What is Cardstack

Cardstack is the experience layer of the decentralized internet.

What does this mean?

The project aims to allow users to chain cloud apps (think Apple or Google app stores) with DApps creating what is essentially a new customized app made of multiple apps. It is calling itself the experience layer because its main focus is on improving the user experience of using multiple apps for a single workflow.

Currently apps and DApps act independent of each other and rarely communicate. When they do communicate you are asked permission with an obtrusive pop up, followed by a handful of screens allowing your accounts to link. Sometimes you’re required to manage multiple cloud subscription plans (e.g. Adobe) or pay for single use access.

The blockchain project ecosystem is making this worse. Each new project that debuts is requiring that users utilize their native token. In order to use the services of one project a user would have to exchange one token for another.

A single workflow could require a user to pay multiple fees and use a variety of utility tokens.

Cardstack will take care of these problems by creating stacks of Cards that allow end-users to mix and match the features they need from apps or DApps without worrying about cloud based subscriptions or multiple utility tokens.

What are cards?

Cardstack wants to take every app or dApp that you use and break them down into their basic actionable components. Cards are the basic output of apps.

Facebook has a newsfeed, a social network (friends, etc) and a messenger. Each of these could be a separate card. Cards can be created for any type of service, cloud or decentralized and they can be stacked to create an all in one solution.

The main benefits of creating a stack of cards are:

• Use one token to pay for all services that require payment.
• Gather data from multiple apps without having to access each individually.
• Make one payment for all services required for accomplishing a task.
• Pay for only what you use.
• Seamlessly tie blockchain and non-blockchain apps together.

At Crypto is Fun we have thought of a use case:

Musician
An electronic musician creating can create a Cardstack that allows them to open their Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and utilize software synthesizers, vst plugins and samples from a selection of decentralized and centralized libraries.

Although from different libraries, Cloud Apps and DApps the musician will pay for the use of each synth using CARD tokens. When the song is complete the musician would like to publish the song to ITunes and have royalty payments be sent in the correct amounts to each artist involved.

The Cardstack would be composed of a DAW card, an inner stack of add on library cards, a music publishing DApp card (smart contract for payment issuance) and an ITunes integration card.

Who will use it?

The great thing about Cardstack is that anyone that uses multiple Apps & DApps to complete a single workflow will find it useful. At it’s core Cardstack is a platform for users to customize and simplify their workflows so the potential audience is enormous.

The core members of the Cardstack ecosystem are:

• End Users – These are the users that are creating stacks of cards for everyday use.
• Makers – Software developers and service providers that contribute cards to the ecosystem.
• Analytic Miners – These miners calculate the amount of rewards that the makers and also the miners receive.

How do fees and rewards work?

The basic structure of fees and rewards is one of the simpler proponents of the Cardstack ecosystem. End users pay to create stacks of cards. The payment goes to create a smart contract that binds the apps into the stack and the rest enters into the reward pool.

The makers pay a registration fee to add their card to the ecosystem and this fee enters the pool as well. A system named Tally will work with analytic miners to track on and off chain app usage and allocate rewards to makers and miners.

As can be seen below, the end user creates a stack and has access to a full suite of apps with only one payment. Behind the scenes smart contracts are created, funds collected in the pool, allocated and makers are rewarded.

What is the role of CARD token?

The utility of the CARD token is:

• Access for End Users – To the Cardstack platform and the ability to create a stack of cards.
• Work Token – Fee paid by Makers (software makers and service providers) to allow their apps and dApps to be a part of the Cardstack ecosystem. Analytic miners also pay a fee to register participation in the Proof of Analytics pool.
• Reward Tokens – Distributed to Makers as a reward for the use of their contributions. Usage is recorded by Tally and reward calculated by Analytic Miners. Analytic miners are also rewarded for contributing to the ecosystem by completing reward calculations.
• Governance – Unused tokens can be staked to a voting pool to vote on some ongoing operations.

What about the team?

The core team is composed of 18 core members ranging from Blockchain developers to graphic designers. Of the 18 members, 12 are of technical backgrounds. The team appears to be highly experienced on the the technical side.

After watching several interviews with Founding Director, Chris Tse, we are impressed with his combination of intellect, technical knowledge, passion and philosophy. He appears to never tire when speaking of the complexities that make up Cardstack.

The technical strength of this team makes apparent one of their few weaknesses, the ability to make things simple for the common person. Chris Tse has spoken on this and has stated that they do plan on working together with a marketing team in the near future. We will say that the overall branding is on point and is consistent throughout all of their platforms.

Links to core team members and advisors are below:

Chris Tse – Founding Director

Ed Faulkner – Lead Developer

Hassan Abdel-Rahman – Senior Blockchain Developer

Justin Thong – Chief Scientist

Social and Hype

The Cardstack Telegram group has 7700+ members. The Telegram is active, it’s moderated by Amazix and the most commonly working moderator is highly knowledgeable about the product. The moderators are quick to provide answers and links to articles and videos about the project.

The team has a handful of Medium articles discussing token metrics, volatility, blockchain acquisition, solidity and wide array of other topics. The Medium blog is one of the best we have seen for content. As mentioned earlier much of the content does skew towards the complex.

The project is not receiving a large amount of hype, likely because it does not fit into the mold of the popular Balina style token metrics as well as its complex delivery method.

After researching this project it seems that it is not only a business but a huge philosophical mission for the Founder.

Research did not discover any FUD but as always do your own research.

Cardstack ICO

See our complete ICO article for crowdsale information.

Overall

This project is taking on the task of simplifying how we interact with Apps, dApps and the blockchain. The goal is to make the blockchain a part of everyday life without the user noticing it. The team has the technical chops to pull this off but needs to provide a level of understanding for the common user. If the project could ELI5 a couple marketing pieces they may be able to hook some individuals that have shorter attention spans or lack of interest in technical details.

As with any investment do your own research, we do not rate ICOs or projects we just provide unbiased analytics and overviews for all to use.

For further information visit: Cardstack Website || Cardstack Medium || Cardstack Telegram

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*This post does not contain investment advice. The information provided has been compiled from publicly available websites and presented in a new format.