PUSH Protocol
6 known investors
Push (Push Chain) is a Layer 1 blockchain built for "Universal Apps," letting developers deploy once and onboard users from any chain without bridges or a specific gas token. It targets web3 developers and includes products such as PUSD, a cross-chain stablecoin, and Zappi, an any-chain stablecoin payments app for freelancers, merchants, and businesses.
Also known as EPNS Β· Ethereum Push Notification Service Β· Push Β· Push Chain
Founders & leadership
Investors Β· 6
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Push (formerly Ethereum Push Notification Service, EPNS, and later Push Protocol) began as a blockchain-agnostic decentralized communication protocol for web3, providing notifications, chat, video and "spaces" tied to wallet addresses. Any smart contract, dApp, wallet or backend service can integrate Push to deliver on- or off-chain communication to users, with payloads validated and indexed by Push Nodes in an encrypted, gasless, multi-chain manner. Developer-facing products include a unified SDK (REST API, React Native, socket and UI component libraries), Push Chat with group chat, token/NFT/geo-gated groups and end-to-end encryption, and a MetaMask Snap plus iOS and Android mobile apps for receiving notifications.
The company has since extended into Push Chain, described as a Layer 1 built for "universal apps": developers deploy once and users from any chain, EVM or non-EVM, can interact using their existing wallets and tokens, with fees abstracted so gas can be paid in any token and no bridging is required. Stated design elements include wallet abstraction (including social login or email), 100% EVM compatibility, universal smart contracts, a universal execution layer for atomic cross-chain composition, universal validators for writing to other chains, and a planned cross-chain state access feature. The site cites 4.2k TPS, one-second native block time and instant native finality. Applications built on Push Chain include PUSD, a stablecoin backed 1:1 that aggregates fragmented USDC and USDT liquidity across chains for bridgeless asset movement, and Zappi, an any-chain-to-any-chain stablecoin payments app aimed at freelancers, merchants and businesses.
The network is powered by the $PUSH token, used for utility, governance, security and incentives, with a proof-of-stake design in which nodes stake $PUSH to validate, store and deliver communications, a fee pool, and governance and voting mechanisms.
Founding story
Push began as EPNS at ETHGlobal 2020, where it emerged from the HackMoney hackathon; Richa and Harsh Rajat built the project around the premise that push notifications to billions of smartphones were controlled by Apple and Google and that web3 lacked a user-controlled, wallet-addressed communication layer.
Business model
Push operates as an open protocol with a native token, $PUSH, used for utility, governance, network security and incentives. Its documented tokenomics describe a proof-of-stake network where node operators stake $PUSH to validate, store and deliver communications and earn rewards, staking $PUSH for API calls to the network, and a fee pool from which token holders and, in later versions, crypto wallets can earn a share. Planned fee-generating features include dynamic fees for premium functionality, incentivized chat, complex gated groups and payments fees.
Protocol-level fees denominated in $PUSH: a fee pool shared with token holders and, in later protocol versions, crypto wallets; staking of $PUSH for API calls to the network; and planned dynamic fees for premium functionality such as incentivized chat, complex gated groups and payments.
Traction
The communication protocol reports over 55 million notifications sent, 150k+ subscribers and 500+ integrations, with the marketing site also citing 450+ total Push integrations and over $1M funded in grants. Push Chain completed a Hacken security audit in June 2025, with a $100,000 bug bounty announced as launching soon.","technology_note":"
Latest developments
In May 2025 Push introduced PUSD, a universal stablecoin backed 1:1 that unifies fragmented USDC and USDT liquidity across chains for bridgeless cross-chain asset movement. In June 2025 it launched Zappi, described as the first universal payments app on Push Chain, an any-chain-to-any-chain stablecoin payments product for freelancers, merchants and businesses powered by PUSD. Also in June 2025, Push Chain completed a Hacken security audit and announced a forthcoming $100,000 bug bounty. A Push Chain Devnet Drop Season 2 was live as of the communications site, and the live roadmap was last updated in February 2026.
βΈFull profile β market position, technology, go-to-market, history
Market position
Push positions itself as the first Layer 1 built for universal apps and as the originator of web3 notifications, having invented notification infrastructure for web3 out of ETHGlobal 2020 and later expanded into chat, video and spaces before launching its own chain. Media coverage referenced by the company includes its launch on BNB Chain, a collaboration with Unstoppable Domains on token-gated group chats, and reporting on its move to launch a Layer 1.
