[Crypto projects](https://revain.org/projects/) › Arweave

# Arweave (AR): how it works, supply and reviews

## Key facts

- **Ticker**: AR
- **Network**: own blockchain
- **Official site**: [arweave.org/#landing-page](https://arweave.org/#landing-page)
- **Source code**: [github.com/ArweaveTeam/arweave](https://github.com/ArweaveTeam/arweave)

Data: CoinGecko (trading activity) and CoinPaprika (links), 2026-10-27. Only projects that still trade with meaningful volume are listed.

## What is Arweave

Arweave is a blockchain-based protocol for permanent data storage: users pay once in AR and the network keeps the data replicated over the long term. A storage endowment funded by upload fees pays miners over time for proving they store the data.

## Network and consensus

| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Layer-1 network for permanent data storage ("blockweave") |
| Consensus | Mining based on succinct proofs of access and replication of stored data |
| Block time | About 2 minutes on average, up to 1,000 transactions per block |
| Launched | 8 June 2018 |
| Programming language | Reference node implemented in Erlang |

## Supply and issuance

| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Maximum supply | 66 million AR |
| Initial distribution | 55 million AR created in the genesis block |
| Issuance | A further 11 million AR released gradually as block mining rewards that decrease with block height |
| Storage endowment | Most of each upload fee goes into an endowment that pays miners over time; users pay upfront for 20 replicas for 200 years at present costs |

## What AR is used for

- Paying one-time fees to store data permanently
- Funding the storage endowment that pays miners over time
- Mining rewards for nodes that store and prove data
- A means of value exchange on the network

## Who develops and governs Arweave

- **Founders**: Sam Williams, lead author of the yellow paper and lightpaper
- **Developer**: Arweave team (ArweaveTeam on GitHub); the ecosystem describes itself as decentralized
- **Governance**: Protocol changes through fork-based "incentivized evolution" rather than on-chain voting
- **Open source**: Yes, released under GNU General Public License v2.0

## History

| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 8 June 2018 | Mainnet launched with 55 million AR in the genesis block |
| 26 December 2023 | Lightpaper draft 17 documented the protocol as implemented in version 2.7.0 |

## Risks and caveats

- Data is meant to be permanent; miners are responsible for complying with data protection and other laws where they operate
- The endowment model assumes storage costs keep falling over time; its purchasing power changes with data volume, storage costs and token value
- Each participant chooses which data to store and serve, so content policies differ across the network

## Official links

- Website: [arweave.org](https://arweave.org/)
- Docs: [docs.arweave.org](https://docs.arweave.org/)
- Whitepaper: [www.arweave.org/yellow-paper.pdf](https://www.arweave.org/yellow-paper.pdf)
- Source code: [github.com/ArweaveTeam/arweave](https://github.com/ArweaveTeam/arweave)

## Questions and answers

**What is Arweave?**

Arweave is a decentralized network for permanent data storage, where users pay once in AR and miners are paid over time to keep the data.

**Who created Arweave?**

Arweave was created by a team led by Sam Williams, lead author of its yellow paper; the mainnet launched on 8 June 2018.

**What is the maximum supply of AR?**

66 million AR: 55 million created at genesis and 11 million released gradually as mining rewards.

**How does Arweave work?**

Miners produce a block about every 2 minutes and must prove with succinct proofs that they store and can access the data; upload fees fund an endowment that pays them over time.

## Sources

- [CoinGecko — Arweave](https://www.coingecko.com/en/coins/arweave)
- [CoinPaprika — Arweave](https://coinpaprika.com/coin/ar-arweave/)
- [Arweave — Yellow paper](https://www.arweave.org/yellow-paper.pdf)
- [Arweave — Lightpaper (draft 17, 26 December 2023)](https://www.arweave.org/files/arweave-lightpaper.pdf)
- [Arweave — Official Erlang implementation (README)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ArweaveTeam/arweave/master/README.md)
- [Arweave Docs — Getting started (mining)](https://docs.arweave.org/)
- [Arweave — Home](https://arweave.org/)

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- [All Crypto projects →](https://revain.org/projects/)

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Page updated: 2026-10-29

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Source: https://revain.org/projects/arweave/