CryptoNote explained

CryptoNote
Author:Nicolas van Saberhagen
Programming Language:C++
Operating System:Windows, Unix-like, OS X
Genre:Cryptocurrency, anonymity
License:MIT License

CryptoNote is an application layer protocol designed for use with cryptocurrencies that aims to solve specific problems identified in Bitcoin.[1]

The protocol powers several decentralized privacy-oriented cryptocurrencies, including Monero,[2] Zano,[3] MobileCoin and Safex Cash.[4] [5]

Nothing is known about the original author of CryptoNote, "Nicolas van Saberhagen."[6] Its mathematical component and motivation are described in the article "CryptoNote Whitepaper", released in two editions: in 2012 and in 2013.[7] Launched in the summer of 2012, Bytecoin was the first cryptocurrency to use this technology. Later, several teams launched their networks, based on the Bytecoin code. Andrey Sabelnikov, one of the creators of the CryptoNote codebase, launched Boolberry after his career at Bytecoin, which later became the foundation for Zano.[8] [9]

Emission

As with Bitcoin, miners are rewarded for finding solutions. But the stepped release curve characteristic of Bitcoin has been replaced with a smooth one in CryptoNote: the reward decreases with each block.

One implementation of the CryptoNote protocol has resulted in a non-smooth emission curve, specifically, the S-curve of the Safex Blockchain, which was designed to match the Diffusion of Innovations technology adoption curve theory.[10]

Cryptocurrencies based on CryptoNote

Several cryptocurrencies have been developed using the CryptoNote protocol. Bytecoin (BCN), launched in 2012, was the first implementation of the protocol.[11] [12] Monero (XMR), a 2014 fork of Bytecoin, introduced changes such as a two-minute block time and modified emission schedule.[13] Other projects include Boolberry (BBR), which experimented with alternative hashing and blockchain pruning,[14] Dashcoin (DSH), which largely retained Bytecoin’s technical design with a different monetary supply,[15] and DigitalNote (XDN), which added features such as encrypted messaging and multisignature support.[16] DarkNetCoin (DNC) was associated with the DarkNetSpace platform and allocated part of block rewards to ecosystem development.[17] Pebblecoin (XPB) employed a memory-intensive proof-of-work algorithm, and Quazarcoin (QCN) originated as a Bitmonero relaunch before shifting focus to distributed file storage. Later projects include Quan Classic, a Brazilian cryptocurrency launched in 2017, and AEON, a Monero fork.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: CryptoNote v 2.0. cryptonote.org. 2018-12-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20201028121818/https://cryptonote.org/whitepaper.pdf. 2020-10-28. dead.
  2. Book: Aeeneh . Sina . Chervinski . Joao Otavio . Yu . Jiangshan . Zlatanov . Nikola . New Attacks on the Untraceability of Transactions in CryptoNote-Style Blockchains . 2021-05-03 . 2021 IEEE International Conference on Blockchain and Cryptocurrency (ICBC) . IEEE . 1–5 . 10.1109/ICBC51069.2021.9461130 . 978-1-6654-3578-9.
  3. Web site: Nelson . Rob . 2024-05-13 . Zano emphasizes importance of 'confidential assets' in evolution of crypto . 2025-01-16 . TheStreet Crypto: Bitcoin and cryptocurrency news, advice, analysis and more . en.
  4. Web site: Forkmaps. forkmaps. 2019-03-21. 2018-08-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20180804043227/https://forkmaps.com/#/forkMap. dead.
  5. Signal Adds Payments—With a Privacy-Focused Cryptocurrency. en-us. Wired. 2021-04-09. 1059-1028. 2021-04-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20210408155920/https://www.wired.com/story/signal-mobilecoin-payments-messaging-cryptocurrency/. live.
  6. Web site: Meet North Korea and Lana Del Rey's new favorite cryptocurrency. 2018-02-09. The Daily Dot. en. 2018-12-21. 2018-02-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20180209143922/https://www.dailydot.com/debug/what-is-monero/. live.
  7. Web site: Cryptonote v. 1.0. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140620201031/https://bytecoin.org/old/whitepaper.pdf . 2014-06-20 .
  8. Web site: Part II of The Future of Zano & the Cryptonote Protocol w/ Andrey Sabelnikov EPI 307 . 2025-01-16 . www.audacy.com.
  9. Web site: Monero inception and history. How did Monero get started, what are its origins and which are important historical events of its development? . 2025-01-16 . Monero Stack Exchange . en.
  10. Web site: Safex Bluepaper 2018 (revised November 2020) . . 2022-04-29 . 2022-04-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220426015153/https://github.com/safex/archive/blob/master/BluePaperRevisedNovember52020/Safex_Blue_Paper_Nov_5_2020_revision.pdf . live .
  11. Book: Antonopoulos, Andreas M. . Andreas Antonopoulos . Mastering Bitcoin: Unlocking Digital Cryptocurrencies . 6 March 2015 . O'Reilly Media . 978-1-4493-7404-4 . Sebastopol, California . 227.
  12. Web site: 18 August 2018 . What Is Bytecoin? Introduction to BCN . https://web.archive.org/web/20250910000000/https://cryptobriefing.com/what-is-bytecoin-introduction-to-bcn/ . 10 September 2025 . 22 December 2025 . Crypto Briefing . The Analyst Team.
  13. News: Wilson . Tom . 11 June 2019 . 'Privacy coin' Monero offers near total anonymity . 22 December 2025 . Reuters.
  14. Web site: 4 October 2023 . What is the CryptoNight mining algorithm, and how does it work? . https://web.archive.org/web/20231005015107/https://cointelegraph.com/explained/what-is-the-cryptonight-mining-algorithm-and-how-does-it-work . 2023-10-05 . 22 December 2025 . Cointelegraph.
  15. Ferdous . Md. Sadek . Blockchain Consensus Algorithms: A Survey . Chowdhury . Mohammad Jabed Morshed . Hoque . Mohammad Ashraful . Colman . Alan W. . 7 February 2020 . cs.DC . 2001.07091.
  16. Web site: DeFranco . Michael . 26 August 2015 . Messaging And Mobile In Financial Services . 22 December 2025 . Forbes.
  17. Web site: DarkNetSpace and DarkNetCoin . https://web.archive.org/web/20200920151759/https://forum.cryptonote.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=293 . 2020-09-20 . 2025-12-29 . CryptoNote.

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