Networks field guide

Avalanche.

A network family for scalable applications.

Avalanche is a proof-of-stake blockchain platform that supports applications and custom networks. AVAX pays fees and helps secure the network.

What it isWhy it mattersWhat can go wrongWhat to do next

NetworkProof of Stake

Supply720 million AVAX cap

Birthday / launchSeptember 2020 — Avalanche mainnet launch

Know the backstory

September 2020 — Avalanche mainnet launch

Built by: Ava Labs, led by Emin Gün Sirer and co-founders

Avalanche was designed as a proof-of-stake platform for applications and custom networks. Its family of consensus protocols uses repeated sampling among validators.

Why it stands apart

A network family for scalable applications.

Avalanche's primary network has specialized chains and can support subnets with their own rules.

Bottom line: Avalanche has its own design, trade-offs, and risks. Learn the network before you use the asset.

Follow the money

What happens after you hit send.

A wallet signs an AVAX or application transaction.
Validators repeatedly sample one another to converge on a preferred result.
The accepted transaction is recorded under the rules of the specific Avalanche chain.

Know the economics

Where new AVAX comes from.

AVAX has a 720 million maximum supply. Transaction fees are burned and validator rewards follow protocol rules.

Protect the downside

The mistake you cannot undo.

Avalanche has more than one chain; C-Chain, P-Chain, and X-Chain addresses and assets are not interchangeable.

Go beyond the summary

The subject in plain English.

Avalanche is a separate system with its own rules, people, and trade-offs. This page explains the basics in plain English so you can understand it before deciding whether to use it.

Start with the plain version

Avalanche is a proof-of-stake blockchain platform that supports applications and custom networks. AVAX pays fees and helps secure the network.

Its birthday and backstory

September 2020 — Avalanche mainnet launch. Avalanche was designed as a proof-of-stake platform for applications and custom networks. Its family of consensus protocols uses repeated sampling among validators.

Who is behind it?

Ava Labs, led by Emin Gün Sirer and co-founders. Names can explain a project’s history, but they do not make an asset safe or guarantee its future.

What keeps the record

Avalanche uses Proof of Stake. Validators secure the primary network and can help validate subnets. Fees and confirmation rules depend on the chain you are using.

Supply, fees, and incentives

AVAX has a 720 million maximum supply. Transaction fees are burned and validator rewards follow protocol rules.

The part to take seriously

Avalanche has more than one chain; C-Chain, P-Chain, and X-Chain addresses and assets are not interchangeable.

What people use it for

Where this matters.

Learn how the network records activity
Understand the difference between the asset, the network, and the company around it
Recognize the correct network before a transfer
Check whether a wallet or service actually supports this asset

Before you act

Verify before you sign.

Find the project through an official link, not an ad, reply, or direct message.
Confirm the exact name, ticker, network, and token or contract address.
Do not share a recovery phrase, private key, or remote access with anyone.
Use a small test transaction before moving an amount that matters.
Treat every purchase, yield offer, or app approval as a separate risk decision.

Common questions

Clear answers before money moves.

When did Avalanche begin? +

September 2020 — Avalanche mainnet launch

Who built Avalanche? +

Ava Labs, led by Emin Gün Sirer and co-founders

What blockchain does it use? +

Avalanche uses Proof of Stake. Avalanche's primary network has specialized chains and can support subnets with their own rules.

What is the safest first step? +

Read the official documentation, verify the correct network, and make a tiny test before connecting a meaningful wallet or sending a meaningful amount.

Primary sources

Verify the guide.

Details and threats change. Use the original documentation and public-interest sources to confirm current guidance before acting.

Primary or public-interest sourceAvalanche: official documentation ↗Primary or public-interest sourceAvalanche: official site ↗

Verify it yourself

Look at the chain.

A block explorer lets you inspect public transactions, blocks, addresses, and fees. Never paste a recovery phrase or private key into one.

Open SnowTrace ↗

OG influencers & trusted sources

Go deeper with people who have done the work.

Start here for more education and long-running perspectives. These are independent external sources—not paid placements, partnerships, or endorsements.

Explore this sourceEmin Gün Sirer ↗Explore this sourceKevin Sekniqi ↗Explore this sourceTed Yin ↗

Keep learning

Connect the dots.

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Plain English. No hype.

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