This is BURST’s living whitepaper. This page contains the information concerning BURST and its progress, vision and features.
This is the multi-page printable view of this section. Click here to print.
Documentation
- 1: Overview
- 2: Running a node
- 3: Concepts
- 3.1: Burn Mechanism
- 3.2: DAG structure
- 3.3: Humanity Verification
- 3.4: Replenishing
- 3.5: Self-Amending
- 4: Contribution Guidelines
1 - Overview
BURST holds the vision of a better future for everyone, free from the mass-poverty of a Post-AI world.
The world we live in today is failing many of us. The system is set up in a way that makes the rich get richer, while the rest of us get left behind. It’s an economic model built on hoarding and centralization, and it’s broken.
The idea that money reflects fair compensation for the value we give to society is a myth—especially when it’s controlled by a few elites. We’re heading into a future where jobs will disappear because of AI and automation. More people will be unemployable, and the resources they need to survive will be out of reach.
That’s not fair, right? So, what do we do? Keep struggling with an unfair system, or find a better way? Here’s the thing: we can change the system. And that’s where BURST comes in.
What Makes BURST Different?
1. Fair Distribution of Resources:
BURST is not about letting a few people control everything. It’s about democratizing wealth and giving everyone a fair share. Instead of depending on centralized authorities or arbitrary rules, BURST uses periodic distribution of BRN points—tokens that represent your fair share. Everyone gets a slice. No one is left out.
2. No More Wage Slavery:
In a world where automation takes over, people won’t be able to work the way they used to. That doesn’t mean they should starve or suffer. BURST ensures that even the unemployable still get access to resources. And it’s not just a handout—this system lets you have control over your wealth, and it’s not dependent on anyone deciding who gets what. The criteria are set by you, through a democratic consensus.
3. Decentralized and Fair:
Unlike the current system, BURST isn’t controlled by any single entity or group. Everything is decentralized. The system uses a self-amending, consensus-based model, meaning the rules can evolve as society changes. There’s no central authority making decisions for you—it’s about the collective power of the people.
4. No Greed, No Hoarding:
We’ve all seen how wealth gets hoarded by the few. In the BURST system, you can’t just sit on your BRN points. They get burned instead of accumulated. This prevents anyone from hoarding resources, ensuring that wealth is used for actual consumption and production, not just sitting in a vault.
5. Eco-Friendly and Sustainable:
BURST isn’t just a financial model—it’s designed to be eco-friendly too. With a feeless DAG structure, it doesn’t rely on energy-draining mining processes like other cryptocurrencies. So, we’re not just fixing the economy—we’re making sure it’s sustainable for the long term.
6. Control the Means of Production:
The biggest issue with the current system is that the means of production—the things that create real value—are controlled by a small elite. BURST wants to flip that. Public control over production means that the economy is directed toward what benefits society, not a few corporations making profits off your labor.
7. A Fairer Future:
BURST isn’t just about today—it’s about making sure that everyone, including future generations, can live well in a world that’s changing fast. With AI, automation, and environmental crises looming, we need a system that can adapt, evolve, and ensure fairness for all.
Why BURST?
Because we’re tired of watching the rich get richer while we fight for scraps. Because we need a system that values everyone’s contributions, not just the ones who already have power. Because in a post-AI world, people shouldn’t be left to suffer just because they can’t find a job. BURST is a revolutionary economic system that gives power back to the people. It’s about fairness, sustainability, and true freedom. So why not embrace a future where everyone has a fair share and can thrive together? Let’s build that future with BURST.
2 - Running a node
This page describes the process of setting up and running your own BURST node.
3 - Concepts
Basic understand of the concept that BURST uses.
Main Concepts of BURST and What Makes It Special
BURST is a decentralized, self-amending crypto token system designed to address critical issues in modern economies, including inequality, the concentration of wealth, and the impact of automation on employment. Its foundational principles are rooted in the idea of Universal Basic Income (UBI) and a free market model, but it introduces a fresh, more equitable approach to wealth distribution and resource management. Below are the main concepts that define BURST and distinguish it from traditional financial systems and other cryptocurrencies.
