In an interview with crypto.news, Kadan Stadelmann, CTO of Komodo, explains the need to integrate sustainable practices and deflation mechanisms to advance the blockchain industry while addressing environmental issues.
Blockchain technology is at a crossroads where sustainable token economics and the need for environmental consciousness are reshaping the industry. As the world grapples with climate change, blockchain projects are innovating to minimize their ecological footprint.
Deflation mechanisms such as token burning are not simply financial tools, but part of a broader strategy to create a greener and more sustainable economic model. This helps manage token supply, create scarcity, and attract investors who prioritize long-term value and sustainability.
The industry’s focus on sustainability and efficient tokenomics is setting new standards.
Stadelmann believes that the future of blockchain technology lies in the adoption of sustainable, deflationary token economics.
Considering the rapid development of token economics models, especially with the emergence of deflation mechanisms, how are these models affecting long-term token values and investor behavior across the blockchain industry?
Tokenomic models, especially those incorporating deflation mechanisms, have been influential in creating long-term value for cryptocurrency investors. On the other hand, projects that use inflationary token economics often create an environment favorable to cryptocurrency creators or large holders. Smaller holders or those just discovering cryptocurrencies are generally at a disadvantage as they are unable to accumulate enough supply to affect market value. Additionally, for centuries we have seen the long-term negative effects of fiat inflation and hyperinflation across the global economy. Deflation mechanisms such as block reward reduction (e.g. BTC) or token burning (e.g. BNB) have historically led to increased market value of cryptocurrencies.
What is Komodo doing in this regard?
Recently, the Komodo community approved three proposals, two of which will lead directly to KMD’s more deflationary token economic model. These include KIP0002 (100% burn of transaction fees) and KIP0003 (reduce block rewards from 3KMD to 1KMD). The other approved proposal, KIP0004, moves the Komodo blockchain from Proof-of-Work (PoW) to Proof-of-Stake (PoS). ) 2025 or 2026 (exact date unknown).
In terms of scalability and operational efficiency, what advantages does a model supporting an independent blockchain for each project offer over existing single-chain platforms?
The most important advantage of supporting a multi-chain model rather than a single-chain model is the autonomy that cryptocurrency projects have to shape their own token economics. For example, projects built on Ethereum do not have the ability to reduce the base transaction fee (gas) for each transaction. Users will also need to hold ETH to pay gas fees, even if the transaction does not involve ETH (e.g. trading one ERC-20 token for another ERC-20 token on a DEX). For cryptocurrencies that use their own blockchain, there is no need to charge gas fees or rely on secondary cryptocurrencies. Projects may also set more minimum amounts for transaction fees. Scalability is another factor. Since each cryptocurrency has its own blockchain, transaction completion times are typically much shorter due to less mempool congestion. Trading fees are generally much more consistent and cheaper.
What architectural innovations are currently leading the way in minimizing environmental impact in blockchain development? How do these technologies balance scalability and energy efficiency?
The biggest innovation from an environmental sustainability perspective is Proof of Stake. As we saw in September 2022, Ethereum’s transition to Proof of Stake (PoS) reduced energy consumption by approximately 99.5% compared to Proof of Work (PoW). As a result, the scalability of the network has also been further improved. If you look at other PoS-based blockchains, they have, on average, much higher transactions per second (TPS) limits than PoW-based blockchains. Another important aspect to consider is that PoS cryptocurrencies make it much easier for non-technical users to actively participate in network security and earn block rewards. This increases participation from HODLers and creates a greater incentive to hold for the long term rather than sell in poor market conditions.
How do deflationary strategies such as token burning shape market dynamics and token value over time in the broader blockchain ecosystem?
In this case, it’s about simple economics: token economics. In some cases, deflationary strategies such as token burning can contribute to price stability or alleviate downward price pressure. These mechanisms help counter inflationary pressures that could reduce the value of a token over time by reducing its supply. This stability can increase investor confidence and attract more long-term investments. If demand for a particular cryptocurrency remains at least the same or increases over time, deflationary tokenomics should theoretically lead to a price increase.
What are the key architectural choices that can help blockchain platforms maintain high throughput and efficiency without compromising security or inflating costs?
There are several potential choices that can help cryptocurrency projects achieve high throughput and efficiency. Proof-of-Work (PoW) often provides a high level of security (especially for large blockchains like Bitcoin), but it is resource-intensive and can limit throughput. Variants such as Proof of Stake (PoS) and Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) offer higher throughput with lower resource requirements, but require careful design to ensure security. Scaling solutions such as state channels (e.g. Lightning Network) or sidechains can enable off-chain transaction processing to reduce the load on the main blockchain and increase throughput. However, careful integration with the main chain is required to maintain security and interoperability.
How important is it for blockchain platforms to keep transaction fees low?
The reality is that developers are more likely to build on blockchains that enable cheaper transactions. As a result, users are more likely to start using different dApps if they are affordable. Blockchain makes it easy for developers to design smart contracts that minimize computational complexity and gas consumption. This is made possible through techniques such as code optimization, gas-efficient data structures, and off-chain computation. dApp developers should also consider using precompiled contracts for computationally expensive operations.
From an industry-wide perspective, when designing blockchain solutions focused on environmental sustainability, what are the key considerations developers should prioritize to ensure the efficiency and minimal impact of their platforms?
As mentioned above, the easiest way is to utilize PoS. However, if PoW is required, consider implementing energy-efficient mining algorithms or variants that reduce computational workload and energy consumption. Examples include Equihash (used by Zcash) or Ethash (previously used by Ethereum). Operating nodes or mining farms prioritize energy-efficient hardware and data center practices. This includes reducing energy waste by using renewable energy sources and optimizing cooling systems. Another solution is to optimize blockchain protocols and architecture for efficiency. This includes reducing block sizes, optimizing data storage and retrieval, and minimizing unnecessary computations. Efficient data structures and compression techniques can also help reduce overall energy usage.