Umbraline
Ghost Protocol runs on Umbraline, a dedicated blockchain built specifically for privacy-preserving applications.
What Umbraline Is
Umbraline is an Avalanche L1 subnet. This means:
Dedicated execution. Umbraline has its own validators and consensus, separate from other Avalanche chains.
EVM compatibility. Smart contracts written in Solidity work on Umbraline. Standard Ethereum tooling applies.
Customizable parameters. Block times, gas costs, and consensus rules are tuned for Ghost Protocol's needs.
Interoperability. Umbraline can communicate with other Avalanche chains and, through bridges, with other networks.
Why a Dedicated Chain
Ghost Protocol could theoretically run on any EVM chain. A dedicated chain was chosen for several reasons:
Optimized gas costs. Privacy operations are computationally expensive. Umbraline's gas pricing is tuned to make these operations affordable.
Controlled environment. Running on a shared chain means competing for blockspace with unrelated applications. Umbraline provides predictable capacity.
Privacy-focused governance. Decisions about the chain prioritize privacy needs rather than balancing against other use cases.
Clean state. Umbraline starts fresh without legacy contracts or accumulated state that could complicate operations.
The Trade-Off
A dedicated chain has trade-offs:
Smaller validator set. Fewer validators than major chains, at least initially.
Separate liquidity. Assets must be bridged to Umbraline to use Ghost Protocol.
Ecosystem size. Fewer existing applications and users compared to Ethereum mainnet.
These trade-offs are accepted because the benefits of a controlled environment outweigh the costs for Ghost Protocol's specific needs.
Chain Details
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Umbraline |
| Type | Avalanche L1 Subnet |
| Chain ID | 47474 |
| Native Token | GHOST |
| Consensus | Avalanche Snowman |
| EVM Version | Shanghai |