1. BRN Wallet and Points Distribution
The core of the BURST system revolves around the BRN wallet. Each individual holds a BRN wallet, which is periodically (according to the formula decided by the consensus) and equally added with BRN points. These points represent a person’s fair share of resources in the BURST ecosystem. Unlike traditional currencies, BRN points are not transferable and cannot be traded. They can only be burned by the service provider, thus ensuring that wealth cannot be hoarded or accumulated indefinitely by individuals or entities. All BRN wallets can hold both BRN points and TRST tokens.
Periodic Replenishing: The addition of BRN points occurs on an agreed-upon amount and schedule (e.g., monthly,hourly,minutely), with each wallet automatically increases its points based on a shared, consensus-based value. This creates a form of basic income that everyone has access to, without relying on centralized redistribution mechanisms.
The BRN points system ensures that everyone has access to wealth, thus minimizing the risk of extreme wealth inequality. The points represent the value each person should receive based on collective consensus, making the system fairer than those where wealth is accumulated and controlled by a few elites.
2. Self-Amending Consensus and Governance
BURST is built on the principle of democratic consensus. The system is self-amending, meaning the rules governing it can be adjusted or changed based on the needs and consensus of the community, and the system doesn’t need a hard fork. This flexibility ensures that the system remains responsive to societal shifts, technological advancements, and unforeseen challenges.
The consensus process enables the community to collectively decide about all the aspects of the system, such as:
- Consensus needed to reach quorum: The amount of votes needed for transaction/amendment to be approved.
- Rate of BRN points replenishment: How frequently and at what rate BRN points are added to individual wallets.
- Rules and policies around transactions: The protocol can evolve to address emerging economic conditions, ensuring its relevance and adaptability.
This self-amending nature stands in contrast to more rigid systems, where policies and rules are often dictated by a central authority or are difficult to change without significant hurdles.
3. TRST Token and Its Role
The TRST token is an integral part of the BURST ecosystem. Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies that are directly tied to wealth accumulation and speculative trading, the TRST token operates in a way that facilitates transactions within the ecosystem, with a focus on value exchange for services.
- Burn Mechanism: When someone requests a service, they essentially let the service provider burn their BRN points (which can’t be transferred). The service provider essentially mints TRST tokens from burning the BRN points of the customer.
- Timestamping: Each TRST token is timestamped, allowing it to carry the history of its creation and transfers. This provides transparency and enables the community to trace when the token was created and how many times it has been transferred. It also allows for dynamic valuation based on the number of transactions or its age.
The TRST token is also used as a means of exchange within the BURST ecosystem, primarily by service providers as incentive for giving and getting service, and its value is determined by the market. This mechanism ensures that the token’s value is based on actual contributions to the system. The timestamping and recordkeeping of transfers of TRST tokens allows the market to give a higher value to decentralized means of production that consists of less transfer chains, which prevents centralization of TRST tokens.
4. No Transferable BRN Points (Burn, Don’t Hold)
One of the distinguishing features of BURST is that BRN points cannot be transferred. Instead, they are used to burn as part of the transaction process, making the system inherently resistant to wealth hoarding.
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Burning instead of Transferring: Service givers burn the BRN points of consumers when they access services and mint TRST tokens as a result of the process. This ensures that BRN points don’t accumulate indefinitely in any individual’s wallet, promoting a more equitable distribution of wealth across the entire ecosystem. This mechanism is designed to prevent the monopolization of resources and discourage accumulation by a small elite.
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Resource Allocation: By burning the points, the system encourages more sustainable and equitable use of resources, ensuring that economic power remains distributed across society rather than being concentrated in the hands of a few.
5. Directed Acyclic Graph
BURST is based on a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) structure. This means that transactions and decisions within the system are processed without the need for miners, making it more eco-friendly, faster, and cheaper.
