Marlin (POND) is an open protocol that seeks to provide a high-performance programmable network infrastructure for DeFi and Web 3.0. The nodes in the Marlin network, known as Metanodes, operate the MarlinVM, which offers a virtual router interface for developers to deploy customized overlays and perform edge computations. Marlin's native utility token, POND, is used for running validator nodes on the network, making and voting on governance proposals, and compensating users from an insurance fund in case of a SLA breach. Marlin aims to contribute to the development of a decentralized web where applications secured via the blockchain are indistinguishable in terms of performance to users accustomed to Web 2.0.

Marlin operates through its network of Metanodes, which run the MarlinVM. This virtual machine provides a platform for developers to deploy customized overlays and perform edge computations. The Metanodes are responsible for maintaining the network's performance and security. The POND token is used within the network for various purposes, including running validator nodes, making and voting on governance proposals, and compensating users in case of a SLA breach. Marlin's network is built atop Ethereum, which is intended to facilitate the execution of the Marlin smart contracts.

Marlin's high-performance programmable network infrastructure has several potential use cases. It can be used to build low-latency block multicast to scale blockchains, low-latency mempool sync for arbitrageurs, mesh networks, and anonymity networks like mixnets. It can also be used for device optimization and caching responses of API. Marlin's network infrastructure is designed to be blockchain-agnostic, offering gateways built for several layer-1 as well as layer-2 platforms. This positions Marlin as a tool in the decentralized web, as any peer-to-peer application relies on networking between distributed nodes to function.

Marlin was conceived by developers Siddhartha, Prateesh, and Roshan, who have extensive experience in peer-to-peer networking. Siddhartha, who has worked at Microsoft and Adobe, was responsible for the development of Zilliqa, the first high-throughput blockchain to employ sharding in production. Prateesh is a PhD candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a focus on Computer Networks, and Roshan, an open-source enthusiast, was a contributor to the Boost C++ libraries. The project team includes former researchers at the Ethereum Foundation, International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) world medalists, and developers with experience at various tech companies. Marlin has received backing from various entities, including Electric Capital and Michael Arrington.