StarkNet, operating as a Layer 2 network atop Ethereum, marks a significant advancement in the blockchain realm, addressing scalability and security hurdles. This innovation empowers developers to construct scalable and secure decentralized applications (DApps) with confidence. StarkNet, functioning as a Validity-Rollup (or ZK-Rollup) network, bundles transactions into an off-chain computed STARK proof, ensuring both scalability and trustworthiness. Revolutionizing the landscape of DApps, StarkNet facilitates enhanced scalability, allowing DApps to manage more transactions per second, thereby reducing congestion and gas fees. Moreover, by harnessing STARK technology, StarkNet maintains computational integrity while upholding Ethereum’s security guarantees. Operating within a permissionless ecosystem, StarkNet welcomes the deployment of various DApps, ranging from DeFi platforms to games, NFT collections, and metaverse tools, fostering inclusivity and innovation. It aims to slash fees, making DApps economically feasible for users.
In this article we will take a closer look into the various categories of Starknet Dapps.
Key Features of StarkNet
Limitless Scalability: StarkNet leverages STARK technology to ensure computational integrity, surmounting Ethereum’s scalability limitations by validating off-chain transactions through advanced mathematics and cryptography.
Security and Decentralization: Operating as a Validity Rollup, StarkNet provides unlimited scalability while upholding Ethereum’s core tenets of security and decentralization.
Enhanced User Experience: StarkNet prioritizes efficient and user-friendly experiences by implementing Native Account Abstraction. All accounts function as smart contracts, allowing developers to dictate their behavior, enhancing flexibility and security.
Developer Community Hub: With its innovative approach to scaling Ethereum, StarkNet has become the hub for the fastest-growing Layer 2 (L2) developer community, making it economically feasible to build even the most intricate dApps.
Smart Accounts: StarkNet accounts operate akin to smart contracts, enabling developers to define custom logic and behavior, providing heightened flexibility and security compared to conventional Ethereum accounts.
Layer-2 Network: Serving as a Layer-2 network, StarkNet accelerates Ethereum transactions, rendering them faster, cheaper, and more secure through zk-STARKs technology.
Top Starknet Wallets
At the core of StarkNet, the innovative scaling solution for Ethereum, lies a robust ecosystem of wallets. These essential tools empower users to efficiently manage their accounts and seamlessly interact with the StarkNet blockchain. From the user-friendly Braavos Smart Wallet to the open-source Argent X, StarkNet wallets provide a diverse range of functionalities.
1. The Argent X Wallet
It is a popular, open-source, and audited wallet for the Ethereum ecosystem1. It’s fully non-custodial, ensuring only you can access your assets2. Argent simplifies managing crypto assets and identity, eliminating the need for seed phrases, gas prices, or long addresses3. It includes advanced security features like real-time fraud monitoring, two-factor authentication, and multisig4. Users can buy, swap, bridge tokens with low fees, and manage Starknet NFTs4. It also supports buying crypto with card, bank transfer, or Apple Pay2. Argent is a secure and user-friendly gateway to the decentralized web3
2. Braavos
It is a smart wallet optimized for Starknet, Ethereum’s layer-2 solution. As a self-custodial platform, it prioritizes user control over assets. Simplifying crypto asset management and decentralized app interaction, Braavos boasts an intuitive interface. It features an integrated token exchange, NFT collectibles section, and human-readable transaction explanations. Seamless integration with Starknet.id enhances user experience. Available on Android and iOS, Braavos sets new standards in crypto usability. Innovations like Hardware Signer and Multi-Signer ensure robust security through true multi-factor authentication, advancing user protection in the crypto realm.
3. MetaMask
MetaMask stands out as a premier self-custodial wallet and a doorway to blockchain applications. Empowering users to oversee their Ethereum private keys, MetaMask serves as a repository for Ether and various tokens. Through MetaMask, users engage with decentralized applications (dapps), conducting trades, lending, borrowing, gaming, content creation, purchasing rare digital art, and beyond. Trusted by a global user base numbering in the millions, MetaMask guarantees the perpetual control of keys and assets. Its accessibility extends through both web browser extension and mobile application formats, democratizing access to the decentralized web for all users.
Top Starknet Games
Leveraging its streamlined and secure infrastructure, StarkNet offers an ideal environment for developers to craft decentralized games, granting players genuine ownership of in-game assets and verifiable game logic. These innovative StarkNet games merge blockchain transparency with captivating gameplay, marking the dawn of a trustless and captivating gaming era. Here are some of the top games on StarkNet:
1. Loot Survivor
Loot Survivor, now live on the StarkNet Goerli testnet, is an innovative on-chain game that seamlessly blends strategy and adventure. Drawing inspiration from the popular Loot game, it immerses players in a text-based world where they embark on quests, battle fierce monsters, and strategically choose equipment and traits.
