Saito is a Layer-1 blockchain that aims to solve the web3 scaling problem by providing a network that can host data-heavy applications directly on-chain. ^[1] It utilizes a unique consensus mechanism designed to economically incentivize nodes that provide routing and data storage, enabling the development of decentralized applications without relying on centralized infrastructure providers. ^[2]

Overview

Saito is a blockchain protocol designed to address what it terms the "Open Infrastructure Problem" in existing public blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum. ^[1] The project posits that prevalent consensus mechanisms such as Proof-of-Work (PoW) and Proof-of-Stake (PoS) do not include a viable economic model to pay for the network nodes that provide crucial infrastructure, such as bandwidth and data storage for users and applications. ^[3] Saito's proponents argue this shortcoming forces decentralized applications (dApps) to depend on centralized service providers, thereby undermining the goal of a truly decentralized web. ^[2]

To solve this, Saito introduces a new consensus mechanism where nodes are paid for collecting and transmitting fee-generating transactions. This creates a self-sustaining economic loop that rewards the provision of network infrastructure, intending to allow the network to scale and support large, on-chain applications. The platform enables developers to build these applications using standard web development languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. ^{[3] [1]} The goal is to create a permissionless network where profit-seeking actors are incentivized to provide a public good—scalable infrastructure—funded directly by user fees. ^[2]

This video from the Saito team provides an overview of the project's architecture and the economic model designed to fund an open, scalable network. https://saito.tech/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Saito-Master-220401-wVoicec.mp4

Architecture

Saito's architecture is built on a novel consensus mechanism that diverges from traditional PoW and PoS models. It is structured to be economically self-sufficient and resistant to Sybil attacks by integrating data routing and fee collection directly into the security and block production process. ^[3]

Saito Consensus

The core of the architecture is the Saito Consensus, which aims to align the incentives of all network participants, including block producers (miners) and infrastructure providers (routing nodes). It separates the process of producing blocks from the process of paying the nodes that make the network useful. This is accomplished through several interconnected components. ^[4]

Routing Work Instead of expending computational power on hashing puzzles or locking up capital, the primary "work" in Saito is "routing work." When a user sends a transaction, it is cryptographically signed at each "hop" as it is relayed through the peer-to-peer network. The amount of routing work a transaction provides is based on its fee, with the value halving at each successive hop. This incentivizes nodes to efficiently route transactions to block producers. Nodes compete to accumulate a target amount of this routing work to earn the right to produce a block. ^[4]

Block Production and Burn Fee To produce a block, a node must collect enough routing work from transactions in its mempool to meet a difficulty target known as the "burn fee." This effectively makes block production costly. Once a block is produced, the transaction fees within it are burned. The burn fee amount adjusts dynamically based on the network's block production time, regulating the pace of the chain. ^{[3] [4]}

The Golden Ticket and Paysplit To solve the deflationary pressure created by burning fees and to re-inject those funds into the economy, Saito uses a mechanism called the "Golden Ticket." After a block's fees are burned, a separate hashing competition begins, similar to PoW mining. The miner who solves this puzzle creates a Golden Ticket transaction, which is included in a subsequent block. This Golden Ticket unlocks the fees from the previous block and distributes them according to a "paysplit." A portion of the resurrected fees (by default, 50%) goes to the miner who found the Golden Ticket solution. The other portion (50%) is awarded to a routing node that contributed to the original block. The winning routing node is selected via a two-step lottery, weighted by the value of the transaction fees it helped process, thereby directly rewarding nodes for providing infrastructure. ^{[3] [4]}

Automatic Transaction Rebroadcasting (ATR) Saito addresses the problem of permanent data storage and blockchain bloat with a circular ledger and a mechanism called Automatic Transaction Rebroadcasting (ATR). Instead of requiring every node to store the entire blockchain history indefinitely, the chain is divided into epochs. Data from blocks that fall out of the current epoch is allowed to be pruned. For an Unspent Transaction Output (UTXO) to remain valid across these epochs, it must be rebroadcast back onto the chain through an ATR transaction. A fee is required for this rebroadcasting, creating a market-driven solution for data persistence. This system ensures that only valuable data, with users willing to pay for its storage, remains on the active chain, while also creating a mechanism for token holders to receive a share of network revenue. ^{[4] [5]}

Products

Saito hosts several on-chain, proof-of-concept applications on its network to demonstrate its capabilities for running decentralized, peer-to-peer services that operate entirely in a web browser. ^[2] These applications aim to showcase how data-intensive experiences can function without centralized servers or private APIs. ^[1] The applications developed by the project include:

• Saito Arcade: A platform for decentralized, provably fair gaming applications. ^[1]
• RedSquare: A peer-to-peer, decentralized social media platform that functions as an open network where interactions occur on-chain. ^[2]
• Saito Chat: An encrypted, peer-to-peer messaging application. ^[1]
• Saito Videocall: A decentralized video and audio calling service that operates without middlemen, using the Saito network for secure cryptographic handshakes and connectivity. ^[2]
• Saito Multiwallet: A native wallet that supports the SAITO token and allows for wrapping and using assets from other blockchains like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and MultiversX (EGLD) within Saito applications. ^[1]
• Swarmcast: A decentralized application for peer-to-peer content delivery and streaming. ^[5]

These products demonstrate Saito's ability to host applications with their logic and user data directly on its blockchain. ^[1]

Features

Saito's design incorporates several key features to support its goal of a scalable and open Web3 network.

