CRO is built on top of Ethereum’s ([ETH](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/ethereum/)) blockchain according to the [ERC-20](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/erc-20) compatibility standard, which means that its network is secured by the Ethash function.

The total supply of CRO is limited to 30 billion coins (following 70 billion CRO burned in 2021), all of which were created when the blockchain went live — making it a non-mineable cryptocurrency. The total supply of CRO will be allocated for five different purposes: * 30% — Secondary distribution and launch incentives - released in batches on a daily basis over five years from November 14, 2018; * 20% — Capital reserve - frozen until Nov, 7, 2022; * 20% — Network Long-Term Incentives - frozen until Nov. 7, 2022; * 20% — Ecosystem grants - frozen until the launch of Crypto.com Chain Mainnet; * 10% — Community development.

Cronos Chain hosts various [decentralized applications](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/decentralized-applications-dapps) ([dApps](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/decentralized-applications-dapps)) and has a [total value locked](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/total-value-locked-tvl) ([TVL](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/total-value-locked-tvl)) of over $781.86 million, at the time of writing, making it one of the largest EVM-compatible chains. It is the first blockchain that enables interoperability between the Ethereum and Cosmos ecosystems. Some of the Cronos Chain dApps driving the adoption of CRO by using it as the main payment method for transactions include VVS Finance, Tectonic Finance, Ferro Protocol, MM Finance and Single Finance.

CRO blockchain is mainly focused on providing utility to the users of Crypto.com’s payment, trading and financial services solutions. CRO owners can stake their coins on the Crypto.com Chain to act as a validator and earn fees for processing transactions on the network. Additionally, CRO coins can be used to settle transaction fees on the Cronos Chain. Within the framework of the Crypto.com Pay payments app, users can get cashback of up to 20% by paying merchants in CRO and up to 10% by purchasing gift cards and making peer-to-peer transfers to other users. When it comes to trading use cases, the Crypto.com App allows users to earn token rewards for select listings by [staking](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/staking) CRO. Additionally, users can earn annual interest of up to 10-12% on their Crypto.com Coins by staking them on either the Crypto.com Exchange app or Crypto.com’s metal Visa Card. Overall, CRO acts as an instrument that powers Crypto.com’s drive to increase the adoption of cryptocurrencies on a global scale. As such, the company is continuously working on finding and developing new use cases that will allow users to leverage the cryptocurrency to enhance the control they have over their money, data and identities.

Cronos was launched by the Crypto.com company as part of its vision of “putting cryptocurrency in every wallet.” Crypto.com itself was founded in June 2016 as “Monaco Technologies GmbH” by Kris Marszalek, Rafael Melo, Gary Or and Bobby Bao. Kris Marszalek, an alum of the Polish Adam Mickiewicz University, has founded and headed three companies prior to starting Crypto.com: consumer electronics design and manufacturing business Starline Polska, location-based service mobile app and platform YIYI and the e-commerce firm BEECRAZY. Rafael Melo earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering from the PUC-Rio. Over his more than 15-year-long career in finance, Melo has worked with major companies in Asia and helped secure over 50 million AUD in funding for the Ensogo social commerce website. Gary Or is a software engineer with over nine years of fullstack engineering experience. Prior to co-founding Crypto.com, Or worked as platform architect at Ensogo and co-founded the mobile app development firm Foris. He received his bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science from the University of Hong Kong. Before helping launch Crypto.com, Bobby Bao worked in the M&A department of the China Renaissance investment bank. Bao has studied at the University of Melbourne, NYU Stern School of Business and the College of William & Mary.

Cronos (CRO) is the native cryptocurrency token of Cronos Chain — a decentralized, open-source [blockchain](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/blockchain) developed by the Crypto.com payment, trading and financial services company. Cronos Chain is one of the products in Crypto.com’s lineup of solutions designed to accelerate the global adoption of cryptocurrencies as a means of increasing personal control over money, safeguarding user data and protecting users’ identities. The CRO blockchain serves primarily as a vehicle that powers the Crypto.com Pay mobile payments app. In the future, Crypto.com plans to expand the reach of the CRO platform to power its other products as well. CRO went live in November-December 2018.