Algorand Boosters Push Back on Helium’s Proposed Move to Solana

Decentralized Wi-Fi network Helium Network has proposed moving to the Solana blockchain. But a Solana competitor has another idea in mind.

AccessTimeIconSep 12, 2022 at 8:04 p.m. UTC
Updated May 11, 2023 at 4:18 p.m. UTC

The Helium Network’s proposed migration to Solana has a competitor waiting in the wings.

Early Monday, two Algorand executives tweeted their interest in bringing the decentralized Wi-Fi network to their blockchain instead of Solana. Founder Silvio Micali and Chief Technology Officer John Alan Wood took not-so-subtle digs at Solana with tweets saying Helium “needs a secure, robust and scalable chain.”

  • What Do EigenLayer's Outflows of $2.3B Signal?
    00:57
    What Do EigenLayer's Outflows of $2.3B Signal?
  • What Do TradFi Crypto Moves Mean for Decentralization?
    04:20
    What Do TradFi Crypto Moves Mean for Decentralization?
  • Marathon Digital Buys $100M BTC; India's Special Task Force for Crypto-Related Drug Trafficking
    02:02
    Marathon Digital Buys $100M BTC; India's Special Task Force for Crypto-Related Drug Trafficking
  • Ether Slides as Grayscale's ETHE Outflows Ramp Up
    00:53
    Ether Slides as Grayscale's ETHE Outflows Ramp Up
  • Borderless Capital, the Algorand-focused venture firm and Helium investor, also pushed for Helium to reconsider its prospective new home. It called for the community to scrap its proposed vote on moving to Solana and “evaluate proposals from other leading [level 1] blockchains first.”

    The pro-Algorand calls come two weeks after Helium ecosystem developers first proposed a vote to migrate to Solana in the name of scalability and network efficiency, abandoning its own unstable chain.

    “We agree that Helium can not maintain and operate its own [layer 1] chain,” Borderless capital tweeted. “But, it is impossible for the community, third-party developers, staking providers and users to understand the pros and cons of moving to a [chain] like Solana without more rigorous analysis and transparency.”

    Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

    Cam Thompson

    Cam Thompson was a news reporter at CoinDesk.