• On-chain Application Hosting: The protocol is designed to host full application logic and user data directly on its blockchain, which is intended to eliminate the need for dApps to rely on external servers. ^[6]
• Standard Web Development: Developers can build applications using common web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) that interact directly with the peer-to-peer network, designed to lower the barrier to entry compared to learning proprietary smart contract languages. ^[2]
• In-Browser Operation: Applications built on Saito are accessible directly through a standard web browser, without requiring users to install specialized software or browser extensions like MetaMask. Users run a light node in the browser to connect to the network. ^[7]
• Incentivized P2P Network: The economic model is built to incentivize the growth of a robust peer-to-peer network capable of handling high data throughput. By paying nodes for routing work, the system aims to create a market for infrastructure provision. ^[3]
• Transient Ledger: The architecture implements a data pruning system through its epoch-based, circular ledger. This aims to prevent blockchain bloat and keep the hardware requirements for running a node relatively low by not requiring indefinite storage of the entire transaction history. ^[7]
• Cross-Chain Interoperability: The Saito Multiwallet supports the use of assets from other major blockchains within its application ecosystem, allowing for interaction with cryptocurrencies like BTC, ETH, and EGLD. ^[6]

Ecosystem

The Saito ecosystem is composed of the core protocol, users, developers, infrastructure providers, and the Saito Foundation.

• Users: Individuals who use applications built on the Saito network, paying fees in SAITO tokens to interact with services like RedSquare or the Saito Arcade. ^[2]
• Developers: Programmers and organizations that build applications and services on the Saito network, utilizing its open infrastructure and developer tools. The project's code is open-source and available on GitHub. ^[1]
• Infrastructure Providers: Node operators who run the Saito software, providing the routing, processing, and data storage for the network. These providers are compensated through the Saito Consensus mechanism for the routing work they perform. ^[2]
• Saito Foundation: A non-profit entity responsible for supporting the development of the Saito project, funding ecosystem growth through grants, and fostering strategic initiatives. ^[1]
• Community: The primary community hub is the Saito-native RedSquare application. The project also maintains a Saito Wiki for official documentation. ^[1]

Use Cases

Saito's architecture is intended to support a wide range of data-intensive and decentralized applications that may be difficult or costly to build on other public blockchains.

• Decentralized social media platforms and content delivery networks. ^[2]
• On-chain and provably fair gaming applications that operate without a central server. ^[6]
• Secure, peer-to-peer communication tools for encrypted messaging, email, and video calls. ^[1]
• Enterprise-grade applications requiring secure data sharing, logging, and high throughput. ^[2]
• Infrastructure for Internet of Things (IoT) networks requiring decentralized data collection and processing. ^[1]
• Other decentralized services such as data oracles, ad networks, and key registries. ^[3]

Tokenomics

The native cryptocurrency of the Saito network is the SAITO token. It is integral to the network's circular economic model and application functionality. The token exists in native form on the Saito mainnet, as well as wrapped versions on other blockchains, including an ERC-20 token on Ethereum and a BEP-20 token on BNB Chain. The total supply is capped at 10 billion SAITO, with an initial genesis supply of 3 billion and the remaining 7 billion scheduled to be minted over time as consensus rewards. ^[2]

Token Allocation

The initial genesis supply of 3 billion SAITO tokens was distributed according to the following model: ^[2]

• Foundation: 33.33%
• Private Sale: 16.67%
• Team: 16.67%
• Strategic Sale: 13.33%
• Seed Investors: 10%
• Staking Rewards / Ecosystem: 10%

Token Utilities

The SAITO token has several core functions within the network's economic system. ^{[5] [1]}

• Transaction Fees: SAITO is used to pay for all network operations, including processing transactions, running application logic, and paying for data storage.
• Node and Miner Incentivization: Fees are collected and paid out to routing nodes and miners through the Golden Ticket consensus mechanism as a reward for providing infrastructure and security.
• Staking for Access: Users and applications must stake SAITO to gain access to the network's fee market and services. This functions as a Sybil-resistance and rate-limiting mechanism.
• Passive Fee Share (ATR): Through the Automatic Transaction Rebroadcasting mechanism, a portion of on-chain network fees (documented as 25%) is redistributed to all holders of unspent SAITO tokens on the mainnet.

Governance

As of early 2026, network governance and strategic direction are primarily managed by the Saito Foundation. ^[1] The provided source materials do not detail a formal on-chain governance mechanism for token holders to vote on protocol-level changes. ^[2] The project's whitepaper discusses a theoretical model for on-chain governance where users, miners, and routers could vote to adjust the "paysplit" parameter, but this is noted as an area for future research. ^[3]

Confirmed Partnerships

The following partnerships and technical integrations have been confirmed through official project documentation and applications.

• MultiversX (formerly Elrond): Integration is confirmed through the Saito Multiwallet, which supports the EGLD token for use within Saito applications. ^[1]
• LCX: A partnership for listing the SAITO token on the LCX exchange to enhance liquidity. ^[2]
• Bitcoin and Ethereum: The Saito Multiwallet provides technical interoperability, allowing users to wrap and use Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) within the Saito ecosystem. ^[1]