Ontology
Ontology is a public blockchain focused on decentralized identity and data, aiming to provide trusted, privacy‑preserving access to Web3 for individuals and enterprises.[1] It uses infrastructure such as its ONT ID decentralized identity framework, a dual‑token (ONT and ONG) economic model, and Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility to support identity, data sharing, and verification use cases across applications and chains.[1][3]
Overview
Ontology is a public blockchain platform optimized for decentralized identity and data solutions across multiple industries and regions. Its protocol framework allows different blockchains and traditional information systems to interoperate, so that identity and data can be mapped and verified across chains.[1]
Building on this base, the network provides common modules for decentralized identity, data exchange, and verification on top of its underlying infrastructure. These shared services, such as identity authentication and data attestation, can be integrated directly into applications. Ontology also supports smart contracts and an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) environment, allowing developers to deploy and migrate Ethereum‑compatible applications while using Ontology’s identity and data toolkits and comparatively low transaction fees.[1][3]
History and Development
In November 2025, Ontology announced a MainNet upgrade that included versions v2.7.0 and v3.0.0. The v3.0.0 MainNet upgrade and consensus node upgrade were carried out on December 1, 2025, implementing approved ONG tokenomics changes and introducing improvements to network performance, interoperability, and identity tooling.[6][7] Ontology described the v3.0.0 release as one of its largest updates and emphasized enhancements to its dual‑token model and the alignment of rewards for stakers and liquidity providers.[7]
Beyond this upgrade, Ontology’s 2025 roadmap focuses on strengthening decentralized identity, Web3 infrastructure, and real‑world integration. Key areas include a decentralized, privacy‑oriented instant messaging (IM) system; expanded use of ONT and ONG in identity, reputation, and communication scenarios; improvements to cross‑chain interoperability and DEX liquidity (including support for stONT); and applications of decentralized identity and reputation to health data ownership, gaming economies, and AI‑related marketplaces.[10] Ontology also develops identity‑related products such as ONTO Wallet and Orange Protocol, which are positioned to help users manage decentralized identities and reputation data across Web3 services built on or integrated with Ontology’s infrastructure.[1]
Looking forward, Ontology outlined additional plans in March 2026. At that time, it published its “Ontology 2026 Roadmap: From Infrastructure to Impact,” which described plans to consolidate decentralized identity, reputation, and privacy capabilities into ONTO Wallet, including the selective incorporation of functionalities from Orange Protocol and Ontello.[11] The roadmap also stated that Ontology would continue upgrading its Decentralized Identifier (DID) and Verifiable Credential (VC) infrastructure in line with evolving W3C standards and would explore AI‑focused use cases in which ONT and ONG facilitate data monetisation and micro‑payments for decentralized AI agents and services.[11]
An ecosystem update in February 2026 reported that the Ontology network had processed over 20,188,999 total transactions, was operating with 898 active nodes, and had 216,135,075 ONT staked. These figures indicated ongoing network activity and participation.[12]
Security Incidents
In 2026, Ontology disclosed that it had identified malicious attack activity targeting the network and, as a precautionary measure, temporarily paused the MainNet while a security review and network upgrade were conducted.[12] As part of this sequence of events, on 31 August 2026 the team initiated an emergency pause of MainNet block production after detecting a potential security concern during routine checks, stating at that time that no asset losses had been confirmed.[18][20][21]
The following day, on September 1, 2026, Ontology confirmed that the incident involved targeted malicious attack activity, stated that user assets had not been compromised, and kept the MainNet paused while remediation measures and a network upgrade were implemented.[19][20] On September 2, 2026, Ontology announced that MainNet operations had resumed following a security review and upgrade, required Sync Nodes to update to v3.1.5 to remain compatible, and committed to continued monitoring of network security.[13][14]