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Feeless Transactions: Transactions involving the TRST token are feeless, which promotes a more accessible and equitable system. Without the burden of transaction fees, users can exchange value freely, without being penalized for participating in the economy.
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Scalability and Efficiency: The DAG architecture also ensures that the system can scale efficiently, processing a large volume of transactions without sacrificing speed or security.
This structure empowers individuals to participate in the economy without worrying about central authorities or intermediaries taking a cut, making the BURST system more inclusive and fair.
6. Eco-Friendly Design
Traditional cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin rely on energy-intensive proof-of-work mechanisms, consuming vast amounts of electricity and contributing to environmental degradation. BURST, however, is designed to be eco-friendly by eliminating the need for such energy-consuming processes.
- Sustainable Growth: BURST operates on a system that does not require high-energy mining but instead uses efficient consensus mechanisms and periodic updates to manage token issuance. This ensures that BURST is not just economically viable but also environmentally sustainable, addressing concerns about the ecological impact of blockchain technologies.
7. Public Control of the Means of Production
A central aim of BURST is the idea that the means of production should be controlled by the public, not by private corporations or elite entities. In many current economic models, corporations control the production of goods and services, often prioritizing profit over the welfare of workers or society. BURST challenges this model by enabling the public to make decisions about production, service provision, and resource distribution.
This can be achieved through consensus-based governance, where people can decide how resources are allocated, how production is managed, and how services are provided. This empowers the people to directly influence economic systems and ensures that production is aligned with the common good rather than private interests.
Conclusion: What Makes BURST Special?
BURST offers a fundamentally new approach to how we think about money, value, and fairness in the economy. It provides a decentralized, democratic, and eco-friendly solution to some of the biggest challenges facing modern economies—like wealth inequality, resource hoarding, and the displacement of workers due to automation.
By using a self-amending consensus, a burn mechanism for wealth distribution, and a focus on public control of production, BURST creates a more equitable and sustainable system where everyone has a fair share. This is a system designed to empower individuals, keep resources in the hands of the people, and ensure that wealth is distributed according to collective agreement rather than profit-driven motives.
3.1 - Burn Mechanism
This is BURST’s living whitepaper. This page contains the information concerning BURST and its progress, vision and features.
The Burn Mechanism in BURST
At the heart of BURST’s economic model lies the Burn Mechanism, a revolutionary approach to wealth distribution and resource utilization that ensures fairness, sustainability, and resistance to wealth hoarding. This mechanism redefines traditional monetary transactions by eliminating direct wealth transfers and introducing a system that burns BRN points instead.
Key Features of the Burn Mechanism
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Burning Instead of Transferring
- BRN points in BURST wallets cannot be transferred between individuals or entities.
- Instead, when a service is rendered, the service provider burns the consumer’s BRN points in exchange for TRST tokens.
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Minting TRST Tokens Through Burning
- When a service provider burns BRN points from a BRN wallet, they mint TRST tokens as compensation.
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Timestamped TRST Tokens
- Each TRST token carries a timestamp, recording the time it was minted and its transaction history.
- This feature ensures transparency and enables the market to assess the token’s value based on its age, origin, and transfer frequency.
- Tokens that have been transferred fewer times or are newer may carry higher value, promoting decentralized production and shorter supply chains.
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Periodic Replenishment of BRN Points
- BRN points are periodically added to all humanity-approved wallets at an agreed-upon rate.
- The replenishment rate, controlled by consensus, ensures equitable distribution and continuous access to resources, regardless of prior consumption.
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Decoupling of BRN Points and TRST Tokens
- BRN points represent an individual’s share of the ecosystem’s wealth but are non-transferable.
- TRST tokens, minted through the burn mechanism, are transferable and function as the medium of exchange within the ecosystem.
Benefits of the Burn Mechanism
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Prevents Wealth Hoarding
- Since BRN points cannot be transferred or accumulated indefinitely, the system inherently resists centralization and wealth monopolization.
- Individuals are incentivized to use their points rather than attempting to store or trade them.
