Aptos is a Layer 1 Proof-of-Stake (PoS) blockchain that utilizes a unique smart contract programming language known as Move. This language was independently developed by Meta's Diem blockchain engineers. Aptos seeks to contribute to the mainstream adoption of web3 and foster an ecosystem of DApps to address real-world user problems. The PoS blockchain of Aptos is designed to handle a theoretical transaction throughput of over 150,000 transactions per second (tps) through parallel execution. The native currency of the Aptos blockchain is APT, with an initial total supply of 1 billion.

Aptos operates on a Byzantine fault-tolerant (BFT) PoS consensus mechanism, which allows for high transaction throughput through a parallel execution engine known as Block-STM. Unlike most blockchains that execute transactions sequentially, Aptos processes all transactions simultaneously and validates them afterward. Failed transactions are either re-executed or aborted, thanks to the blockchain’s software transactional memory libraries, which identify and manage conflicts. Aptos is built using Move, a new smart contract programming language that offers advantages over Solidity, the EVM-based programming language.

Aptos seeks to empower an ecosystem of DApps to solve real-world user problems, thereby promoting the mainstream adoption of web3. The high transaction throughput and parallel execution engine of Aptos may make it suitable for applications that require fast and efficient transaction processing. The smart contract programming language, Move, allows for the creation of complex and secure smart contracts, opening up a wide range of potential use cases. Furthermore, Aptos' upgradeability and configurability enable the realization of new use cases, while its horizontal throughput scalability provides a better user experience.

Aptos was founded by Mo Shaikh and Avery Ching, both former employees of Meta. The duo worked together on the Diem blockchain project at Meta and decided to create Aptos Labs when the Diem project was discontinued in January 2022. Aptos received initial funding in a seed round led by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, and additional funding in a Series A round led by FTX Ventures and Jump Crypto. A strategic partnership was formed with Aptos, bringing its valuation to $4 billion. The mainnet of Aptos was launched.

The Move programming language, used in the Aptos blockchain, is a specific language designed for blockchain development. Originally created by Meta (formerly Facebook) for the Diem blockchain, Move is now utilized in other projects, including Aptos. The language is designed to address vulnerabilities and limitations in existing languages by focusing on security and flexibility for blockchain assets. It introduces a resource-oriented structure, allowing developers to define custom resource types representing scarce digital assets. This aims to ensure built-in scarcity and ownership controls. Move aims to improve security through advanced properties like formal verifiability to eliminate bugs and built-in protections against re-entrancy attacks. Move provides flexible components like data types, structs, and procedures, enabling developers to build custom features. The Move Virtual Machine and bytecode interpreter intend to improve efficiency and execution. In the context of Aptos, Move aims to support a throughput of up to 160,000 transactions per second using a parallel execution engine.

Aptos strives to achieve parallel transaction processing through a unique approach that separates consensus and execution processes. This separation aims to optimize authentication and streamline data structures, with the intention of reducing transaction execution time. In contrast to many existing blockchains that employ serial transaction execution, Aptos adopts a parallel execution approach. This method seeks to allow multiple transactions to be executed simultaneously by capturing a snapshot of the current state and processing them in parallel. Aptos addresses the challenge of preventing different transactions from interfering with each other by employing a parallel execution engine called Block-STM. Block-STM aims to allow a high degree of parallelism by detecting and managing conflicts in ordered transactions. It uses optimistic concurrency control and a multi-version data structure to handle conflicts and avoid write-write conflicts. Batches of transactions are executed concurrently in a hopeful scenario and validated post-execution, with unsuccessful validations leading to re-executions. This approach aims to enhance execution efficiency, with potential improvements observed during internal testing. It dynamically extracts parallelism from workloads without requiring upfront knowledge of data locations, with the intention of enabling more complex transactions to be executed concurrently.

Aptos, Solana, and Flow are all layer-one blockchain platforms, each with its unique features and capabilities. Aptos, developed by a team with experience in the blockchain field, is designed with certain features in mind, including an innovation called Parallel processing. This feature strives to allow multiple transactions to be processed simultaneously, with the intention of enabling a blockchain to have unlimited scalability. Aptos is designed to handle approximately 130,000 transactions per second (TPS), while Solana and Flow have different capacities. Solana features a unique Proof-of-history consensus and has low transaction fees. Aptos uses the Move programming language for its smart contracts, which is designed specifically for parallel processing. In contrast, Solana uses Rust, and Flow uses Cadence. Aptos, being a newer platform, is in the process of gathering data to assess its performance capabilities. Each platform has unique features that may align with different user requirements.

Aptos (APT) is supported by various wallets, providing users with multiple options to manage their APT assets. Some wallets that support Aptos include Math Wallet, Petra Wallet, and Martian Wallet. Math Wallet is a multi-chain wallet that supports numerous blockchains, including Aptos. It provides various functionalities like cross-chain token bridges, participation in transaction validation, and NFTs. Petra Wallet, developed by Aptos Labs, is a wallet developed for the Aptos blockchain. It can be accessed via a Chrome browser extension and provides an interface designed for ease of use for managing APT tokens. Martian Wallet is another non-custodial wallet that initially supported only Aptos but now also supports the Sui blockchain. It can be accessed via a Chrome extension, and it aims to provide iOS and Google Play versions. These wallets provide various functionalities, including transaction management, participation in transaction validation, and integration with decentralized applications (DApps).

Aptos utilizes a unique consensus algorithm known as AptosBFT, which is based on the HotStuff consensus mechanism. HotStuff, in turn, is built on the Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (pBFT) model. AptosBFT aims to handle a substantial volume of transactions per second with reduced latency. This consensus mechanism is structured like an onion, with multiple layers contributing to its overall functionality. These layers include Byzantine fault tolerance, standard BFT consensus, Practical BFT consensus, HotStuff, and finally, AptosBFT. AptosBFT is tested through the Aptos Incentivized Testnet (AIT) to verify the operational consistency of the Aptos blockchain. This consensus mechanism is a component of Aptos' aspiration to develop into a Layer 1 blockchain with scalability and speed.

Aptos strives to address the reliability, scalability, and usability issues that have been observed in existing Layer 1s, while incorporating security features not present in EVM-based blockchains. Aptos utilizes Move, a Rust-based programming language initially created for a now abandoned blockchain project. One of the distinguishing features of Aptos is its transaction execution method. Unlike many blockchains that use a sequential or serial execution method, Aptos operates on a parallel execution model, which allows for the processing of more transactions simultaneously. This approach aims to reduce the time taken for transaction verification, potentially affecting the speed of settlement. Aptos also places emphasis on reliability, with a system designed to be less prone to failure. Each block in Aptos is synced with leader nodes and nearby nodes, ensuring that if the leader node fails, another node can take over. Aptos is designed with a focus on transaction speed, with a capacity for between 130,000–160,000 transactions per second, and an aim to finalize transactions in less than a second. Aptos is also designed with a focus on lower fees for users, including in NFT minting.