Flare (FLR) is a layer 1 blockchain based on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) that aims to potentially enhance the utility of blockchain technology. It seeks to offer developers decentralized access to high-integrity data from other chains and the internet, thereby enabling new use cases and monetization models. FLR, the native token of the Flare network, can be used for transaction fees and participation in validator nodes. It can also be converted into an ERC-20 variant, WFLR, which can be utilized in various ways, such as delegation to Flare Time Series Oracle (FTSO) data providers or involvement in governance.

Flare operates through two native interoperability protocols that facilitate the on-chain, decentralized acquisition of blockchain, time series, and Web2 API data. The State Connector acquires event information from other blockchains and the internet in a secure, scalable, and decentralized manner. This information is then made available to decentralized applications (dapps) on the network. The Flare Time Series Oracle (FTSO) utilizes the network structure to deliver highly decentralized prices and data series to dapps on Flare without relying on centralized data providers. This structure allows Flare to minimize risks for users and developers.

Flare aims to potentially unlock the full potential of blockchain technology by providing reliable access to cryptocurrency prices, detailed transaction information from other chains, and Web2 event data. This access enables developers to build applications that can provide more utility to a larger group of users. The FLR token can be used for transaction fees and participation in validator nodes. Additionally, the wrapped FLR (WFLR) tokens can be delegated to FTSO data providers or used in governance, among other uses in EVM-compatible dapps and smart contracts on Flare.

Flare was founded by Hugo Philion, Sean Rowan, and Dr. Nairi Usher, who met while studying machine learning at University College London. They shared an interest in distributed systems and their potential applications. The genesis of the Flare mainnet occurred on 14 July 2022, followed by the public token distribution event (TDE) on 9 January 2023. The total available supply at genesis was 100 billion FLR, of which 12 billion FLR were in circulation immediately after the TDE. The public token distribution continues for 36 monthly installments, distributing a total of 28,524,921,372 FLR to the community. Flare is a network with 10% of the circulating supply created in year 1.

Flare operates differently from other blockchain platforms due to its specific features and capabilities. It employs the Federated Byzantine Agreement (FBA) consensus mechanism, which is designed with scalability and transaction cost considerations in mind, unlike other platforms that use proof-of-work or proof-of-stake consensus mechanisms. Flare's platform supports the execution of smart contracts, which may be utilized by developers for building decentralized applications. Another key difference is Flare's integration with existing blockchain networks, allowing for potential interoperability and interaction with different cryptocurrencies. Therefore, Flare's smart contract platform seeks to provide a distinct approach within the cryptocurrency space.

Flare Network seeks to facilitate blockchain interoperability, which is the ability for two blockchains to communicate with each other. It intends to bring smart contract capabilities to other blockchain projects that lack them. Flare runs the EVM for its smart contract development, which provides an environment for Ethereum developers to build on its platform. This integration of EVM into Flare's infrastructure provides developers with access to data and data proofs, advancing the development of various blockchain use cases where data is important, including DeFi, gaming, and NFT.

The Spark (FLR) token is the native token of the Flare Network, a distributed network that integrates the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) to enable smart contract functionality for non-smart contract cryptocurrencies. The FLR token has an integral role in the network's operations. It serves as collateral for issuing various F-assets within decentralized applications, provides data to an on-chain oracle, and participates in protocol governance. The FLR token also allows developers to mint F-Assets, interact with the State Connector, and use the Flare Time Series Oracle (FTSO). The token has multiple uses within the Flare Network ecosystem, contributing to the platform's operations.

The Flare Time Series Oracle (FTSO) is a decentralized oracle system that provides time series data, such as cryptocurrency prices, to applications on the Flare network. The FTSO retrieves off-chain data without a centralized entity, ensuring that no single party controls the process. It operates by utilizing a network of independent data providers who gather information from various sources. The data submissions from these providers are weighted based on their stake and any stake delegated to them by Flare holders, reflecting the community's trust in each provider. The final price estimates are then published on-chain, and data providers that supplied useful information close to the final estimate receive non-financial incentives. These non-financial incentives are acknowledged by the token holders who delegated to them. The FTSO intends to provide decentralized price feeds, ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the data used by decentralized applications built on the Flare network.

Flare Network is a platform that seeks to enhance interoperability and decentralization in the cryptocurrency space. It strives to do this by enabling non-native assets, such as XRP and LTC, to be utilized in smart contracts and decentralized applications. This is made possible through a suite of technologies including the Flare Time Series Oracle (FTSO), F-assets, and the State Connector. The F-assets framework allows users to mint tokens on the Flare Network from other chains by locking up FLR tokens as collateral. This mechanism aims to allow developers to connect smart contracts with various non-Turing complete blockchains. The State Connector, on the other hand, enables secure and intermediary-free querying of network participants from other blockchains, opening up new possibilities for cross-chain communication. The native FLR token is utilized for interaction within the network, contributing to the integration process of non-native assets into the Flare Network.

The Flare State Connector is a consensus protocol that is specifically designed for external blockchain data. It strives to provide a method for proving the state of other blockchains onto Flare, which could potentially facilitate improved bridging and cross-chain composability. This implies a potential for data and assets to move between chains. The State Connector aims to allow Flare to come to consensus on the state of any blockchain, and for those proofs to be used in smart contracts or relayed to another chain in a decentralized manner. It is designed with the intention to improve upon existing approaches and has been created to integrate with any other blockchain. The State Connector is designed with the intention to validate state correctness and withstand safety and liveness attacks on connected chains, without the need for a centralized third party or a code change on the underlying chain.

The Flare Consensus Protocol (FCP) is a construction of Federated Byzantine Agreement (FBA) consensus. It is designed to be leaderless and totally-ordered, which is intended to limit the potential for external influence on the order of transactions in a transaction set. FCP also incorporates asynchronous elements and is simpler than previous FBA constructions due to its use of a federated consensus mechanism known as federated virtual voting. These characteristics are intended to make FCP suitable for internet-level Turing-complete consensus. The protocol seeks to reach consensus, even when a certain proportion of components or members in the closed system set are not functioning as expected. This is achieved through Byzantine fault tolerance approaches that aim to maintain the provision of the system service, provided there are enough functioning components to support the service.

Flare Network addresses scalability and transaction throughput concerns by utilizing the Flare Consensus Protocol (FCP) and the Avalanche Snowman++ consensus algorithm. The FCP is a Turing-complete Federated Byzantine Agreement (FBA) protocol, which aims to provide inputs for decentralized finance platforms. The Avalanche Snowman++ consensus algorithm allows Flare to process thousands of transactions per second, a crucial feature for a blockchain intended to support numerous decentralized applications (DApps). This consensus algorithm is designed for security and is relatively energy-efficient, compared to other proof-of-stake consensus mechanisms. Additionally, Flare Network's core protocols, the State Connector and the Flare Time Series Oracle (FTSO), aim to improve the network's scalability and transaction throughput by providing reliable and decentralized data. The State Connector strives to achieve consensus on information from external blockchains and the internet, and the FTSO is regularly updated to provide decentralized data.