Operating on the Play2Die economic model, each gaming session offers players a single life to explore, discover and enhance weapons, confront formidable foes, and reap rewards. Developed by a talented team comprising members from Bibliotheca DAO, DoJo, and Guildly, Loot Survivor promises to push the boundaries of decentralized gaming experiences as the Ethereum protocol continues to evolve.
2. Influence
Influence, a groundbreaking on-chain game powered by StarkNet, immerses players in a deeply strategic and intensely social space colonization adventure. Set within the Adalian asteroid belt, this game plunges participants into a fierce competition for dominance and control over the newly established colony. Influence offers players the opportunity to stake their claim on asteroids, exploiting their unique resources to fuel their ambitions. Within this player-centric economy, resources and materials are mined and crafted by the players themselves, fostering a dynamic and interactive gaming environment.
Survival hinges on forming alliances and corporations, as collaboration and cunning strategies become essential for navigating the challenges of the hostile asteroid belt. With a focus on true player ownership and incorporating realistic orbital mechanics, Influence presents players with an unparalleled opportunity to thrive amidst the trials of space colonization.
3. Dojo
Dojo, an on-chain game engine running on StarkNet, empowers game developers to create top-tier games that are seamless and lightning-fast. By facilitating rapid and cost-effective transactions, Dojo significantly enhances the game development process, particularly for high-quality crypto gaming projects.
Utilizing cutting-edge components such as ECS, Sozu, Torii, and Katana, Dojo streamlines both game development and deployment processes. The growing roster of Dojo-powered games on StarkNet, including popular titles like Dope Wars, Influence, Realms, and CafeCosmos, exemplifies the burgeoning trend in on-chain gaming.
Top Starknet DEX
Within StarkNet, the groundbreaking scaling solution expanding Ethereum’s functionality, thrives a dynamic array of decentralized exchanges (DEXs). These platforms harness StarkNet’s Validity Rollup methodology to surmount Ethereum’s scalability challenges while upholding robust security and decentralization. Through the validation of off-chain transactions using sophisticated mathematical principles and cryptography, StarkNet ensures frictionless trading experiences. Here are some of the top Dex on StarkNet:
1. myswap
mySwap, an innovative decentralized exchange (DEX) operating on StarkNet, is revolutionizing the way users engage in digital asset trading. What sets mySwap apart is its strong emphasis on community involvement, ensuring transparency and inclusivity through active participation in governance decisions. Moreover, users can bid farewell to exorbitant transaction fees, as mySwap offers cost-effective asset swapping, enhancing accessibility for all participants. Additionally, mySwap streamlines liquidity provision through its ZAP feature, simplifying the process without the need for manual steps.
2. JediSwap
JediSwap, an Automated Market Maker (AMM) operating on StarkNet, is reshaping the decentralized trading landscape with its innovative features and community-driven approach. Led by the Mesh community, JediSwap embodies principles of transparency and inclusivity, with all contributors treated equally. Users benefit from instant asset swaps without compromising custody, streamlining the trading process on StarkNet. Moreover, JediSwap’s concentrated liquidity model ensures efficient price execution, allowing liquidity providers to optimize asset allocation.
3. JKX
JKX (ZKX) emerges as a groundbreaking perpetual exchange on Starknet, representing a significant advancement in decentralized finance (DeFi) solutions. Offering seamless fund transfers from any Ethereum wallet to the ZKX account on Starknet through Starkway, its audited native bridge, ZKX eliminates bridging complexities and ensures smooth interoperability. With gasless trading facilitated by its Appchain and a unified order book, ZKX streamlines the trading process, sparing users from slow blockchains and multiple transactions. Moreover, ZKX prioritizes self-custodial control, enhancing security and fostering trust among users.
Top Starknet NFTs
Leveraging Starknet’s secure scaling technology extends Ethereum’s advantages to NFTs, unlocking exciting real-world applications spanning gaming to art collections. A notable illustration is Starkpunks, the inaugural 10K NFT collection on Starknet, minted at no cost and offering an equitable opportunity for all to engage in this community-driven voyage toward a promising new frontier. Here are some of the top NFTs on StarkNet:
1. Unframed
Unframed stands as a dynamic NFT marketplace leveraging Starknet, a swift layer-2 solution for Ethereum. Offering a diverse range of Starknet NFTs spanning art, profile pictures (PFPs), music, and memberships, Unframed distinguishes itself with its one-click checkout feature enabled by Account Abstraction. This innovative functionality saves time and reduces transaction fees when acquiring Starknet NFTs. Collaborating with the Ark Project, Unframed works to consolidate liquidity within the NFT ecosystem through an NFT bridge, ensuring seamless integration with Ethereum collections.