Design and Mechanism
Ontology is a public blockchain optimized for decentralized identity and data applications. Its architecture combines a base layer blockchain with service layers for identity, data exchange, and reputation. This layered structure enables different industries to integrate their existing systems with on-chain identity and data verification.[1]
From a performance perspective, the network uses a consensus mechanism that targets high throughput and fast finality, with external coverage reporting multi‑thousand transactions per second and rapid confirmation, while official VBFT documentation describes >3,000 TPS and testnet confirmation times of 5–10 seconds.[2][15] Ontology’s consensus is based on VBFT, a proof‑of‑stake mechanism that combines Byzantine Fault Tolerance‑style finality with verifiable random functions (VRFs) to select validator committees and produce blocks.[1] In addition, Ontology provides an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) environment so that Ethereum‑compatible applications and smart contracts can be deployed directly or migrated from chains such as Ethereum, BNB Chain, and Polygon, while using Ontology’s identity and data tooling.[1][2][3]
In 2026, the Ontology MainNet v3.1.2 upgrade further refined this environment. The upgrade introduced four additional Ethereum opcodes—PUSH0, BASEFEE, MCOPY, and transient storage via TSTORE and TLOAD—to the Ontology EVM, improving opcode parity with Ethereum and reducing friction for porting Solidity contracts. As part of the change, node operators were required to upgrade before block height 20,800,000 to remain in consensus.[13]
Ontology’s identity and data components, such as ONT ID and related credential systems, are integrated with its smart contract and EVM layers. This integration enables use cases in areas including mobility services, decentralized finance, and enterprise data sharing, where on-chain identity proofs and attestations can be combined with programmable logic and cross‑chain interoperability.[1][3]
ONT ID
ONT ID is a decentralized identity framework based on blockchain and cryptographic technology that connects people, data, and services. It is built on W3C Decentralized Identifier (DID) standards so that identities and credentials can be created, verified, and used across different platforms while remaining under user control.[1][10]
ONT ID protects user privacy and ensures data security by allowing individuals and organizations to manage their own identifiers and selectively share verifiable proofs instead of raw documents. In this framework, blockchain technology and cryptographic algorithms help improve data trustworthiness, protect data privacy, and prevent tampering.[10][11]
When sharing identity information with third parties, users provide cryptographic proofs issued by Ontology Trust Anchors rather than exposing full credentials. Trust Anchors offer credential verification services for ONT ID users in return for ONT tokens, forming a network of entities that vouch for specific claims. This arrangement allows applications and developers to verify users on the basis of these cryptographic proofs without directly handling underlying identity documents such as passports.[1]
Tokenomics and Distribution
Ontology uses a dual-token (ONT and ONG) model. ONT functions as the network’s governance and staking token, while ONG (Ontology Gas) is used to pay transaction fees and reward network contributors, including validators and stakers.[12][3] In this design, the dual-token structure separates governance and long‑term participation from day‑to‑day network usage.[12] Following Ontology’s EVM and token decimals upgrade, ONT is now divisible to 9 decimal places and ONG to 18 decimals, updating earlier parameters that treated ONT as undividable and ONG as precise to 9 decimals.[16][17][12]
At launch, the fixed supply of 1 billion ONT was allocated across several categories: 12% (120 million ONT) to the community, 28% (280 million ONT) to institutional partners and co‑builders, 10% (100 million ONT) to the NEO Council, 25% (250 million ONT) for ecosystem development, 10% (100 million ONT) for technical community rewards, and 15% (150 million ONT) to the core team.[14] In aggregate, institutional partners and co‑builders, ecosystem development, and the core team accounted for 68% of the initial ONT supply, while community and technical community reward allocations together represented 22%, with the remaining 10% assigned to the NEO Council.[14] One tokenomics analysis characterizes this structure as concentrating a majority of tokens with institutional, ecosystem, and core team allocations relative to community‑oriented categories.[14] Vesting and lock‑up arrangements were structured over multi‑year periods, with staged releases for institutional, ecosystem, and core team allocations, while community and technical rewards were positioned to support network participation and contribution over time.[14]
