TRON unveils Project Atlas, aims to bring blockchain and crypto benefits to BitTorrent

Blockchain startup TRON has announced the details of a new project that will connect BitTorrent’s users to the TRON blockchain and incentivize them with crypto tokens.

The company has revealed the details of Project Atlas following the acquisition of BitTorrent in July. Justin Sun, founder and CEO of TRON, explained that the project will serve as the foundation for a new way of content distribution.

The first phase will involve connecting BitTorrent’s network and its 100 million monthly active users to the TRON blockchain. The company said that it will use a set of BitTorrent protocol extensions, a custom token, and an in-client token economy, in a bid to make the BitTorrent protocol faster and better.

The press release details the incentive model. BitTorrent peers would be able to offer tokens to incentivize users on faster networks to seed torrents for longer periods, leading to better swarm longevity and faster download speeds. Seeders, on the other hand, will be able to earn tokens by dedicating more of their bandwidth and storage to ensure that swarms are faster and live longer.

TRON (TRX) emphasized that it uses a Delegated Proof of Stake system, meaning users who participate will exchange tokens based on resources provided, not mining.

"To start, the product will feature faster downloads, more seeds, no mining, and backward compatibility. It is adapted to the world we live in today: mobile, connected, and transparent. We aim to eventually empower all content creators and their communities by eliminating the middleman and enabling content creators to distribute directly to users," Sun said.

BitTorrent said that it plans to implement this "exciting evolution of the protocol" across its desktop and mobile products.