2. Starkpunks
Starkpunks marks the premiere collection of 10,000 NFTs residing on the Starknet blockchain. Initially launched as a free mint in 2022, it swiftly ascended to the pinnacle of Starknet’s NFT collections by volume. These celestial NFTs present an equitable opportunity for all to engage in a community-driven voyage. Each Starkpunk holds a distinct rank: limited (8,998), rare (900), super rare (90), or legendary (10). To commemorate its one-year milestone, Starkpunks introduced the $PUNK community token, featuring airdrops for NFT holders and esteemed members of the Starknet community.
3. Dreamy BoTTy 777
The Starknet Bridges serve as vital links between the Ethereum blockchain and Starknet. These bridges facilitate efficient and secure asset transfers, allowing users to seamlessly move assets between different crypto ecosystems, such as blockchains or exchanges. Among the key bridges:
1. Starkgate
Crafted by the Starkware team, the sanctioned bridge linking Ethereum and Starknet streamlines asset transfers effortlessly. It extends support to all recognized ERC-20 tokens on Starknet, encompassing ETH, DAI, USDC, USDT, and WBTC. Through StarkGate, users can seamlessly deposit their tokens into their Braavos accounts, ensuring a dependable conduit for swift and secure asset movement between Starknet and various chains or exchanges. Engineered for high throughput and minimal latency, StarkGate’s architecture assumes a pivotal role as a vital connector within the decentralized finance (DeFi) landscape.
2. Rango
Rango Exchange stands out as a versatile multi-chain swapper, facilitating seamless asset transfers across diverse blockchain networks. Its notable features include cross-chain swaps, enabled by a combination of 1Inch and bridges, ensuring reliable and cost-effective token transfers between networks. With aggregation from over 60 chains, including Ethereum, Fuse, and Polygon, Rango optimizes fees, maintains high liquidity, and offers competitive prices compared to centralized exchanges (CEXs). Operating in a fully trustless and decentralized manner, Rango allows users to execute cross-chain swaps without KYC requirements, enhancing privacy and security. Furthermore, Rango uniquely supports a broad spectrum of networks, from UTXO-based chains like Bitcoin and Litecoin to EVM-based chains like Ethereum, as well as other networks such as StarkNet, Solana, and Tron.
3. Chaineye Mini Bridge
Developed by the Chaineye team, the Mini Bridge stands as a cross-chain solution tailored for small transfer scenarios, offering seamless asset transfers between different blockchain networks. Noteworthy features include its cost-effective cross-chain fees, making it particularly suitable for retail investors and small transfers, along with swift confirmation times ensuring efficient transactions. Operating in a trustless and decentralized manner, the Mini Bridge prioritizes security, drawing recognition from Chaineye, an award-winning project at ETH Shanghai 2023, which has garnered funding support from Gitcoin and Optimism.
Top Starknet DeFis
The Starknet Foundation is embarking on an ambitious endeavor to enhance decentralized finance (DeFi) through innovative technology. Underpinning this initiative is the Starknet DeFi Spring program, geared towards elevating DeFi on Starknet to unprecedented levels. Launched on November 9, 2023, the Starknet Foundation established its DeFi Committee with a mandate to cultivate DeFi growth within the Starknet ecosystem. Following extensive research, the Foundation unveiled the Starknet DeFi Spring initiative, a six to eight-month program that dedicates 40 million STRK tokens to participating DeFi protocols on Starknet. Here are the top projects:
1. Argent X StarkNet
It is revolutionizing the DeFi landscape with its innovative decentralized wallet solution, offering a transformative experience for users. Employing a multi-signature security system, it enhances transaction security by requiring authorization from multiple parties, effectively reducing the risk of unauthorized access. Introducing a unique social recovery feature, Argent X enables users to regain wallet access through trusted contacts, adding an additional layer of security and convenience. Recently, Argent X expanded its product offerings to include solutions tailored for self-custody wallets, seed-less wallets, and multi-signature functionalities for Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs). Integration with StarkNet further enhances Argent X’s capabilities, facilitating swift and cost-effective transactions, ultimately shaping the future of DeFi.
2. Braavos
Braavos, a DeFi wallet, stands out for its seamless and secure onboarding process, tailored for newcomers entering the cryptocurrency space. Through StarkNet integration, Braavos offers a comprehensive range of features, including self-custodial wallet management within a single app, streamlined token swapping for assets like ETH, DAI, and USDC, and yield earning via direct staking while maintaining ETH liquidity. Additionally, Braavos facilitates centralized NFT management and introduces an innovative Hardware Signer, generating cryptographic keys within the mobile security chip, surpassing conventional hardware wallets. Fortified with Multi-Factor Authentication (3FA), Braavos ensures robust security measures while offering user-friendly navigation across various platforms such as Android, iOS, Chrome, and Firefox.
3. Orbiter Finance
Conclusion
Princy Agarwal, a postgraduate in English from Delhi University, writes content for Tricky Finance, where they simplify complex financial topics for readers. With a knack for clear communication, Princy’s work helps make finance understandable and accessible to all.
