What Is Theta Fuel (TFUEL)?

Theta Network is a next-generation blockchain for entertainment and media. The network allows existing video and media platforms to generate more revenue and lower content delivery fees while rewarding end users for exchanging their data on any PC, mobile device, or smart TV. Theta is a "dual network" that consists of the Theta Blockchain and smart contracts to manage payments and rewards. It is an end-to-end decentralized video streaming and delivery infrastructure that aims to offer technological and financial solutions to its users. The platform also handles the storage and delivery of media assets like images and videos. Theta intends to serve as a long-term, sustainable incentive mechanism for all users to participate in an entirely decentralized video delivery ecosystem. 

Content delivery networks lack reach in many parts of the world, resulting in video buffering and long load times. Less revenue flows back to content providers and platforms as an outcome of a centralized and inefficient system. As a result, Theta provides better video streaming quality as a decentralized peer-to-peer network. Video platforms no longer need costly infrastructure as the network aims to deliver video streams at lower costs on a user-friendly interface.

Further, the network implements a two-token system. The protocol's operating token is Theta Fuel, or TFUEL. It is also considered as the network's gas token. TFUEL is utilized for on-chain tasks like funding edge node relayers to distribute a video feed and create and engage with smart contracts. Relayers earn TFUEL for all the video streams transferred to other users on the platform. On the other hand, Theta Token, or THETA, is the platform's governance token. 

According to its whitepaper, the network helps video platforms to enhance viewer engagement, generate income, and distinguish their content and viewing quality from their competitors by adding tokens as an end-user incentive mechanism. A modified BFT consensus technique allows tens of thousands of nodes to participate in the consensus mechanism while maintaining a high transaction throughput (1,000+ TPS). BFT (Byzantine fault tolerance) refers to the fault tolerance mechanism even when some parties act maliciously during transaction verification. The unique consensus mechanism reflects that validators and guardians provide security at multiple levels. 

History of Theta Fuel (TFUEL)

The Theta Network was cofounded by Mitch Liu and Jieyi Long in March 2018. Liu is an expert in computer science and engineering and has also cofounded Gameview Studios and Tapoy. Long has developed a number of patented technologies, including virtual reality (VR) live broadcasting and video game rapid replays. The total supply of the token stands at five billion TFUEL. The whitepaper was launched on November 11, 2018. 

How Are New TFUEL Created?

The validation of transactions on the Theta Network is done by a panel of 20–30 validator nodes and a second layer of thousands of community-run guardian nodes that make up the platform's unique multi-level design. Validator nodes propose and generate new blocks in the chain, whereas guardian nodes cover blocks and work to check for harmful and non-functional validator nodes. Also, the Theta Virtual Machine and the Ethereum Virtual Machine are compatible. As a result, transferring current Ethereum-based contracts to Theta is simple, and thousands of smart contract experts can quickly start developing on the platform.

The THETA token is used to stake as a validator or guardian node on the network, helping in block production and protocol governance. Users get a fair proportion of the new TFUEL tokens that are created by staking and running a node.