Monad: A High-Performance EVM Blockchain Explained

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Monad is a next-generation Layer 1 blockchain designed to be fully compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). This compatibility allows developers to seamlessly deploy existing Ethereum smart contracts and applications on Monad without any modifications, eliminating interoperability barriers and simplifying migration.

However, Monad isn't just another EVM-compatible chain. It has been rebuilt from the ground up to overcome the scalability, performance, and cost limitations that have historically plagued Ethereum. While Ethereum processes around 10 transactions per second (TPS) and Binance Chain manages approximately 200 TPS, Monad supports 10,000 TPS, significantly increasing throughput capabilities.

What Makes Monad Unique?

Monad integrates parallel execution to unlock vastly improved transaction speeds, taking inspiration from high-throughput networks like Solana. This innovation aims to make high-performance, consumer-grade decentralized applications (dApps) a reality.

The key bottleneck for traditional EVM chains is sequential execution, which slows down transaction processing. By reengineering the core technology, Monad delivers faster, more reliable transactions—an essential upgrade for enterprise applications and financial services.

Monad supports 10,000 transactions per second, significantly increasing throughput capabilities and opening doors for distributed applications—even those with greater complexity and higher usage—to run in a decentralized manner.

Monad's Origin and Development

Monad is the brainchild of Keone Hon, James Hunsaker, and Eunice Giarta (CEO, CTO, and COO, respectively). Both Hon and Hunsaker left longtime technical roles at Jump Trading/Jump Crypto to focus on building Monad. Giarta brought product management experience from traditional tech sectors before aligning with crypto.

Development of the new L1 blockchain officially began in February 2022. The team now includes over 30 disclosed members working full-time on engineering.

Together, we are solving the unsolved and building towards a more performant future in blockchain technology.

Key Milestones

Monad's Growing Community

A strong online community has become a key asset in Monad's growth strategy. By leveraging platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Discord, the team has fostered deep engagement, real-time feedback, and organic growth—creating a vibrant ecosystem of developers and users.

Monad has embraced meme culture as an important pillar for scaling a Web3 business. They've hired a team focused solely on creating an interconnected community that believes in the Monad mission.

These efforts have fueled one of the most passionate developer ecosystems in crypto, driving excitement across social media platforms. As anticipation builds for Monad's mainnet, the community—affectionately called "Nads"—has become a force multiplier for adoption and growth.

How Monad Achieves High Performance

Monad operates similarly to Ethereum in terms of user experience. You can interact with the blockchain using established Ethereum wallets and explorers. Once Monad is live, developers will be able to port existing Ethereum apps to Monad, and users will be able to interact with those dApps seamlessly.

Monad has focused on four major areas of improvement to scale EVM blockchain transactions:

MonadBFT Consensus Mechanism

MonadBFT ensures the integrity of the blockchain by validating transactions and synchronizing validator nodes. Its framework allows the consensus mechanism to quickly verify transactions even when detecting faulty or malicious validator nodes.

MonadBFT is a high-performance consensus mechanism derived from HotStuff with improvements proposed in Jolteon/DiemBFT/Fast-HotStuff, reducing from three rounds to two rounds by utilizing quadratic communication complexity during leader timeout events.

Deferred and Parallel Execution

The MonadBFT consensus mechanism operates differently than traditional blockchain practices by "decoupling" execution from consensus. With Monad, nodes reach agreement about transactions without a validating node executing the transaction first.

This "optimistic execution" means Monad begins executing transactions before earlier transactions in the block have been completed, significantly improving throughput.

MonadDb Database System

Monad departs from traditional Ethereum platforms with their parallel execution architecture, which requires brief storage of data points during delays between transaction reading and operation completion. MonadDb is a custom database used for storing blockchain state with simultaneous support for input and output data.

MonadDb fully utilizes the latest kernel support for asynchronous I/O, avoiding the need to spawn numerous kernel threads to handle pending I/O requests.

Running a Validator Node

The estimated requirements to run a Monad validator node are:

These hardware requirements are relatively accessible, with many off-the-shelf computers meeting these specifications. However, while the Monad Testnet is operational, the infrastructure needed for individuals to set up and operate validator nodes has not yet been released.

👉 Explore validator setup requirements

Current Status and Availability

As of Q1 2025, the Monad public testnet is operational, allowing developers and users to explore its capabilities. The mainnet launch date remains to be determined.

The native token for the Monad network has not yet launched on mainnet. During the testnet phase, participants can obtain test tokens through various faucets for experimentation and development purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Monad's main advantage over Ethereum?
Monad's primary advantage is its significantly higher throughput of 10,000 TPS compared to Ethereum's approximately 10 TPS. This is achieved through parallel execution while maintaining full EVM compatibility, allowing seamless migration of existing Ethereum applications.

How does Monad achieve parallel execution?
Monad implements parallel processing by decoupling execution from consensus through its MonadBFT mechanism. This allows the network to process multiple transactions simultaneously rather than sequentially, dramatically increasing transaction capacity.

Is Monad completely compatible with existing Ethereum dApps?
Yes, Monad maintains full Ethereum Virtual Machine compatibility, meaning developers can deploy existing Ethereum smart contracts and applications without modifications. This eliminates interoperability barriers and simplifies the migration process.

When will Monad's mainnet launch?
While the public testnet launched in February 2025, the mainnet launch date has not been officially announced. The team continues to develop and test the network to ensure stability and security before mainnet deployment.

What makes Monad different from other high-performance blockchains?
Unlike some other high-throughput networks that sacrifice compatibility, Monad maintains full EVM compatibility while achieving significant performance improvements. This combination of high speed and ecosystem compatibility represents Monad's unique value proposition.

Can I participate in the Monad testnet?
Yes, the public testnet is currently operational, allowing developers and users to experiment with the network. Test tokens are available through various faucets for those interested in exploring Monad's capabilities before mainnet launch.

Monad represents a significant step forward in blockchain scalability, offering the developer familiarity of Ethereum with the performance necessary for mass adoption. As the ecosystem continues to develop and expand, Monad is positioning itself as a compelling high-performance alternative for next-generation decentralized applications.