What is Validity (VAL)?

Quick Facts

  • Native token: VAL, used for staking and accessing platform services
  • Consensus: Proof-of-Stake (PoS)
  • Founded: 2015, formerly known as RadiumCore
  • Key feature: SmartChain Core for non-financial blockchain applications
  • Use cases: Decentralized identity, file verification, voting, proof-of-ownership
  • Team lead: Justin Jacobeen, blockchain architect
  • Open-source: Publicly released and community-accessible

Introduction

Validity (VAL) is an open-source, Proof-of-Stake blockchain designed to go far beyond simple value transfer. It combines a secure financial layer with a flexible SmartChain system that powers a broad range of non-financial applications — from digital identity to file verification.

The project positions itself as a one-stop decentralized services platform, bringing Web3 utility to everyday use cases in a transparent and distributed way.

History & Background

Validity was originally launched in 2015 under the name RadiumCore. Over time, the project evolved in scope and was rebranded to Validity to better reflect its expanded mission and technology stack.

The rebranding marked a shift from a simple cryptocurrency toward a full-featured blockchain platform targeting practical, real-world applications.

How Validity Works

At its core, Validity operates a Layer-1 Proof-of-Stake blockchain that processes financial transactions and secures value. On top of this base layer sits the SmartChain Core — a separate data layer that handles non-financial functions without impacting the main chain's performance or volatile memory usage.

SmartChain stores functions and information required for identity management, document verification, and governance — all within a fully distributed data layer on the Validity blockchain.

Tokenomics

VAL is the native token of the Validity platform. Holders earn new VAL by staking — the process of locking up tokens in a wallet to validate transactions on the network. The platform generates new tokens by distributing rewards among staking participants.

The token's economic design incentivizes long-term holding and active participation in network security, aligning user interests with the health of the broader ecosystem.

Circulating supply ? 5.63 million VAL
Total supply ? 9.00 million VAL
Max supply ? -- VAL
Updated 8h ago

Ecosystem & Use Cases

Validity supports a growing suite of practical applications powered by SmartChain:

  • Decentralized Identities (DID): Cryptographically managed identity-address linkage
  • File Verification: Checksum validation and proof-of-existence for documents
  • Public Voting: Transparent, on-chain decentralized elections
  • Proof-of-Ownership: On-chain ownership records for digital and physical assets
  • NFTs & Virtual Worlds: Support for digital collectibles and metaverse-style environments
  • Discord-Native Apps: Web3 applications built directly into Discord communities

Team, Governance & Community

The Validity team consists of experienced developers with backgrounds in mining and software engineering. Justin Jacobeen, the blockchain architect, has been contributing to cryptocurrency development since 2013. Tim Mesker serves as senior developer with over a decade of development experience.

The platform is open-source, fostering community participation and transparency in its development roadmap.

Advantages

  • Broad utility: Goes well beyond payments to cover identity, governance, and verification
  • Energy-efficient PoS: Staking-based consensus avoids the energy costs of mining
  • SmartChain separation: Non-financial data stored without bloating the core chain
  • Long track record: Active since 2015, demonstrating project longevity
  • Discord integration: Brings Web3 tools directly to existing community platforms

Risks & Challenges

  • Low liquidity: Trading volumes remain relatively modest, limiting market depth
  • Competitive landscape: Competing with larger, better-funded blockchain identity and Web3 platforms
  • Adoption pace: Real-world uptake of DID and on-chain verification tools is still maturing
  • Team size: A small core team may limit the speed of development and ecosystem growth

Long-Term Vision

Validity aims to become a comprehensive decentralized services platform where individuals and organizations can access identity management, document authentication, governance, and digital ownership — all secured by a battle-tested Proof-of-Stake blockchain.

With a growing suite of Web3 and Discord-native tools, the project is focused on bridging the gap between blockchain technology and practical, everyday use cases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Validity is an open-source Proof-of-Stake blockchain platform that supports both financial transactions and non-financial applications such as decentralized identity, file verification, and voting. VAL is its native token used for staking and accessing platform services.

SmartChain Core is a component of the Validity platform that stores data and functions required for non-financial applications. It operates as a distributed data layer on the Validity blockchain without impacting volatile memory usage.

Validity was originally launched in 2015 under the name RadiumCore. It was later rebranded to Validity to reflect its expanded technology and broader platform vision.

Users earn VAL by staking — locking up tokens in a wallet to help validate transactions on the Validity blockchain network. The platform distributes new tokens as staking rewards.

Validity supports decentralized identities (DID), file checksum verification, proof-of-existence, public voting, proof-of-ownership, NFTs, and virtual worlds. It also offers Discord-native Web3 applications.

The team is led by Justin Jacobeen, the blockchain architect who has contributed to cryptocurrency development since 2013. Tim Mesker serves as senior developer with over ten years of software development experience.

Yes, Validity is an open-source blockchain that is freely shared and publicly released. This allows community members to inspect the code, contribute to development, and build on the platform.

Validity separates financial transaction processing from non-financial data storage using its SmartChain layer. This design enables practical applications like digital identity and document verification without compromising the performance of the core chain.