Polkadot positions itself as a next-generation blockchain protocol connecting multiple specialized blockchains into one unified network. Polkadot also allows developers to build their own parachains by providing a number of unique technologies. Here are some of the most potential projects on this platform.
Moonbeam
Moonbeam is a smart contract platform, enabling developers to build applications that operate across multiple blockchains. It simplifies the developer experience by combining full Ethereum compatibility with the power of Polkadot, including scalability, cross-chain integrations, and on-chain governance.
Kusama
Kusama is a scalable network of specialized blockchains built using Substrate and nearly the same codebase as Polkadot. The network is an experimental development environment for teams who want to move fast and innovate on Kusama, or prepare for deployment on Polkadot.
Upgrades are also tested on Kusama before it is officially released on Polkadot. Kusama can be considered as a launching pad for future blockchain breakthroughs, which can promote development of blockchain in the long run.
Astar
Astar, formerly known as the Plasm Network, is a scalable and interoperable infrastructure for DApps in the Polkadot ecosystem. Astar can be seen as the center of Polkadot dApp, acting as a bridge between Polkadot and Layer-1 blockchains. As a permissionless public blockchain, anyone can join and build innovative DApps on Astar.
Acala
Acala is a high-performance decentralized finance platform that supports liquidity and cross-blockchain apps. It is built on the Substrate of Polkadot ecosystem, bringing a new world with different decentralized finance features.
Parallel Finance
Parallel is also a potential Defi project on Polkadot, allowing users to borrow and pledge assets. Its goal is to maximize returns on users’ crypto asset portfolios and provide a strong platform for financial discovery.