineering and core architecture. Xangle is developing the official blockchain explorers, QuickNode provides reliable RPC infrastructure, and Protofire supports Safe-related tooling across EVM environments. This partnership base aims to deliver institutional-grade reliability from the outset.
Ault Blockchain also introduces a novel licensed participation framework for infrastructure operators. Alongside traditional Proof-of-Stake validators who secure network consensus, the network will feature Licensed Mining Nodes. These authorized nodes perform defined off-chain services, beginning with providing cryptographic randomness at launch. This framework creates a dual-participation model where both consensus security and specific utility services are formally recognized and compensated within the network’s transparent, DAO-governed economic system.
The Roadmap from Testnet to Mainnet and Beyond
The current public testnet phase provides a live environment for developers, infrastructure operators, and early participants to evaluate core network functionality, validator performance, and infrastructure design. This stage is critical for gathering community feedback before the mainnet launch. The testnet follows the completion of an initial protocol security audit and precedes further validator onboarding and ecosystem testing. The mainnet will launch only after additional testing milestones are met, launching at genesis with its core protocol modules, EVM compatibility, an initial validator set, and onchain governance already in place.
Looking beyond the mainnet launch, the core team’s roadmap is heavily focused on expanding financial applications. Planned developments include enabling spot trading on decentralized exchanges (DEXs), lending services, and perpetual trading (perps). The announcement notes that other advanced, data-driven financial workloads are being explored and may deploy over time as the network evolves. This phased approach underscores the project’s commitment to building a robust, application-ready platform for next-generation onchain finance, moving from foundational infrastructure to complex financial primitives.
📎 Related coverage from: cryptopotato.com
