In an era where digital privacy is increasingly compromised by corporations and governments world over, the Anyone Protocol emerges as a groundbreaking solution. Its mission is clear: to create a trustless, scalable network that prioritizes privacy and accessibility for users worldwide.

Below, we unpack the evolution of the Anyone Protocol and provide a guide on purchasing $ANYONE tokens.

What is the Anyone Protocol?

The Anyone Protocol is a decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) leveraging incentivized relay nodes to provide trustless, anonymous internet routing for users and applications worldwide.

History and Development

The Anyone Protocol began its journey in early 2023 as ATOR Protocol, launched just before ETH Denver. Initially focused on integrating with the Tor network, the project faced significant roadblocks due to centralized constraints imposed by the Tor Project. These challenges prompted a strategic pivot and rebranding in late 2023, transforming ATOR into Anyone Protocol, a fully independent, decentralized routing network.

Why the Rebrand?

The rebranding was necessitated by the fundamental misalignment between the decentralized ethos of ATOR and the centralized operations of the Tor network. Actions by the Tor Project to suppress over 1,000 ATOR-affiliated relays highlighted the limitations of relying on centralized directory authorities. The Anyone Protocol was designed to overcome these challenges by creating a trustless, self-scaling privacy network, rapidly achieving milestones that took Tor over two decades to reach.

Mission and Vision

The mission of Anyone Protocol is to build the largest internet-routing DePIN in the world, a modular privacy layer seamlessly integrated into any application. More than just a network, Anyone aims to redefine mainstream expectations of internet privacy, making it the default in every product, every time.

To achieve this vision, the protocol is guided by three pillars:

1. Trustless at Scale:

Secured by code, scaled through aligned incentives and on-chain game theory.
The network grows more secure as more relays are operated.
Designed with low requirements to run a relay, encouraging broad participation.

2. Out-of-the-Box Solutions:

A developer-friendly SDK that integrates privacy into applications with just two lines of code.
Optimized circuits and network management tailored to meet service-level agreements (SLAs).

3. This is a Movement:

Fostering anonymity by evaluating participants based on contributions, not identity.
Setting new expectations for developers to prioritize privacy by default.
Empowering a community-driven network where ownership and growth are shared.

Key Features of Anyone Protocol

Decentralized Infrastructure: A global network of incentivized relays, primarily operated via VPS setups, with additional support for plug-and-play hardware relays for home operators.
Ease of Relay Setup: Relays can be launched effortlessly using a single line of code on Linux, with straightforward instructions for virtualization on Windows and macOS, ensuring accessibility for operators of varying technical expertise.
Proof of Uptime Consensus: Rewards are based on uptime, bandwidth, and reliability, driving network stability and performance.
SOCKS5 Proxy Support: Individual applications can connect to the Anyone network using the SOCKS5 proxy, enabling flexible integration for privacy-conscious app developers.
Developer-Friendly SDK: Simplifies adding privacy features to applications with minimal code, accelerating adoption.
Rapid Growth: Boasts over 8,150 active relays, outpacing Tor’s over two-decade milestone in less than a year.

Overview of $ANYONE

Applications and Utilities

The $ANYONE token powers a range of use cases across the Anyone Protocol’s decentralized privacy ecosystem. Its versatility makes it essential for:

1. Relay Rewards:

Incentivizing operators who contribute bandwidth and uptime to the network.
Supporting the scalability of the privacy layer.

2. Payment for Premium Circuits:

Users and enterprises can pay $ANYONE for high-performance, low-latency relays optimized for their specific needs.

3. Privacy-First Development:

Developers use the Anyone SDK to integrate privacy features into their applications, leveraging $ANYONE to access network services and resources.

4. Enterprise Solutions:

Businesses can incorporate $ANYONE tokens to build private, secure environments for their operations, such as secure financial apps or IoT frameworks.

Example Use Cases:

Privacy-first dApps and decentralized VPNs.
Secure communication tools like encrypted messaging platforms.
Confidential data sharing for sensitive industries like healthcare and finance.
Secure gaming networks and privacy-enhanced social platforms.

Tokenomics

The $ANYONE token is central to the protocol, serving as both an incentive mechanism and a governance tool. Here’s a breakdown:

Token Metrics

Historical Token Price

Dedicated Reward Pool Allocation

The Anyone Protocol project has allocated a total of 10,000,000 tokens (10% of the total supply) to a dedicated reward pool designed to incentivize network participation and ensure scalability. These tokens are distributed as follows:

Relay Rewards

Relays are the backbone of the Anyone network. Operators run software that routes user data securely and anonymously. Relays can either be:

Virtualized (VPS): Standard setups run on cloud servers or personal computers.
Hardware Relays: Dedicated plug-and-play devices optimized for ease of use and reliable network participation.

Lock Requirement

To ensure commitment and protect against malicious actors, relay operators must lock 100 $ANYONE tokens for a minimum of 180 days and for as long as they want to earn rewards. After this period, operators can initiate a 14-day unstaking period if they wish to withdraw.

