Xandeum is building a scalable storage layer for the Solana blockchain. This layer allows smart contracts to store large amounts of data in a decentralized way. The upcoming alpha release is an important step toward launching this on Solana mainnet.
Timeline for Alpha Release
The Xandeum team is working hard to launch the alpha release before the end of 2025. The team is in daily development calls and releasing updates frequently. There is a good chance it will go live on mainnet this year. However, since it is an alpha version, a short delay of a week or two would not be a big problem. The focus is on quality and getting real feedback.
What Is Included in the Alpha Release
Storage Layer on Mainnet: The alpha will provide a decentralized storage layer for Solana. Data will be stored across many pNodes (provider nodes) run by the community. There are usually 150 to 200 active pNodes that update quickly.
Redundancy: With recent releases like Stuttgart, data is stored with multiple replicas on different pNodes. This means the same data is copied to several nodes for safety.
Crash Fault Tolerance: The system can handle nodes that crash or go offline (as long as they are not malicious). Data can be recovered from other nodes. This is built in for alpha.
FS Onchain App: An improved version of the FS Onchain app (like a decentralized Dropbox) will be available. Users can store large files in a fault-tolerant way.
Integration with Solana: It uses a modified Solana validator client (Agave) to process Xandeum transactions and access the storage.
What Is Not Included in Alpha (Coming in Beta)
Byzantine Fault Tolerance: This protects against malicious nodes that try to cheat or provide wrong data. It will be added in the beta release.
Full Decentralization: Alpha still has a central component called Atlas, operated by the Xandeum Foundation. This is a single point of failure. In beta, Atlas will be removed and fully distributed to pNodes.
The beta release is planned for the first quarter of 2026.
Benefits and Use Cases
Xandeum storage is designed for applications that need unstoppable data storage. It is accessible directly from smart contracts and acts like a file system (not just simple blob storage). This is useful for:
Organizations that cannot risk losing data due to censorship or policy changes.
Industries in "gray zones," such as cannabis, where access to data might be affected by future rules.
Early adopters could include corporate customers who need reliable, decentralized storage.
For pNode Operators
In alpha, running a mainnet pNode may require extra resources.
Early operators will receive an alpha NFT with advantages.
Storage rewards (staking income) are not available at launch but should start soon after, possibly in early 2026.
Later, pNodes will need to bond XAND tokens for reputation and rewards. Bonding makes stakes slashable for poor performance.
The community of pNode operators is strong and motivated.
Next Steps After Alpha
Add storage rewards quickly.
Move to full bonding and staking for pNodes.
Reach out to customers for real-world use.
Launch beta with full Byzantine fault tolerance and no central components.
After beta, Xandeum will move to a stable, operational product.
This alpha release marks an exciting milestone for scalable storage on Solana. It allows the community to test and provide feedback on mainnet. The team is committed to building a robust, decentralized solution.
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