Project description
Second-layer protocols for scalability and confidentiality of blockchains
In the world of blockchain technologies, decentralised systems should be able to compete with centralised platforms. Since blockchain technologies promise major benefits in the realms of security, freedom and efficiency, it is important to address their shortcomings and overcome their challenges. In this context, the ERC-funded CRYPTOLAYER project will build off-chain technologies that form a secure second protocol layer on top of the underlying blockchain. Specifically, a family of secure protocols for off-chain transaction systems will move massive amounts of transactions to a second layer, offering nearly unlimited scalability and instantaneous transaction processing. The solution supports smart contracts and offers strong privacy guarantees by relying on tools from cryptography. An additional function is leveraging second-layer protocols for improved confidentiality and functionality of blockchain systems.
Objective
Blockchain technologies offer an exciting new alternative for centralized platform providers. They distribute trust over a large number of parties, thereby promising major benefits in terms of security, freedom and efficiency. Unfortunately, due to their inherent distributed nature, state of the art blockchains suffer from a multitude of shortcomings. In contrast to centralized platforms, they are restricted in terms of scalability, confidentiality and functionality, and thus cannot power large scale applications. The ambitious goal of CRYPTOLAYER is to overcome this situation by building decentralized systems that can compete with centralized platforms. We will achieve this goal via building off-chain technologies that form a secure second protocol layer on top of the underlying blockchain.
The first component of CRYPTOLAYER builds a family of secure protocols for off-chain transaction systems. These protocols move the massive amount of transactions to a second layer, thereby offering nearly unlimited scalability and instantaneous transaction processing. Our solutions will support smart contracts - complex programs that can handle money - and offer strong privacy guarantees by relying on tools from cryptography. The second component of CRYPTOLAYER leverages advanced cryptographic building blocks to construct secure off-chain services for confidentiality and access to real-world data. This will enable rich classes of applications to run over decentralized infrastructures. Finally, since secure protocol design is highly involved and error-prone, we will build upon the formal framework of theoretical cryptography. We will develop formal security models using the universal composability framework, and carry out a rigorous security analysis using mathematical proofs. With our overarching treatment of off-chain technologies, our vision is to establish this field as a central part of the rapidly evolving research on blockchain technologies.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2021-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
64289 DARMSTADT
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.