RioChain Technical Update H1 2022

RioChain is constantly developing as one of the key components of our ecosystem. In 2022, the upgraded RioChain went through two rounds of source code auditing by Certik, a renowned blockchain security firm, internal testing of its Nodes and Validators Program, as well as the integration of the Frontier pallet to enable EVM code to be run on RioChain. Furthermore, the RioChain block explorer is also getting updated to meet the new chain’s specs.

Independent 3rd Party Audit

Rio has finished two rounds of Audit with Certik, a leading blockchain security company. Certik is currently reviewing our second code submission before we can make final amendments to RioChain’s upgraded mainnet and testnet.

Nodes and Validators Program

In July 2022, the updated RioChain was deployed and is running as an internal Testnet. The updated version follows the Proof of Stake protocol, which currently has five validator nodes running on the Testnet. We are planning to add more validator nodes across the globe soon.

RioChain Block Explorer

The RioChain Block Explorer is going through a total revamp. The new version has enhanced functionality and included more features to reflect the chain’s upgrade to Proof of Stake.

Up until July 2022, we successfully connected the block explorer to the new Testnet and deployed it to a staging environment.

Onboarding EVM Compatible protocols

New RioChain has integrated the Frontier Pallet to enable EVM code to be run. We are planning to test running EVM code on RioChain Testnet in the coming weeks.

What are the next steps for RioChain?

1. Full transition from Proof of Authority (POA) to Proof of Stake (POS) protocol
2. Adding more validator nodes to RioChain (There are currently five nodes running on the Testnet)
3. Enable Native RFUEL Staking
4. Keep up to date with Substrate’s latest version. The current RioChain Testnet is built using Substrate 4.0 and is compliant with the new Open Runtime Module Library (ORML).
5. EVM/Ethereum compatible, thanks to the Frontier pallet.

Roadmap to launch:

1. Adding the Rio gateway pallet: Adding this pallet to RioChain enables cross-chain interoperability, such as depositing/withdrawing BTC or ETH onto the RioChain.
2. Adding Hex Trust API: Integrating the Hex Trust API enables us to leverage services such as depositing and withdrawing seamlessly from Asia’s leading digital assets custodian.
3. Adding sub assets to EVM & testing : Ensuring the new RioChain is fully EVM compatible.
4. Testing Wallet Extension: A new Rio product coming out alongside the updated RioChain is the RioWallet web browser extension. We will carry out some testings on it with the new RioChain to ensure we deliver a great user experience with top-notch security.
5. Adding Multi-Region Nodes: We will add more validators across the globe for validating transactions on RioChain.
6. Adding Archive Nodes: We will soon be adding archive nodes to safekeep the RioChain’s historical states.
7. Adding CICD pipelines and release notes to the public repository: It lets our community see the latest code updates and what they mean for them.

Keep an eye on our social media as we roll out more updates on RioChain in the coming days!