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Market-Driven Valuation
- The timestamping of TRST tokens introduces a dynamic valuation mechanism, where the market determines token value based on its history and transfer chain.
- This discourages excessive speculation and fosters a decentralized and transparent economy.
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Incentivizes Service Providers
- Service providers are rewarded with TRST tokens for burning BRN points, creating a balanced exchange of value.
- This fosters an active service economy where providers have a clear incentive to participate.
Conclusion
The Burn Mechanism is a cornerstone of BURST’s mission to create a more equitable and sustainable economic model. By replacing wealth transfer with burning, BURST ensures fair resource allocation, incentivizes meaningful participation, and prevents economic centralization. This innovative system represents a paradigm shift in how value is created, distributed, and preserved in decentralized economies.
3.2 - DAG structure
Please check out NANO’s whitepaper to know more about a practical implementation of DAG structure for distributed ledgers.
3.3 - Humanity Verification
BURST’s initial approach to the issue with Humanity Verification.
Humanity Verification in the BURST Ecosystem
One of the critical challenges in decentralized systems is ensuring that each participant is a unique individual without compromising privacy or introducing centralized authorities. BURST addresses this challenge with a robust, incentive-driven, and community-based verification system for proof of humanity.
The Humanity Verification Process
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Open Access to BRN Wallets
- Anyone can create a BRN wallet at any time, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility to the BURST ecosystem.
- However, to activate the wallet and participate in the system, the wallet must be verified as belonging to a unique individual.
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Community and Random Endorsements
- Verification requires endorsements from two types of validators:
a. Circle Endorsers: A minimum of x verified individuals from the wallet creator’s known circle must endorse the wallet.
b. Random Endorsers: A smaller number (y, relatively low) of randomly selected verified individuals also need to endorse the wallet. - The inclusion of random endorsers prevents coordinated fraud among groups, adding an additional layer of security.
- Verification requires endorsements from two types of validators:
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Staking for Accountability
- All voters must stake an equal amount of BRN tokens to participate in the verification process.
- This stake ensures that voters are financially invested in the integrity of their decision.
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Doubt Resolution Through Quorum Voting
- If a significant percentage of random voters raise doubts about the wallet’s legitimacy, a resolution process begins:
a. A new, randomly selected group of verified individuals votes on the wallet’s legitimacy.
b. The endorsers in this round are rewarded if their collective decision matches the consensus, incentivizing honesty and thorough evaluation. - If the quorum required for validation is not reached, additional rounds of voting occur with new random endorsers.
- If a significant percentage of random voters raise doubts about the wallet’s legitimacy, a resolution process begins:
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Failure to Verify
- If a wallet fails to meet the quorum after multiple iterations, it is marked invalid, and the endorsers lose their staked tokens.
- This penalty discourages false endorsements and ensures that endorsers are cautious and truthful.
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Delegated Verification
- Many individuals may delegate specialized checkers to verify a person’s identity and ensure they do not already possess a BRN wallet.
- Checkers can form a professional ecosystem around humanity verification, backed by contractual insurance to mitigate risks of incorrect assessments.
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Ongoing Challenges to Validity
- At any point, individuals can raise concerns about an existing wallet’s legitimacy, even decades after its verification.
- Such challenges are resolved using the same randomized consensus mechanism, ensuring the system’s integrity remains intact over time.
Initial Verification Through Government ID
- The first wave of verified users can establish their identity using government-issued identification.
- Over time, BURST aims to transition away from reliance on government IDs, exploring alternative decentralized methods that are more inclusive and accessible.
Incentives for Truthfulness and Transparency
- Both endorsers and random validators are incentivized to remain truthful:
a. Accurate endorsements lead to rewards.
b. False endorsements result in penalties, including the loss of staked tokens. - This design encourages honesty, accountability, and a thriving economy centered on verification services.
Record Keeping and Delegation Economy
- Proper record-keeping ensures transparency and traceability in the verification process.
