Ethereum community plans onchain ‘time capsule’ to mark 10th anniversary of network’s genesis block

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Quick Take

  • EthCC, Protocol Guild, and Shutter Network are supporting a blockchain “time capsule” that allows users to encrypt memories for $2.5 in ETH.
  • The project was released to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Ethereum’s genesis block, which falls on July 30.

A community-led Ethereum group launched an onchain “time capsule” Monday, inviting users to lock art, memories, messages, and predictions inside encrypted smart contracts until the network’s 11th anniversary next year.

The capsule, unveiled at the Ethereum Community Conference (EthCC) and backed by the Protocol Guild and Shutter Network, allows anyone to submit a file for about $2.50 in ETH. All proceeds will be donated to the Protocol Guild to support core research. Shutter’s threshold encryption will keep entries sealed starting July 30 and be opened a year later (on the 11th anniversary), when the contract will decrypt each file and store it permanently on Ethereum’s ledger.

“Celebrating our history nurtures Ethereum’s culture and values,” said Jérôme de Tychey, president of Ethereum-France and founder of EthCC. Protocol Guild contributor “Cheeky Gorilla” called the capsule a chance to “reflect on progress as we gear up for the next decade.”

Vitalik Buterin published Ethereum’s whitepaper in 2013, envisioning a programmable blockchain that differed from Bitcoin and would power a new age of onchain finance. The network went live in July 2015 following an initial public offering and now ranks as crypto’s second-largest chain, with a market cap of nearly $300 billion, according to The Block’s data.


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AUTHOR

Naga joined The Block with over four years of crypto-reporting experience as a Lagos-based News Generalist and Markets Reporter. Previously at crypto dot news, Ethereum World News, and The San Fransisco Tribe, he's interviewed CEOs and industry experts, broke stories, and survived the FTX crash. He's a Digital Media and Journalism alumnus of the University of Lagos. You can send Naga scoops and intel via @shogunaga on Telegram.

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