Bancor Network is a decentralized financial platform built on the Ethereum blockchain, designed to enable on-chain trading and liquidity through its automated market maker (AMM) system. It aims to provide liquidity to small- and micro-cap coins and offer returns for liquidity providers by removing the need for intermediaries in token exchanges.
Bancor Network functions as a decentralized automated liquidity provider. It utilizes smart contracts to facilitate automated market making and token conversions. Built on Ethereum, Bancor inherits Ethereum's Proof of Stake consensus mechanism. Unique algorithmic pricing within the platform adjusts token prices based on supply and demand, ensuring price stability. Smart tokens hold a reserve of other tokens, enabling conversions without traditional order books or counterparties.
The Bancor Network offers several use cases:
Bancor Network was founded in 2016 by Guy and Galia Benartzi and Yudi Levi, with a significant initial coin offering (ICO) in 2017, raising over $153 million. It introduced the Automated Market Maker (AMM) concept, revolutionizing DeFi with features like token conversions and single-sided liquidity provision. Major updates like Bancor V2 and V3 have augmented its capabilities, incorporating innovations like single-sided liquidity, concentrated liquidity, and the Arb Fast Lane feature for arbitrage. The platform has evolved to continuously enhance its technology and maintain its DeFi leadership.