ANK

Ankr

ANKR

Web3 infrastructure provider offering RPC services and liquid staking

Infrastructure rpcinfrastructureliquid-staking
Launched
2017
Founder
Chandler Song, Ryan Fang
Website
ankr.com
Primitives
1

Technology Stack

Introduction to Ankr

Ankr provides essential Web3 infrastructure, including RPC (Remote Procedure Call) services that allow applications to communicate with blockchains. When a wallet checks a balance or a dApp executes a transaction, it typically goes through an RPC provider—and Ankr is one of the largest, serving billions of requests daily.

Beyond RPC, Ankr offers liquid staking services, developer tools, and node infrastructure. This comprehensive approach to Web3 infrastructure positions Ankr as a one-stop shop for builders needing blockchain connectivity and staking services.

How Ankr Works

RPC Services

Blockchain access:

  • Connect apps to chains
  • Query blockchain data
  • Submit transactions
  • Multiple chains supported

Infrastructure Network

Node provision:

  • Distributed node network
  • Global coverage
  • High availability
  • Load balancing

Developer Tools

Building support:

  • APIs and SDKs
  • Documentation
  • Monitoring tools
  • Integration support

Technical Specifications

MetricValue
Chains Supported45+
Daily RequestsBillions
ServicesRPC, Staking, AppChains
TokenANKR

The ANKR Token

Utility

ANKR serves multiple purposes:

  • Payment: Service fees
  • Staking: Network participation
  • Governance: Protocol decisions
  • Premium Access: Enhanced services

Tokenomics

Economic model:

  • Service payments
  • Staking rewards
  • Node incentives
  • Ecosystem development

Premium Tiers

Service levels:

  • Free tier (rate limited)
  • Premium tier (higher limits)
  • Enterprise (custom)
  • Token-based benefits

RPC Services Deep Dive

Why RPC Matters

Infrastructure importance:

  • Every dApp needs RPC
  • Every wallet needs RPC
  • Transaction submission
  • Data queries

Ankr’s Approach

Service design:

  • Multi-chain coverage
  • Geographic distribution
  • High reliability
  • Competitive pricing

Supported Chains

Network coverage:

  • Ethereum and L2s
  • BNB Chain
  • Polygon
  • Solana
  • Many others

Liquid Staking

Ankr Staking

LST products:

  • ankrETH
  • ankrBNB
  • ankrMATIC
  • Other chains

How It Works

Staking mechanism:

  • Deposit native token
  • Receive liquid token
  • Earn staking rewards
  • Maintain liquidity

DeFi Integration

Composability:

  • Use in DeFi protocols
  • Lending collateral
  • Liquidity provision
  • Yield strategies

AppChains

Custom Blockchains

Development service:

  • Build custom chains
  • Technical support
  • Infrastructure provision
  • Managed services

Target Customers

Business segments:

  • Gaming companies
  • Enterprise
  • DeFi protocols
  • Custom applications

Competition and Positioning

vs. Other RPC Providers

ProviderFocusPricing
AnkrMulti-serviceFreemium
InfuraEnterprisePremium
AlchemyDeveloper toolsFreemium
QuickNodePerformancePremium

Ankr Differentiation

Key advantages:

  • Comprehensive services
  • Competitive pricing
  • Token integration
  • Staking products

Enterprise Services

Business Offerings

Enterprise features:

  • Custom SLAs
  • Dedicated nodes
  • Priority support
  • Compliance tools

Partnerships

Business relationships:

  • Protocol integrations
  • Exchange partnerships
  • Enterprise clients
  • Ecosystem projects

Network Architecture

Distributed Nodes

Infrastructure design:

  • Global distribution
  • Redundancy
  • Load balancing
  • Failover systems

Decentralization

Node network:

  • Independent operators
  • Token incentives
  • Diverse providers
  • Resilience

Challenges and Criticism

Competition

Market dynamics:

  • Many RPC providers
  • Price competition
  • Feature parity
  • Developer preferences

Centralization Concerns

Infrastructure questions:

  • Concentration risks
  • Point of failure
  • Dependency
  • Decentralization trade-offs

Market Position

Growth challenges:

  • Alchemy dominant in mind share
  • Enterprise market competitive
  • Differentiation difficulty
  • Commodity pressures

Recent Developments

Product Updates

Platform progress:

  • New chain support
  • Feature additions
  • Performance improvements
  • Staking expansions

Growth Metrics

Business progress:

  • Request volume
  • Customer growth
  • Partnership announcements
  • Revenue growth

Future Roadmap

Development priorities:

  • Coverage: More chains
  • Performance: Improved reliability
  • Products: New services
  • Enterprise: Business growth
  • Staking: LST expansion

Conclusion

Ankr provides essential plumbing for Web3—the RPC services that connect applications to blockchains. This infrastructure role, while less glamorous than consumer applications, is fundamental to the ecosystem’s operation.

The combination of RPC services with liquid staking creates a broader value proposition than pure infrastructure plays. However, the RPC market is competitive and somewhat commoditized, with differentiation challenging.

For developers needing reliable multi-chain RPC access and for users seeking liquid staking options, Ankr offers comprehensive services—though the market’s competitive nature means alternatives are plentiful.