In contrast to ONT, ONG was not pre‑allocated in the same way. Instead, it is generated over time and distributed to ONT holders according to an unbinding mechanism that ties claimable ONG to ONT balances and holding time, in line with a defined release schedule.[12]
ONT
ONT has a fixed total supply of 1 billion tokens and, following Ontology’s EVM and token decimals upgrade, is divisible to 9 decimal places, updating its earlier design in which ONT units were undividable.[12][16][17] It serves as the primary governance and staking asset of the network, allowing holders to participate in on‑chain governance and help secure the blockchain through staking.[12][3]
ONG
ONG (Ontology Gas) is generated over time based on ONT holdings and serves as the utility and gas token for ordinary transactions and smart‑contract execution.[12] It is used to pay transaction fees and to reward network contributors, including validators and stakers.[12][3]
In December 2025, Ontology implemented an ONG tokenomics adjustment through an on-chain governance vote. As part of this change, ONG’s maximum and total supply was reduced from 1 billion to a hard cap of 800 million, with 200 million ONG permanently burned.[4] An amount of ONT and ONG equivalent in value to 100 million ONG was also permanently locked via a liquidity mechanism that pairs ONT and ONG, converts them to liquidity provider tokens, and then burns those tokens so the underlying assets cannot be withdrawn.[4]
To maintain a predictable emissions schedule, ONG continues to be released at 1 ONG per second, with the release period extended from 18 years to approximately 19 years.[4][5] The updated distribution allocates 80% of newly released ONG to ONT staking rewards and 20% to liquidity and ecosystem expansion.[5][6] Following this reform, community governance further reduced on-chain gas fees by approximately 80% in January 2026 to lower transaction costs for users and developers.[9]
Governance
Ontology uses an on-chain governance model in which ONT holders participate indirectly through consensus nodes, including Triones nodes, which vote on protocol and tokenomics proposals. ONT is the governance token for staking and for influencing decisions about network upgrades and economic parameters.[3][6]
From October 28 to October 31, 2025 (UTC), Triones nodes conducted an on-chain vote on the ONG Tokenomics Adjustment Proposal, which capped ONG’s supply at 800 million and introduced permanent liquidity and locking mechanisms. The proposal was approved with 117 million votes in favor and zero votes against, and the changes were implemented on mainnet via a consensus‑driven upgrade.[4][5] Ontology has cited this vote as an example of alignment between validators and the wider community on long‑term sustainability.[4]
Partnerships
Ontology has collaborated with the Goshen Network, a Layer 2 project incubated by the Ontology Foundation. Goshen is an Ethereum‑equivalent optimistic rollup that uses a RISC‑V virtual machine for on‑chain computing, and it is designed to be interoperable with Ontology’s EVM and ONT ID framework. Ontology has indicated that ONT will be introduced into Goshen’s governance and will participate in the decentralized packaging network and a share of Layer 2 network fees.[7]
In the payments sector, Ontology formed a partnership with Alchemy Pay to integrate Alchemy Pay’s fiat–crypto payment gateway and on‑ and off‑ramp infrastructure into the Ontology ecosystem, with ONT and ONG supported as assets within Alchemy Pay’s services.[2] In decentralized finance, Portal Finance integrated ONT and ONG, issued on the Ontology EVM, into the Portal DEX. This integration allows users to trade ONT and ONG against native BTC and BTC‑based assets via atomic swaps.[8]
Ontology’s identity and data infrastructure has also been used by enterprises and DeFi protocols. Examples include Daimler Mobility AG in the automotive and mobility sector, Wing Finance in decentralized lending, and BloxMove for mobility‑related applications, which leverage Ontology for decentralized identity and data management.[3] Additionally, Ontology has launched a fund of $10 million to support the development, adoption, and education of decentralized identity technologies across partners and ecosystems.[8]
