Chorus One Expands Services to Urbit Network with Red Horizon Hosting Platform

Chorus One Expands Services to Urbit Network with Red Horizon Hosting Platform

Chorus One, a prominent staking services provider for over 40 blockchains and protocols, including Ethereum, Solana, Cosmos, and Polkadot, is entering the Urbit peer-to-peer network. This move comes with the launch of their new hosting platform, Red Horizon, which marks a significant entry into the Urbit ecosystem by a major blockchain player not originally associated with it.

Urbit, a peer-to-peer network established in 2002 prior to Bitcoin‘s inception, operates by assigning each user a personal server to store their data. When interacting on the network, users maintain local records of their interactions. Although not a traditional blockchain, Urbit shares similar principles of decentralization and aims to disrupt middlemen and centralized Web2 applications that often profit from users’ data.

The introduction of Red Horizon hosting platform is expected to appeal to a broad range of users, including the general public, decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), and communities seeking alternatives to centralized entities. DAOs are governed by computer code and token holders, distinguishing them from traditional shareholder-controlled companies.

One common criticism of Urbit, even acknowledged by developers, is its complexity and usability challenges. The introduction of hosting providers aims to attract more users by simplifying the process of obtaining an ID on the network in exchange for a fee.

During CoinDesk’s Consensus 2023 conference in May, Urbit Foundation Executive Director Josh Lehman highlighted the surge in the number of IDs or “ships” on the network, coinciding with the availability of more hosting services.

Urbit’s website currently lists three active hosting providers, including Tlon, the for-profit company that sponsored the network’s development until 2021. With Chorus One’s entry into the Urbit network, it represents a notable step towards expanding the ecosystem and making Urbit more accessible to a wider audience.