ATOM

Cosmos is a blockchain ecosystem and technology stack whose stated mission is to serve as an "Internet of Blockchains" — a network of independent, interconnected chains that can communicate, share data and transfer assets. Its core technical components are the Cosmos SDK (a modular, EVM-compatible framework for building application-specific blockchains), the Tendermint/CometBFT consensus engine, and the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol for cross-chain connectivity. The network architecture is described as three layers: application, networking and consensus. The Cosmos Hub is the first blockchain launched on the network and is the home of the ATOM token.

Alongside the open-source ecosystem, cosmos.network markets an enterprise-oriented business: blockchain products and solutions for financial institutions and governments covering tokenization, payments and digital currency. Offerings cited on the site include the Cosmos Tokenization Suite for bank-issued tokenized deposits, with interoperability to external payment rails, banking consortia and networks including Canton and Ethereum, real-time settlement outside banking hours, and pre-built core banking adapters for Hogan, Fiserv DNA and Silverlake, plus ledger and interoperability solutions. Customers can take a full-service tailored blockchain deployment or self-serve using open-source components.

The ATOM token is used to pay transaction fees, is staked to secure the Cosmos Hub (stakers earn rewards), confers on-chain governance voting rights, and entitles stakers and validators to a share of transaction fees from chains using the Hub's Interchain Security feature. Reported ecosystem participants include wallets (Keplr, Leap, Cosmostation, Citadel One, Vultisig), public chains (Osmosis, Celestia, Injective, dYdX, Axelar, Neutron, Sei, Saga, Agoric, Mantra, SEDA, Noble, Cronos, THORChain, Nomic) and explorers (Mintscan, Ping Dashboard, Big Dipper, Map of Zones, Chainroot, Range).