Eigenlayer Unveils White Paper for InterSubjective Agreement Token: EIGEN

Eigenlayer, an Ethereum staking protocol, has unveiled EIGEN, a new token proposed in a white paper. EIGEN aims to facilitate intersubjective agreement in applications such as prediction markets, storage services, and virtual gaming machines. The token leverages staked Ether but claims to surpass REP's use-case limitations, offering wider applications and a range of potential benefits, including cost measurement, fault compensation, and universality.

Eigenlayer Unveils White Paper for Proposed InterSubjective Agreement Token: EIGEN

April 29, 2024

Introduction

Eigenlayer, a blockchain network utilizing staked Ether (ETH) as its native currency, has released a comprehensive white paper outlining its proposal for a novel token, EIGEN. This token is specifically designed to facilitate applications that rely on intersubjective agreement, a cornerstone feature in areas such as prediction markets, storage services, and gaming virtual machines.

InterSubjective Agreement and Staked Ethereum

Central to Eigenlayer's design is the concept of intersubjective agreement, which pertains to the recognition of data or statements that can be easily verified by individuals without relying solely on on-chain data. A prime example provided by Eigenlayer is the statement "1 [Bitcoin] BTC = 1 USD [US Dollar]," which can be quickly refuted through widely accessible off-chain information.

Eigenlayer's architecture leverages staked Ether to establish consensus for on-chain verifiable data, such as the validity of transactions. However, for intersubjective statements, the white paper proposes the introduction of the EIGEN token.

EIGEN: A Universal Intersubjective Agreement Token

Drawing inspiration from Augur's REP token, which was initially tailored for prediction markets, Eigenlayer envisions EIGEN as a "universal" intersubjective agreement token. Its versatility extends beyond its intended use in prediction markets, encompassing a wide range of applications where consensus on non-objectively attributable statements is crucial.

Unique Attributes of EIGEN

The white paper highlights several unique attributes of EIGEN that distinguish it from other tokens:

• Isolation from Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Apps: EIGEN can be isolated from DeFi applications during forks, ensuring its stability and preventing potential disruptions.
• Measuring Cost of Social Consensus: EIGEN can aid in quantifying the cost associated with establishing agreement within a community or group.
• Compensation for Lost Tokens: EIGEN incorporates a mechanism to compensate users for any potential losses incurred due to faults or errors.

Suitable Applications for EIGEN Token

Eigenlayer identifies a diverse array of potential applications for the EIGEN token, including:

• Prediction markets
• Storage services
• Cloud microservices
• Gaming virtual machines
• Order-matching engines for exchanges
• Databases
• Artificial intelligence (AI) training

EIGEN Distribution and Upcoming Airdrop

Eigenlayer has allocated 5% of the total EIGEN supply to existing users who have participated in restaking ETH through the network. These tokens were distributed following a snapshot taken on March 15, 2024. Additional tokens will be distributed to participants in "Season 2," which commenced immediately after the snapshot. The duration of Season 2 remains undisclosed.

Speculation is rife within the cryptocurrency community that Eigenlayer may be planning an airdrop of EIGEN tokens to users. This speculation stems from a reported link to a "claims" webpage established by the Eigenlayer team. However, accessing the webpage from U.S. IP addresses or VPN server addresses located in Europe results in a 404 error. Eigenlayer's documentation explicitly excludes the United States, Canada, and several African and Asian countries from participating in the airdrop.

Potential Yield Crisis

Concerns have been raised regarding a potential "yield crisis" facing Eigenlayer due to the rapid influx of assets locked on its platform. According to reports from QuickNode and Artemis, restaking on Eigenlayer is a significant driver of new assets entering the DeFi ecosystem. The team acknowledges this challenge and is actively exploring solutions to ensure the long-term stability of the network.

Conclusion

Eigenlayer's proposed EIGEN token represents a significant step forward in the realm of intersubjective agreement and consensus mechanisms. Its versatility and unique attributes position it as a promising solution for a wide range of applications. As the team finalizes the details of EIGEN's distribution and upcoming airdrop, the cryptocurrency community eagerly anticipates the token's potential impact on the DeFi ecosystem and beyond.