Somnia is an EVM-compatible Layer 1 blockchain designed to power real-time, mass-consumer applications, particularly in gaming, entertainment, and the metaverse. Launched in 2024 by the Virtual Society Foundation (VSF), initiated by British tech company Improbable, Somnia aims to provide a scalable and user-friendly infrastructure for decentralized applications .
Key Features
High Throughput and Low Latency: Somnia boasts the capability to process over 1 million transactions per second (TPS) with sub-second finality, making it suitable for large-scale, real-time applications .
EVM Compatibility: The blockchain is fully compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), allowing developers to deploy existing Ethereum-based applications and leverage familiar tools like Solidity and MetaMask .
Innovative Consensus Mechanism: Somnia utilizes a MultiStream consensus mechanism, which separates data production from the consensus process, enabling validators to produce blocks independently and enhancing scalability .
Optimized Execution: The platform compiles EVM bytecode into native code, achieving execution speeds comparable to hand-written contracts in languages like C++, thereby improving performance .
Custom Database (ICEdb): Somnia features a custom-built database that reduces read and write latency to 70–100 nanoseconds, facilitating faster data processing .
Ecosystem and Adoption
Mainnet Launch: Somnia's mainnet went live in September 2025, marking a significant milestone in its development .
Partnerships: The platform has secured strategic partnerships with entities like GameFi.org to accelerate blockchain gaming advancements and expand its ecosystem .
Developer Support: Somnia offers tools and resources to developers, including low-code solutions like Somnia Builder, to facilitate the creation of immersive, on-chain applications .
Tokenomics
SOMI Token: The native cryptocurrency, SOMI, powers transactions and governance within the Somnia network. It plays a crucial role in enabling decentralized applications and supporting the platform's growth .
Vision
Somnia's overarching goal is to onboard millions of users into the Web3 ecosystem by providing a seamless and engaging experience in gaming, entertainment, and social applications. By addressing scalability and latency challenges, Somnia aims to transform how users interact with decentralized technologies .