Ontology (ONT): how it works, supply and reviews

In short

Type: Public blockchain with ledger accounts and smart contracts, focused on decentralised identity and data.
Maximum supply: 1 billion ONT.
Risks and caveats: Block production was paused twice in 2026 by coordination of the team and consensus nodes, so transactions could not be processed during those pauses.
Checked: 1 November 2026

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Key facts

Ticker: ONT
Official site: ont.io

Key facts checked on 1 November 2026 against official sources.

What is Ontology

Ontology is a public blockchain launched in 2017 that focuses on decentralised identity (ONT ID), reputation and data tools for Web3. It uses two tokens: ONT for staking and governance, and ONG for transaction fees. Its MainNet has run since 30 June 2018.

Network and consensus

Network and consensus — Ontology
Parameter	Details
Type	Public blockchain with ledger accounts and smart contracts, focused on decentralised identity and data.
Consensus	VBFT: proof of stake combined with a verifiable random function and Byzantine fault tolerance.
Launched	MainNet launched on 30 June 2018.
Smart contracts	Multi-VM support: EVM, NeoVM and WASM.
Nodes	Consensus (Triones) nodes are voted in by ONT staking; synchronisation nodes only sync blocks.
Programming language	Official node implementation in Go, open source under LGPL-3.0.
Fees	Fees are paid in ONG, from 0.05 ONG per transaction.

Supply and issuance

Supply and issuance — Ontology
Parameter	Details
Maximum supply	1 billion ONT.
Issuance	ONG is released to ONT holders over time at a per-second rate that decreases every year.
Staking rewards	Staking ONT earns ONG rewards.
Decimals	Since the EVM upgrade ONT has 9 decimals and ONG 18.

What ONT is used for

ONT is used for network governance voting and consensus node election.
ONT is staked to generate ONG.
ONG pays transaction fees, smart contract execution and dApp interaction costs.

Who develops and governs Ontology

Developer: Maintained by the Ontology core tech team and community members.
Governance: Consensus management contracts update the consensus node list and VBFT parameters on chain.
Open source: Source code on GitHub under the LGPL-3.0 licence.

History

History — Ontology
Date	Event
27 November 2017	Ontology officially launches in New York City.
30 June 2018	The Ontology MainNet goes live.
10 July 2018	The ONTO wallet goes live.
9 July 2019	Ontology publishes White Paper 2.0.
1 March 2022	Ontology EVM launches on the MainNet.
31 August 2026	Block production is suspended for a security review; the MainNet resumes on 2 September 2026.
28 September 2026	Ontology closes the stONT liquid staking service and refunds staked ONT.
23 October 2026	The MainNet is upgraded to v3.3.1.

Security and audits

VBFT selects proposal, verification and confirmation nodes at random each round, which the docs say makes attacks harder to predict.
In 2026 Ontology paused block production twice as a precaution: once after finding malicious attack activity targeting the network, and once over a risk in an ecosystem project.
Ontology says its team will never message users first or ask for a seed phrase.

Security incidents

Security incidents — Ontology
Date	What happened	Source
31 August 2026	Network halt: Block production was suspended for a security review. On 1 September Ontology said it had identified malicious attack activity targeting the network and that no user assets were compromised; the MainNet resumed on 2 September 2026 after an upgrade. Funds returned: No user assets were compromised, per Ontology.	t.me
10 October 2026	Network halt: After an urgent report of a security risk in a project built on Ontology, the majority of consensus nodes agreed to suspend block production. Block production resumed on 12 October 2026; Ontology said no funds were lost from the Ontology network itself. Funds returned: No funds lost from the Ontology network itself, per Ontology; losses at the ecosystem project are not stated.	t.me

Risks and caveats

Block production was paused twice in 2026 by coordination of the team and consensus nodes, so transactions could not be processed during those pauses.
The October 2026 pause was linked to a security risk in a project built on Ontology; losses at that project are not stated.
Average staking yield on the homepage is an estimate, and the stONT liquid staking service was closed in September 2026.

Questions and answers

What is Ontology?

Ontology is a public blockchain launched in New York City in November 2017, focused on decentralised identity and data. Its MainNet went live on 30 June 2018.

What is the difference between ONT and ONG?

ONT is used for governance voting, consensus node election and staking; ONG pays transaction fees and smart contract execution. Staking ONT earns ONG.

What is the maximum supply of ONT?

The documentation gives a total of 1 billion ONT.

How does Ontology reach consensus?

Ontology uses VBFT, which combines proof of stake, a verifiable random function and Byzantine fault tolerance. Consensus nodes are voted in by ONT staking.

Has the Ontology network been halted?

Yes. Block production was paused from 31 August to 2 September 2026 after malicious attack activity was found, and from 10 to 12 October 2026 over a risk in an ecosystem project. Ontology said no user assets were compromised in the first pause and no funds were lost from the network itself in the second.

Sources

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Page updated: 2026-11-01