$BTC Polkadot (DOT) is a multichain protocol that aims to enable blockchain interoperability, allowing different blockchains to transfer messages and value in a trustless manner. Conceived by Gavin Wood, a co-founder of Ethereum, Polkadot features a central "relay chain" that provides security and coordination for connected "parachains" – independent blockchains with their own specific use cases and governance.

DOT is the native token used for governance, staking (securing the network and participating in consensus), and bonding (connecting new parachains to the relay chain). Polkadot's architecture is designed to be highly scalable and flexible, facilitating innovation by allowing developers to build specialized blockchains that can communicate with each other, fostering a diverse and interconnected Web3 ecosystem.