Ano ang Internet Computer (ICP)?

The Internet Computer blockchain incorporates a radical rethink of blockchain design, powered by innovations in cryptography. It provides the first “World Computer” blockchain that can be used to build almost any online system or service, including demanding web social media, without need for traditional IT such as cloud computing services. As such it can enable full end-to-end decentralization.

The IC makes use of a utility token called ICP. This token is used for the following functions:

• Staking in the NNS: ICP tokens may be staked in the NNS to acquire voting rights so as to participate in the DAO that controls the IC network. Users that have ICP tokens staked in the NNS and who participate in the NNS governance also receive newly minted ICP tokens as a voting reward. The amount of the award is determined by policies established and enforced by the NNS.
• Conversion to Cycles: ICP is used to pay for the usage of the IC. More specifically, ICP tokens can be converted to cycles (i.e., burned), and these cycles are used to pay for creating canisters and for the resources that canisters use (storage, CPU, and bandwidth). The rate at which ICP is converted to cycles is determined by the NNS.
• Payment to Node Providers: ICP tokens are used to pay the node providers—these are the entities that own and operate the computing nodes that host the replicas that make up the IC. At regular intervals (currently monthly), the NNS decides on the number of newly minted tokens that each node provider should receive, and sends the tokens to the node provider’s account. Payment of tokens is conditioned on providing reliable service to the IC, according to specific policies established and enforced by the NNS.