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

# Raiden Network (RDN): how it works, supply and reviews

## In short

- **Type**: Off-chain payment channel network; an infrastructure layer on top of Ethereum
- **Risks and caveats**: Raiden calls itself work in progress; the roadmap gives no guarantee of future development.
- **Checked**: 31 October 2026

## Key facts

- **Ticker**: RDN
- **Official site**: [raiden.network](https://raiden.network/)

Key facts checked on 31 October 2026 against official sources.

## What is Raiden Network

The Raiden Network is an off-chain scaling layer for Ethereum that sends ERC-20 token transfers through a network of payment channels instead of putting every transfer on-chain. RDN is the token used to pay for peripheral services in the network and to vote in Raiden community governance.

## Network and consensus

| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Off-chain payment channel network; an infrastructure layer on top of Ethereum |
| How it works | Transfers go through a network of payment channels without involving the blockchain for every transfer. |
| Assets | Works with any ERC-20 compatible token |
| Runs on | Ethereum mainnet and Arbitrum (since May 2022) |
| Mainnet release | Client and smart contracts released for mainnet with the Alderaan release in May 2020 |

## What RDN is used for

- RDN pays for peripheral services in the Raiden Network; it is not at the core of the protocol.
- RDN holders can create formal governance proposals and vote on Snapshot.
- Raiden Trust grants and bug bounty rewards are paid in RDN.

## Who develops and governs Raiden Network

- **Developer**: Developed by brainbot (brainbot labs Est.)
- **Company**: The project is led by brainbot labs Est.
- **Foundation**: The Raiden Trust, an independent non-profit, funds grants; in March 2023 it held RDN 16 million.
- **Governance**: Community governance from September 2022: forum proposals and RDN-holder votes on Snapshot; the Raiden Trust and brainbot labs do not vote.
- **Open source**: Source code on GitHub (raiden-network)

## History

| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 6 August 2016 | First proof-of-concept release (PoC-0) published on GitHub. |
| 1 December 2017 | µRaiden, a many-to-one payment channel framework, went live on Ethereum mainnet. |
| May 2020 | Raiden client and smart contracts released for mainnet (Alderaan release). |
| 23 December 2021 | Raiden v3.0.0 'Coruscant' released; the team says the original project scope was then fully implemented. |
| May 2022 | Raiden launched on Arbitrum to lower setup costs. |
| 15 September 2022 | Raiden introduced community governance with forum proposals and RDN-holder voting. |
| 3 March 2023 | The Raiden Trust relaunched its grants program for projects building on Raiden. |

## Security and audits

- A bug bounty pool worth $200,000 in RDN covers critical vulnerabilities; the Matrix transport servers are out of scope.
- The Raiden Light Client dApp is a beta release; users are told to read the security notes first.

## Security incidents

No security incident is recorded in the sources checked on 31 October 2026 (the company’s own channels and incident databases): [defillama.com/hacks](https://defillama.com/hacks), [hacked.slowmist.io/search](https://hacked.slowmist.io/search/), [rekt.news/leaderboard](https://rekt.news/leaderboard/), [medium.com/feed/raiden-network](https://medium.com/feed/raiden-network), [github.com/raiden-network/raiden](https://github.com/raiden-network/raiden/security/advisories), [raiden.network/bug-bounty.html](https://raiden.network/bug-bounty.html)

## Risks and caveats

- Raiden calls itself work in progress; the roadmap gives no guarantee of future development.
- The latest GitHub release of the Python client is v3.0.1 from 13 January 2022.
- The Light Client dApp is a beta release with known limitations.
- RDN is not needed to use the core protocol; it pays only for optional peripheral services.

## Official links

- Website: [raiden.network](https://raiden.network/)
- Docs: [docs.raiden.network](https://docs.raiden.network)
- Source code: [github.com/raiden-network/raiden](https://github.com/raiden-network/raiden)
- Blog: [medium.com/raiden-network](https://medium.com/raiden-network)

## Questions and answers

**What is the Raiden Network?**

An off-chain scaling layer for Ethereum that moves ERC-20 token transfers into a network of payment channels, for near-instant, low-fee payments.

**What is RDN used for?**

RDN pays for optional peripheral services in the network and lets holders create proposals and vote in Raiden community governance; Raiden Trust grants are paid in RDN.

**Who created the Raiden Network?**

Raiden is developed by brainbot (brainbot labs Est.); the non-profit Raiden Trust funds ecosystem grants.

**Is the Raiden Network live?**

Yes. Client and contracts were released for Ethereum mainnet in May 2020 (Alderaan) and Raiden runs on Arbitrum since May 2022; the latest client release on GitHub is v3.0.1 of 13 January 2022.

## Sources

- [Raiden Network — home page](https://raiden.network/)
- [Raiden Network — FAQ](https://raiden.network/faq.html)
- [Raiden Network — Roadmap](https://raiden.network/roadmap.html)
- [Raiden Network — Bug Bounty](https://raiden.network/bug-bounty.html)
- [Raiden Network — GitHub README](https://github.com/raiden-network/raiden)
- [Raiden Network — GitHub releases](https://github.com/raiden-network/raiden/releases)
- [Raiden Network Blog — Raiden Community Governance](https://medium.com/raiden-network/raiden-community-governance-2736318f3d0d)
- [Raiden Network Blog — Raiden Pulse #21](https://medium.com/raiden-network/raiden-pulse-21-updates-from-q2-2022-4dd0783d812f)
- [Raiden Network Blog — Relaunching Raiden Trust Grants](https://medium.com/raiden-network/relaunching-raiden-trust-grants-e37d4102eb9)

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Page updated: 2026-11-01

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Source: https://revain.org/projects/raiden-network-token/