An Introduction to Atomic Swaps and AtomicDEX

Introduction Komodo’s decentralized exchange, AtomicDEX, allows people to trade cryptocurrency coins without a counterparty risk. The protocol is open source and trading is available for any coin that any developers choose to connect to AtomicDEX. Our service fully realizes decentralized order matching and trade clearing. The order-matching aspect relies on a peer-to-peer network to build… Continue reading An Introduction to Atomic Swaps and AtomicDEX

What is a Consensus Mechanism?

The “Double Spend” Problem The creation of blockchain technology stems from the early mathematical studies of encryption using computer technology. One such example is related to the information-encoding device, “Enigma,” invented by the Germans at the end of World War I. Alan Turing, a British Intelligence agent, famously beat the Enigma device by inventing the… Continue reading What is a Consensus Mechanism?

A Word on Risks Inherent in zk-SNARK Technology

Zero-knowledge transactions rely on the Zcash parameters as put forth by the Zcash team. The Zcash parameters are a “zero-knowledge” form of technology. This is a powerful form of privacy, and arguably superior to other forms as it is effectively permanent. Relying on the Zcash parameters allows us to turn our creative resources to other… Continue reading A Word on Risks Inherent in zk-SNARK Technology

The UTXO: An Elusive, yet Fundamental Concept

All Bitcoin-based software relies heavily on a technology called the “utxo,” short for Unspent Transaction. This technology was invented in the original Bitcoin protocol. Yet despite the technology’s age, even the most active of cryptocurrency users rarely know what utxos are or why they exist. To better understand utxos, let us first examine the language… Continue reading The UTXO: An Elusive, yet Fundamental Concept

Komodo and the Early Pioneers of Atomic Swaps

A More Detailed History Abstract: This document is intended for researchers, analysts, and other interested parties who wish to learn more about the history of atomic swaps. This research and commentary is assembled by members of the Komodo team. The commentary is intended to be an informative launching point into one’s own investigation. A Brief… Continue reading Komodo and the Early Pioneers of Atomic Swaps