- A secondary economy may emerge around delegated checkers, offering services to validate identities on behalf of endorsers while maintaining accountability.
Benefits of BURST’s Humanity Verification System
- Decentralized: Removes reliance on central authorities or single points of failure.
- Fraud-Resistant: Combines endorsements from personal circles and random validators to deter collusion.
- Scalable: Enables ongoing validation and challenges, adapting to a growing and evolving user base.
- Incentive-Aligned: Uses economic stakes and rewards to promote integrity and reduce the risk of abuse.
By leveraging a community-driven, randomized consensus approach, BURST’s humanity verification system ensures fairness, accountability, and inclusivity, establishing a solid foundation for its unique economic model.
3.4 - Replenishing
Automatic BRN Point Replenishment
BURST introduces an innovative approach to wealth distribution by automating the replenishment of BRN points in wallets without relying on centralized control or manual redistribution. This ensures fairness, efficiency, and decentralization in line with BURST’s principles.
Key Features of Automatic BRN Point Replenishment
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Decentralized Point Increment
- BRN points are not assigned or redistributed by a central authority.
- Each wallet autonomously calculates its current balance by factoring in the agreed-upon increment rate and the elapsed time since the last transaction or balance update.
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Node-Based Balance Tracking
- Nodes in the BURST ecosystem track the latest known wallet balance and the timestamp of the last transaction or update.
- When a transaction occurs or the balance is queried, the nodes calculate the updated balance by applying the shared increment formula to the time that has elapsed.
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Shared Increment Formula
- The rate at which BRN points are added is a universally agreed-upon value determined by community consensus.
- Example: If the increment rate is 1 BRN point per hour, a wallet last updated 10 hours ago will show 10 additional points.
- This formula is applied uniformly across all wallets, ensuring fairness and simplicity.
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Elimination of Redistribution Overheads
- Since BRN points are calculated dynamically based on elapsed time and increment rate, there is no need for periodic redistribution or token minting.
- This mechanism removes the inefficiencies and potential centralization risks associated with traditional redistribution models.
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Immutable Audit Trail
- All transactions and updates to wallet balances are recorded on BURST’s DAG-based architecture.
- This ensures transparency and provides an immutable record of how balances are calculated over time.
Advantages of Automatic Replenishment
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Fair and Equal Access
- Every wallet automatically benefits from the same increment formula, ensuring an equitable distribution of BRN points across all participants.
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Scalability and Efficiency
- The system scales seamlessly, as nodes dynamically calculate balances without requiring periodic updates or interventions.
- High efficiency is achieved by eliminating the computational and logistical burdens of token redistribution.
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Decentralized and Trustless
- The mechanism operates entirely through decentralized consensus, negating the need for any central authority to manage BRN points.
- Wallet holders can trust the system to operate consistently and transparently.
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Eco-Friendly Design
- By leveraging BURST’s DAG-based architecture, the system minimizes energy consumption and processing requirements.
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Tamper-Proof Calculations
- The immutable record of transaction timestamps and balances ensures that BRN point increments cannot be manipulated or altered retroactively.
Governance and Flexibility
- Consensus-Driven Adjustments:
- The community can adjust the increment rate and replenishment formula through consensus, allowing the system to adapt to changing economic needs.
- Transparency and Predictability:
- The rules for replenishment are publicly known and uniformly applied, ensuring predictability and trust in the system.
Conclusion
BURST’s automatic BRN point replenishment mechanism revolutionizes the concept of wealth distribution by decentralizing and automating the process. By dynamically calculating balances based on time and shared formulas, the system ensures fairness, scalability, and eco-friendliness while eliminating the need for central oversight. This approach reflects BURST’s commitment to creating a decentralized economy that empowers individuals and promotes sustainable, equitable resource management.
3.5 - Self-Amending
Please check out Tezos’ whitepaper to know more about a practical implementation of self-amending distributed ledger.
4 - Contribution Guidelines
Please post your contributions at the github repo. Any and all contributions will be greatly appreciated!