Blockchain analytics provider Nansen has taken on the role of validator for Somnia, an ultra-fast Layer 1 blockchain built to deliver real-time, onchain experiences. The collaboration reflects a growing convergence between advanced data analytics and high-performance blockchain infrastructure, with an eye on powering next-generation decentralized applications in areas such as gaming, social networking, and metaverse platforms.
Somnia has been developed by Improbable in partnership with the Somnia Foundation as an EVM-compatible blockchain optimized for data-heavy use cases. The network utilizes its proprietary MultiStream consensus protocol, which allows parallel processing of transactions. This design enables the platform to achieve processing speeds exceeding one million transactions per second, with sub-second finality and transaction fees measured in fractions of a cent. By combining scalability and speed with decentralization and Ethereum compatibility, Somnia aims to address limitations that have long affected earlier blockchains like Ethereum and Bitcoin.
Testnet milestones demonstrate scalability
During its testnet phase, Somnia showcased its potential by reaching notable benchmarks, including processing 1.9 billion transactions in a single day and onboarding more than 118 million unique wallet addresses. The network also recorded a gaming milestone when a single title, Chunked, generated 250 million transactions within just five days. These results highlight the system’s ability to support consumer-facing applications at a scale previously unseen in blockchain environments.
Nansen expands validator role
Nansen’s decision to participate as a validator aligns with its mission to deliver actionable onchain insights to crypto investors, institutions, and developers. As a validator, the company is expected to verify transactions and contribute to the consensus mechanism, thereby strengthening network security.
This move builds on Nansen’s expansion into validator services following its acquisition of StakeWithUs in late 2024, a step that expanded its staking business from $60 million to more than $1.2 billion in staked assets within seven months. By combining validator operations with analytics expertise, the company positions itself uniquely at the intersection of blockchain infrastructure and data-driven decision-making.
Enhancing Somnia’s vision
The partnership is seen as vital to Somnia’s ambition of enabling real-time, decentralized interactions. Traditional blockchains often struggle with scalability and latency, but Somnia’s architecture is designed to support seamless high-throughput use cases such as in-game transactions, cross-metaverse asset transfers, and rapid-fire social media interactions, all without relying on centralized systems.
Nansen’s involvement is expected to ensure reliability while also enriching the ecosystem with data insights. With its database of more than 250 million labeled wallet addresses across 30 blockchains, Nansen already provides advanced tools such as AI-powered signals and Smart Money tracking. By operating validators on Somnia, it will gain direct access to the network’s activity, enabling the delivery of deeper insights into transaction patterns, user behavior, and ecosystem growth.
Ecosystem growth and future impact
The collaboration comes at a time when Somnia is actively expanding its developer ecosystem through initiatives like its $10 million grant program and the Dream Catalyst accelerator, both aimed at supporting projects across gaming, DeFi, AI, and SocialFi. With Nansen as a validator, developers and investors working on Somnia will be better equipped to monitor key metrics, identify high-potential projects, and manage risks.
Industry watchers see the alliance as a step toward mainstream adoption of Web3 applications. By combining Somnia’s high-performance blockchain infrastructure with Nansen’s analytics expertise, the two organizations aim to unlock new opportunities for developers, enterprises, and end-users alike. The result could be a new era of real-time, onchain experiences capable of powering digital economies at global scale.
