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The Arcium Network consists of three Network stakeholders who engage with the Network economically to either obtain or provide services. These include:
  • Computation Customers: Those that purchase confidential computing services by creating computation environments (MXEs) and paying fees for executing secure, private computations.
  • Arx Operators: Provide computational resources to the network by running Arx nodes, earning rewards for completing encrypted tasks.
  • Third-Party Delegators: Contribute their stake to Arx nodes, sharing in the rewards generated by the node’s computations while also assuming the associated risks.
Arcium Network Stakeholders

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Computation Customers

As the buy-side participants, Computation Customers purchase confidential computing services from the Arcium Network. To access these services, customers follow these steps:
  • Create a Computation Environment (MXE): Define persistent data objects, which serve as data stores for computations within the MXE, and select a Cluster to run the environment. Since Arcium is stateless, customers manage data persistence externally.
  • Configure Computation Details: Specify the exact Arcis code and computational tasks to execute, including persistent and one-time data inputs, breaking larger jobs into smaller, manageable tasks as needed.
  • Order Computation Execution: Pay a network-defined base fee plus a priority fee which allows customers to prioritize urgent computations. Initially, these fees may be optional; however, as volume grows on the Arcium Network, it will become necessary to set priority fees at competitive levels to have computations processed in reasonable time frames.
Example: A customer might order ongoing computations for DeFi trading algorithms, ensuring that large, continuous operations are split into manageable, sequential tasks. Each computation is processed securely using Arcium’s infrastructure.

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Arx Operators

Arx Operators provide the computational resources of the Arcium Network by running Arx MPC nodes on their hardware infrastructure. They are compensated based on the computations they complete and follow these key responsibilities:
  • Resource Declaration: Operators specify the amount of computational power their node offers, which determines how much collateral must be staked to their node to participate in the network.
  • Reputation: Operators are selected by Computation Customers via Clusters, based on their reputation, which is influenced by factors such as slashing history, computation performance, and reliability.
  • TEE Capabilities: Operators can choose to equip their Arx node with a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) to handle tasks that require additional security.
Revenue Streams:
  1. Self-delegation rewards: Arx Operators stake their own collateral to activate hardware, typically exceeding the minimum required. This minimum acts as a safety measure for Cluster migration costs if a node goes offline. Rewards are earned based on total self-stake.
  2. Third-party delegation fees: Operators earn fees from third-party delegators who stake on their nodes. This external collateral unlocks more computational capacity, allowing the node to handle larger workloads.
Example: An Arx Operator may specialize in high-performance nodes optimized for large-scale computations, which are favored by customers requiring robust data security and efficient processing, such as for AI model training or confidential DeFi transactions. By offering reliable and scalable computational resources, these operators can attract clients with demanding privacy and performance needs.

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3rd-Party Delegators

Third-Party Delegators contribute their stake to an Arx node in exchange for a share of the rewards earned by the node for completing computations. Delegators play a crucial role in the network by increasing the computational capacity of nodes, but also assume Collateral Risk. This is because if the Arx node they delegate to is penalized for misbehavior (e.g., protocol violations), the delegator’s stake is also slashed proportionally. In addition to supporting computational power, third-party delegators also act as indicators of node reliability and trustworthiness. By conducting their own due diligence before selecting a node, delegators highlight nodes with strong reputations, helping other stakeholders identify which nodes are considered dependable. They also receive a pro-rata share of rewards, after the Arx Operator deducts a percentage-based fee for managing the physical infrastructure. Example: A delegator who wishes to earn passive income on their assets can delegate to a well-reputed Arx Operator with a reliable node history, sharing in the computation rewards while accepting the risk of slashing. Optional Delegation: Arx Operators can choose to disable third-party delegation, opting to rely solely on their own stake to run computations.