Lock Adjustments

The lock requirement is dynamically adjusted to align with the token value. For example:

If $ANYONE token value increases significantly, the lock requirement may be reduced to maintain affordability.
Operators with a higher number of locked tokens may receive proportionally higher rewards.

Reward Multipliers

Additional incentives are provided to relays based on:

Uptime and Reliability: Higher rewards for consistently available relays.
Geolocation and Diversity: Bonuses for relays in underrepresented areas.
Hardware Multipliers: Hardware relays receive a dedicated reward pool with additional benefits.

Additional Roles: Authorities and Staking

Bandwidth Authorities: Measure relay performance to determine consensus weight.
Validators: Stake $ANYONE tokens to perform critical network roles, such as directory management and bandwidth validation.
Delegated Staking: Token holders can delegate their tokens to authorities to earn rewards.

Governance Voting

The Anyone network will transition to a DAO-based governance model, where token holders can participate in decision-making by staking tokens and earning voting power. This power increases based on the staking duration and quadratic voting principles.

Premium Circuits

Premium circuits allow users to pay in $ANYONE for access to high-performance relays. This feature supports:

Custom Routing: Optimize for latency, throughput, or specific geolocations.
Subscription Fees: Generate additional revenue for premium relays and the network.

Premium Circuits: Metrics

Revenue generated from premium services is allocated as follows:

50% to premium node operators as direct rewards.
35% to replenish the reward pool for sustainability.
15% is burned to reduce token supply and enhance value.

These mechanisms ensure the long-term viability of the Anyone Protocol while incentivizing high-quality network participation.

Other Tokens

The Anyone Protocol includes additional token mechanisms to support ecosystem expansion and incentivize early adopters.

Additional Relay Rewards:

As the protocol transitions from an incentivized testnet to mainnet, relays on the live Anon network will initially earn a mirror token on the Sepolia testnet.
Incentives are distributed via weekly airdrops of mainnet $ANYONE at a specified conversion rate, ensuring early participants are rewarded for their contributions.

Community Tokens

Dedicated token pools have been established to fuel ecosystem growth and community engagement. These allocations include:

Governance

The Anyone Protocol will gradually transition to a decentralized governance model, empowering token holders to shape the network’s future:

1. Voting Mechanism:

Governance participants use lock-staked $ANYONE tokens to gain voting power.
Quadratic voting ensures that influence is proportional but not monopolized by large holders.

2. DAO-Led Decision Making:

Token holders vote on key decisions such as reward allocation, development priorities, and ecosystem funding.
Proposals include funding grants for developers building on the protocol or enhancing privacy features.

3. Incentives for Participants:

Governance participants are rewarded from dedicated staking pools for their contributions to decision-making and network oversight.

Ecosystem

The Anyone Protocol is building a robust ecosystem designed to provide privacy-first solutions for developers, businesses, and individuals. Its components include:

1. Relay Network:

A global infrastructure of decentralized relays providing anonymous routing.
Includes VPS-based and hardware-based relays to diversify the ecosystem.

2. SDK Integration:

A modular SDK allows developers to connect their applications to the network with minimal effort.
Supports a wide range of applications, including:
Privacy-focused social platforms.
Media apps with private search and content delivery.
Secure identity systems for transparent marketplaces.

3. Community and Collaboration:

Developers and businesses collaborate on privacy-focused tools, such as private booking systems, encrypted data storage, and decentralized marketplaces.

4. Enterprise Applications:

Businesses can customize circuits for secure remote access, confidential entertainment services, and privacy-conscious e-commerce platforms.

How to Trade ANYONE Tokens on CoinEx?

CoinEx is a global cryptocurrency exchange, trusted by over 10 million users worldwide across 200+ countries and regions. With support for 1,200+ cryptocurrencies and 1,700+ trading pairs, and offering services in 18 languages, CoinEx facilitates seamless trading experiences for its users. The platform also boasts a daily trading volume of over $1 billion and maintains 100% reserve for all supported assets, including ANYONE. To purchase ANYONE tokens on CoinEx, follow the steps below:

Create an Account: Begin by signing up for a CoinEx account.
Deposit Funds: Once you log in, deposit funds into your CoinEx account via any supported cryptocurrencies or deposit methods available on the exchange. With funds in your account, you can execute trades seamlessly.
Navigate to ANYONE Trading Page: After funding your account, navigate to the dedicated ANYONE trading page on CoinEx. A search box will help you locate ANYONE trading pairs on the spot trading page. Simply enter the term "ANYONE" to find the associated trading pairs.
Select a Trading Pair: Choose the trading pair ANYONE/USDT to trade ANYONE against USDT (Tether).
Specify the Purchase Amount: The next step is to specify the number of ANYONE you want to buy. You can buy them at the current market price or set a limit for your preferred buying price on the trading page.
Execute the Trade: Once you have specified the amount, proceed to execute the trade. Confirm the details, and if they are satisfactory, submit the order.

By following these steps, you can easily trade ANYONE tokens on CoinEx.