2021 was an exciting year here at AIKON. Having struggled through the crypto winter of 2018-19 and overcome all of the uncertainty of 2020, it’s great to be playing our part in the revitalized blockchain market.
This year was one of major growth for our company. We quadrupled our revenues from where they were at the start of the year and brought in a host of exciting new customers and partners.
We also welcomed lots of amazing new talent to the AIKON team and with new additions arriving in January 2022, our team will have tripled in size over the past 12 months.
Now as 2021 comes to a close, we thought it would be fun to look back at some of the highlights that have made this year so special for AIKON.
ORE Vault Brings Team-Wide Control to Crypto Assets
Early in 2021, we announced ORE Vault, a shared wallet for teams that manage tokens. We referred to it as DocuSign for crypto assets because it’s easy to use, completely transparent and built for enterprise.
Managing crypto assets isn’t easy, especially if you have team members who aren’t blockchain-savvy. Things get even more complex when you have multiple wallets. Businesses needed a simple way to give the relevant people secure access to shared wallets, while also controlling what they can do with those assets.
ORE Vault allows organizations to create multiple shared wallets on different blockchains, but each team member only needs a single ORE ID sign-in to access them. Each wallet has its own separate governance policies for deciding who gets access and how many signatories are required to move funds.
Approving transactions involves a simple request that will show up in the relevant signatory’s email inbox. Full transparency ensures that everyone can see where assets were sent, as well as who initiated and approved the transfer.
ORE Vault also offers theft protection in partnership with Coincover and underwritten by Lloyds of London. Plus, we recently introduced the ability to manage, trade and create NFTs in ORE Vault.
ORE Token Powers Digital Identity
In October, the Open Rights Foundation launched ORE Token, the native digital asset on the ORE Network, with the aim of further unlocking the barriers to entry for blockchain technology. As the launch partner for the Open Rights Foundation, every new account that comes in through ORE ID and ORE Vault accelerates the utility of the ORE Token.
ORE Token is a universal, sustainable and scalable utility token that’s built for identity. Anyone using the ORE network to manage identity can now use ORE Tokens to fund their activities on ORE ID and ORE Vault.
Organizations can also pay ORE Tokens on behalf of their users to sign in to multiple blockchains using a single ORE ID and password. It’s another way for us to create a more open and inclusive blockchain, while also making it easier to build bridges between different chains.
New Partnerships for Inclusion
RedFOX Labs shares AIKON’s mission to accelerate digital inclusion and this year launched KOGs: Slam, a play-to-earn mobile game that introduces new users to NFTs. But with a target audience of global gamers who may not be blockchain aficionados, RedFOX needed to make the game accessible to everyone.
The company used ORE ID to develop a universal account for its entire ecosystem. RedFOXID uses common social network identities to make its sign-in experience simple, ensuring gamers can focus on earning KOGs and having fun.
Republic is a fundraising ecosystem that uses smart contracts supported by a blockchain to process and secure investments. It’s a great way for crypto investors to back more traditional projects, while making it easier for mainstream VCs to get involved in blockchain ventures.
With accessibility key to success, Republic started using AIKON’s ORE ID to create multisig accounts that will be used for secure password recovery and administrative wallet accounts. It’s a user-friendly way for non-technical, mainstream users to invest via Republic, as they simply sign in using their email address, while retaining custody of their assets.
Liquiid is a pioneer in blockchain-based gaming that creates immersive 3D worlds built in Unity and provides Software Development Kits (SDKs) to developers looking to create their own games. As players develop their in-game universes, they can earn, create and trade NFTs. But Liquiid wanted to ensure gamers wouldn’t be pulled out of their worlds when they manage these in-game items.
This year, the company started using ORE ID for identity management and ORE Vault for managing digital assets and NFTs. Now gamers with no blockchain experience can start playing quickly and manage private keys easily without leaving the game or downloading additional apps.
More Excitement Ahead for AIKON and Blockchain in 2022
2021 was a great year for AIKON, but we believe next year will be even more exciting for us and the wider blockchain space. We expect the NFT market to mature and become even more mainstream, while DAOs could become 2022’s hot topic.
We’ll be working hard to ensure all these opportunities are accessible to more people around the world. In particular, we’re inspired by our soon-to-be-launched financial inclusion project in Latin America that will make a big difference to many lives.
Stay tuned to our blog and social media throughout 2022 for more details on that and our other exciting projects. Thanks for your support throughout 2021. Happy holidays.