Story Protocol announces launch of public mainnet

Story Protocol has officially launched its public mainnet following a six month long testnet.

Story Protocol, a layer-1 blockchain, has announced the launched its public mainnet, marking the first-ever global, programmable market for IP. The platform aims to transform the $61 trillion IP asset class by giving IP holders and AI-driven products the tools to manage, trade, and monetize creative assets.

Story Protocol’s launch follows a six-month testnet phase that began with the “Iliad” testnet on August 27, 2024. Now live, its mainnet provides a decentralized platform where IP owners can set up licensing rules and transact without any middlemen.

The network will be secured by the IP token. IP is used for transactions, governance, and creator rewards. IP owners can register and tokenize their work on the blockchain, setting rules for how it can be used, modified, or monetized. Developers can build apps on the network, creating new AI tools, licensing platforms, and IP marketplaces.

IP has debuted with an initial supply of 1 billion tokens. A 30-day rewards portal has been set up to allow testnet participants to claim IP tokens. Staking IP is an option for those who wish to promote network security. The staking phase for the IP, called “Singularity,” kicked off on Feb.1, but rewards will be distributed starting March 2. 

Notably, tokens allocated to early backers and core contributors will be locked for one year. Major exchanges like Coinbase, OKX, KuCoin, Bybit, Bitget, and Bithumb have already announced the listing of IP.

Story Protocol raised $140 million from investors such as Samsung Next and a16z. Several IP-focused projects are already building on the network. Aria, one such project, raised $7 million to purchase the rights to Justin Bieber’s song “Peaches” and divide the proceeds among the IP asset’s fractional owners.