{"id":37384,"date":"2021-05-11T12:58:50","date_gmt":"2021-05-11T09:58:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/?p=37384"},"modified":"2025-08-29T16:13:41","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T13:13:41","slug":"what-is-dfinity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/u1f987.com\/en\/what-is-dfinity\/","title":{"rendered":"What is DFINITY?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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What is DFINITY?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Note: This article is outdated and awaiting an update.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

DFINITY<\/a> is a project aimed at building a decentralised, cloud-like blockchain infrastructure for a new kind of internet. <\/p>\n

The developers seek to realise Ethereum\u2019s original ambition of creating a \u201cworld computer\u201d. Its founders call the project \u201cEthereum\u2019s crazy sister\u201d, an \u201cInternet Computer\u201d and \u201cCloud 3.0\u201d, and expect DFINITY to compete with Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure.<\/p>\n

The project\u2019s blockchain infrastructure is intended to simplify the development of new software systems, lower the costs of storing and securing information, and safeguard user privacy. <\/p>\n

The \u201cInternet Computer\u201d is expected to support a wide variety of applications for both enterprises and individuals. The new public computing environment would also host social networks, messengers, search services and the like.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Who created DFINITY, and when?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The founder and chief scientist of the DFINITY Foundation and the Internet Computer project is Dominic Williams. A graduate of King\u2019s College London, he is a serial entrepreneur engaged in theoretical research and practical development in distributed computing. <\/p>\n

In 2012 Williams settled in Palo Alto, California. One of his largest ventures was an MMO [Massively Multiplayer Online] game with millions of users. Williams developed an innovative horizontally scalable server technology for it. <\/p>\n

While developing video games he became interested in Ethereum supporters\u2019 idea of a \u201cworld computer\u201d. In 2013 Williams devoted himself fully to studying blockchain. <\/p>\n

By 2015 his focus had shifted to a model emphasising random-number generation and threshold cryptography in a decentralised network. He named the concept DFINITY (from Decentralized Infinity) and created<\/a> a simple project website. He later designed the Internet Computer\u2019s base architecture and a framework for the software running on it. <\/p>\n

The same year brought DFINITY\u2019s public announcement. In October 2016 a non-profit, the DFINITY Foundation<\/a>, was registered in Zug, Switzerland, to develop the project. <\/p>\n

At present the DFINITY team numbers 180 people. It includes former developers from Alphabet and Uber, as well as PhDs from Yale University. The DFINITY Foundation\u2019s research centres are located in Palo Alto, San Francisco and Zurich. Separate developer groups work in Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom and several American states. <\/p>\n

In February 2017 the project held its first token crowdsale, raising 3.9m Swiss francs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A year later DFINITY raised $61m from venture funds Andreessen Horowitz and Polychain Capital.
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In August 2018 the DFINITY Foundation conducted a private token sale for accredited investors, raising $102m. The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz\u2019s crypto arm (a16z). Participants also included Polychain Capital, SV Angel, Aspect Ventures and Multicoin Capital. The token price was $4.18, and coins worth $35m were distributed to community members via an airdrop.<\/p>\n

The release of a minimally viable product (MVP) was initially planned for the first quarter of 2019. However, in December 2018 project representatives said that working on a \u201cpared-down\u201d version could slow progress on the full product, and postponed the launch.<\/p>\n