Rocket Pool is a next generation decentralised staking network and pool for Ethereum 2.0 Rocket Pool is a self-regulating network of node operators; it automatically adjusts its capacity to match demand. The Rocket Pool protocol token is used to maintain an optimal capacity by: Increasing capacity when needed, by incentivising node operators to join. Decreasing capacity when not needed, by disincentivising node operators from joining. In addition to depositing ETH, a node operator is required to deposit a set amount of RPL per ether they are depositing. This RPL:ether ratio is dynamic and is dependent on the network utilisation. E.g: If the network has plenty of capacity, then node operators need more RPL to make deposits. It gets progressively more expensive in terms of RPL to make node deposits when the network does not have enough ETH from regular stakers to be matched up with node operators. This helps prevent several attack vectors outlined in the whitepaper and keeps assignment of ether ‘chunks’ to nodes quick. If the network is reaching capacity, then node operators need less RPL to join as the network needs more node deposits to be matched up with regular users deposits. If the network is maxed out and needs node operators to join quickly, it even drops to 0 for the first one to make a deposit.
Quantstamp is a security-auditing protocol for smart contracts. As a apps platform, Ethereum has proven its security time and again. However, apps and smart contracts on top of Ethereum may still have bugs in which malicious players can cause havoc on the network. The two most notable examples of these being the $55 million DAO hack and the $30 million Parity wallet bug. These issues not only affect the people who’ve had their funds stolen, but they also diminish the credibility of the entire ecosystem. Quantstamp is making smart contracts more secure through automated software testing and a system of bug bounties. Although starting with Ethereum, the team is building the protocol to be available on any DApp platform in the long run.In an industry where security is a primary concern and bugs have caused the theft of millions of dollars, Quantstamp should help to legitimize blockchain projects and ensure that large-scale smart contract hacks are a thing of the past. Quantstamp held a successful ICO in November 2017 in which the team raised a little over $30 million dollars. They distributed 650 million (65%) QSP out of the 1 billion total supply to ICO participants at a price of $0.072 per token. After the usual post-ICO volatility, the QSP price stabilized at around $0.10 (~0.000005 BTC) through the end of November. The price followed the trend of the altcoin market and rose rapidly to an all-time high of $0.82 (~0.000051 BTC) before slowly falling to its current price of ~$0.286. The QSP price weathered the beginning of the year market downfall better than most other altcoins.