Push frames its approach as an alternative to bridges and messaging layers: rather than moving assets or messages between chains, Push Chain is presented as a shared-state chain where an application is deployed once and users from any chain interact with their existing wallets and tokens, with gas payable in any token and fees handled under the hood. It also claims wallet abstraction via social login or email and full EVM compatibility requiring no on-chain code changes to make an existing app universal.
Technology
Push Chain is described as a shared-state, 100% EVM-compatible Layer 1 supporting transactions originating from any blockchain, with wallet abstraction (any wallet, social login or email), universal fee abstraction allowing gas payment in any token without bridging, universal smart contracts for multi-step cross-chain flows, a universal execution layer enabling users on different chains to transact with the same application, universal validators that trigger and complete transactions on other chains, and a forthcoming cross-chain state access capability. Published performance figures are 4.2k TPS, a one-second native block time and instant native finality. The earlier communication protocol routes notification, chat, video and spaces payloads to Push Nodes, which validate and index them in an open, encrypted, gasless and platform-independent network that any wallet or dApp can read; supporting components include a unified SDK, REST API, React Native and UI libraries, a MetaMask Snap, and end-to-end encrypted, hyper-scalable chat with token, NFT and geo-gated groups.
Go-to-market
Push distributes through developer channels: public documentation and quickstarts, an SDK claimed to enable notifications or chat integration in a few lines of code, hackathon origins at ETHGlobal, a reward points program for contributors, a Discord community, grants (over $1M funded in grants per the company), and an ecosystem page of integrating projects. It also markets through integrations with established web3 platforms such as MetaMask (via Snap), BNB Chain and Unstoppable Domains.
Web3 developers and protocols building applications, wallets, dApps and services that need cross-chain user reach, notifications or messaging; end users holding wallets on EVM and non-EVM chains; and, for the Zappi payments app, freelancers, merchants and businesses.
History
The project started as Ethereum Push Notification Service (EPNS), originating at ETHGlobal 2020 and the HackMoney hackathon, where founders Richa and Harsh Rajat built what they described as a missing piece of web3. It rebranded to Push Protocol and expanded from notifications into chat, video and spaces, launched a MetaMask Snap and mobile apps, deployed on BNB Chain and worked with Unstoppable Domains on token-gated group chats. A roadmap covering 2024-2025 charted decentralization steps including Push Nodes alpha, a proof-of-stake network, node audits, unified SDK V2 and protocol upgrades. The company subsequently unveiled Push Chain, its own Layer 1, and in 2025 introduced PUSD (May 2025) and the Zappi payments app (June 2025), and completed a Hacken security audit of Push Chain (June 2025).
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources β announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed β not independently audited.
Timeline Β· 7
launches, deals, and filingsPush Chain completed a security audit by Hacken and announced that a $100,000 bug bounty would launch soon.
$100K source β
Zappi is an any-chain to any-chain stablecoin payments app for freelancers, merchants and businesses, powered by PUSD and built on Push Chain.
Push introduced PUSD, a stablecoin backed 1:1 that unifies fragmented USDC and USDT liquidity from any chain to enable bridgeless, cross-chain asset movement.
Push announced that Season 2 of the Push Chain Devnet Drop was live.
Push Protocol, a decentralized communications protocol for web3, launched on BNB Chain.
Unstoppable Domains launched badge/token-gated group chat for username holders in collaboration with Push Protocol, aimed at reducing misinformation and scams.
Press coverage reported that the web3 notifications protocol Push would launch its own Layer 1 chain to unify blockchain communication and transactions.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
βΈResearch sources Β· 8
primary sources listed
- PUSH Protocolpush.org Β· web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does PUSH Protocol do?
- Push is a Layer 1 blockchain for "universal apps" that lets users of any chain transact without bridges, evolved from web3 notifications protocol EPNS.
- Who founded PUSH Protocol?
- PUSH Protocol was founded by Harsh Rajat.
- Who are PUSH Protocol's investors?
- PUSH Protocol's investors include IOSG Ventures, Ryze Labs, TRGC, Wintermute, Woodstock Fund, Balaji Srinivasan.