Elastos (ELA) is a distinctive platform that aims to establish a blockchain-powered version of the internet. It is designed to address the limitations of Ethereum and other DApp platforms, particularly in terms of scalability and flexibility. Elastos provides a platform for decentralized applications (DApps) that is optimized for mobile and compatible with every operating system. The platform's Smart Web feature is designed to protect users from malware and other digital threats, ensuring data security. Elastos also allows users to have full ownership over their digital assets, eliminating the need to access the internet to run DApps.

Elastos operates on four pillars: blockchain, runtime, carrier, and software development kit (SDK). The blockchain separates app functionality between the main chain and side chains for each individual application. The runtime allows DApps to run outside of the Elastos operating system. The carrier is a peer-to-peer decentralized internet service where users can rent out their computational power and storage to others. The SDK connects applications to the Smart Web, benefiting non-Elastos applications. All communication on the Elastos network is encrypted and authorized by blockchain IDs, ensuring secure and private data processing.

Elastos offers a wide range of potential use cases. It can be used to create a new kind of internet, where digital assets are scarce, identifiable, and tradable. This can pave the way for a new kind of digital space. For instance, authors can decide to have a limited number of their digital books in circulation on the Smart Web, creating scarcity and enabling unique digital ownership. Filmmakers can raise funds for their movies by issuing their tokens and writing smart contracts that share a portion of the viewing fee with token holders. Elastos also enables consumers to participate in the digital economy, allowing them to sell limited edition game apps or digital books to others, depending on market demand.

Elastos was conceived in 2000 by Rong Chen, a former senior software engineer at Microsoft. He envisioned an operating system designed for the entire web. However, it was not until 2017, with the emergence of blockchain technology, that his vision was fully realized. Rong, along with co-founder Feng Han, incorporated blockchain into Elastos to complete his vision. The Elastos Foundation was established, and the development of the Elastos platform began. Since then, Elastos has been engaging with new and existing DApp projects through its Cyber Republic initiative. The platform has received support from organizations such as the Tsinghua Science Park, the TD-SCDMA Industrial Alliance, and the Foxconn Group.

The Elastos Carrier is a component of the Elastos ecosystem, functioning as a decentralized communication layer that seeks to reduce reliance on third-party vendors or TCP/IP. It strives to foster a peer-to-peer World Wide Web, with an emphasis on private communication and data ownership. The Carrier operates by managing all network traffic between virtual machines, conveying information on behalf of applications. This approach aims to ensure that data remains on the user's device, and if it needs to be shared, it's not routed through the internet and then through centralized servers. Instead, the Elastos runtime on the user's device transforms it into its own virtual machine and node on the Carrier's peer-to-peer network. This structure aims to facilitate data transfer between distributed nodes, such as video and audio streaming or text messaging. The Elastos Carrier seeks to provide a decentralized communication network that supports user privacy and data ownership, and also aims to facilitate data sharing and transfer.

Elastos employs a unique sidechain infrastructure with the intention of enhancing scalability and transaction throughput. This infrastructure allows Elastos to separate the main chain, which handles basic operations, from the sidechains that execute smart contracts to support various applications and services. This separation aims to reduce the load on the main chain, thereby striving to improve scalability. Elastos' sidechain structure seeks to increase transactions per second (TPS) for different crypto platforms. For instance, the Ethereum sidechain on Elastos intends to handle a higher number of transactions per second (TPS) compared to Ethereum's current capacity. Elastos also uses its peer-to-peer Carrier network to facilitate operations. The effectiveness of the Carrier network may be influenced by factors such as the user's internet bandwidth and the speed of the peer-to-peer network. This combination of sidechain infrastructure and Carrier network is part of Elastos' strategy to improve its scalability and efficiency.

Elastos utilizes its native token, ELA, as a utility token within its ecosystem. The initial allocation of ELA began with 33 million, with 50% distributed to individuals and organizations throughout the ecosystem, forming the Circulating Allocation. The remaining 50% were assigned to an Ecosystem Development Pool. Elastos operates on a model where the total supply of ELA grows over time, but the rate of increase continuously decreases. Each year, 924,000 ELA, which is 2.8% of the Genesis Total Supply, are issued to Community Nodes in the Elastos ecosystem as Community Block Incentives. Elastos also sees a 4% increase year to year, with all the mining rewards coming from this increase. The allocation of mining rewards is 35% for AuxPoW, 35% for DPoS, 20% for Ecosystem Application Reward, and 10% for Foundation Running and Development. The ELA token can be used for exchanging, acquiring digital assets, and covering blockchain processing fees.

Elastos' Smart Web is designed to offer a different approach to managing digital content. It is built with the intention of creating a new kind of Internet, powered by blockchain technology, where users may have the ability to control digital assets. This new Internet seeks to make digital assets scarce, identifiable, and tradable, with the intention of contributing to a World Wide Web that respects property rights. Elastos' Smart Web is designed as a platform for decentralized applications (Dapps) that runs on a peer-to-peer network with no centralized control. Users may use these Dapps on their mobile phones, given their operating system compatibility. The Elastos Smart Web also aims to create an environment where digital assets can be traded peer-to-peer, with the intention of facilitating direct access to articles, movies, and games, bypassing the need for a media player or other platform intermediaries. This system seeks to address mistrust between buyers and sellers, aiming to enhance trust and security within the platform.

Elastos employs a hybrid consensus mechanism that combines three distinct consensus mechanisms to ensure robust transaction execution. The first is Auxiliary Proof of Work (AuXPoW), where Bitcoin miners strive to produce blocks for the Elastos mainchain, with their efforts recognized via non-monetary incentives. This mechanism integrates the benefits of Bitcoin into Elastos through merged-mining. The second is Bonded Proof of Stake (BPoS), a hybrid consensus mechanism that blends elements of delegated proof of stake and proof of stake. BPoS is intended to provide finality for PoW-solved blocks on the mainchain, and on sidechains, it is responsible for both block production and validation. The third is Proof of Integrity, a consensus layer backed by the Cyber Republic, Elastos' decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). Councilors elected annually participate in the maintenance of the mainchain, validate the sidechains, and act as arbiters for cross-chain transfers. By combining these three consensus mechanisms, Elastos strives to establish a foundation for decentralized applications with an emphasis on efficiency.

Elastos manages digital identities for users and devices through its Decentralized Identity (DID) solution. This solution uses cryptographic proofs to aim to ensure the security and accessibility of personal data, allowing individuals to strive to take control of their digital identities. With Elastos DID, users can access Elastos' ecosystem services and applications, manage their assets and data, and aim to maintain control over their digital identities. The Elastos DID solution is designed to be interoperable, meaning users can use a single DID across multiple platforms and applications. This system seeks to reduce the need for multiple logins across different websites and apps, providing a user experience that aims to be efficient and respects user privacy. Moreover, Elastos DID aims to ensure users' personal data is private and primarily digital. Users can choose to disclose only the information they want to share, and they aim to maintain control over who has access to their data.