Naoris Protocol is a decentralized cybersecurity project designed to function as a foundational trust and security layer for both Web2 and Web3 digital infrastructures. Founded in 2018, it operates as a post-quantum "Sub-Zero Layer," a proprietary Layer 1 blockchain that works beneath existing network protocols to secure their underlying components in real-time. ^{[1] [2]}

The protocol utilizes a novel consensus mechanism called Decentralized Proof of Security (dPoSec™) and Swarm AI to transform network devices into an incentivized, collective "cybersecurity mesh" that detects and mitigates threats. ^[3]​

History

Naoris Protocol was founded in 2018 by cybersecurity professional David Carvalho, who serves as CEO, and Monica Oravcova, the project's COO. ^{[2] [3]} The project gained initial recognition by winning a series of technology and cybersecurity awards between 2019 and 2021, including the Wirtschaftsagentur Wien award (2019), Cyber Security Awards (2020), and the Expert DOJO accelerator program (2021). ^[1]​

On July 27, 2022, Naoris Protocol announced it had raised $11.5 million in a funding round from investors including Tim Draper of Draper Associates, Holt Xchange, and other venture capital firms to build out its dPoSec consensus mechanism. ^{[1] [3]}​

The project's official testnet was launched on January 31, 2025, and concluded on November 12, 2025. During this phase, the network reported achieving significant milestones, including processing over 105 million post-quantum transactions, mitigating over 600 million threats, and supporting over one million active security nodes. ^[1] The native token, $NAORIS, was subsequently launched and began trading on exchanges in late 2025 to early 2026. ^{[1] [2]}

In October 2025, Naoris Protocol was cited as a reference model for quantum-resilient systems in a submission to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) focused on post-quantum financial infrastructure. ^{[4] [5]}

On February 2, 2026, the project was named the "Best DePIN Project of the Year (Crypto)" for 2025 at the Crypto Impact Awards, announced by CoinGape Media. ^[4]​

Core Technology

Naoris Protocol’s architecture is built on a combination of a unique blockchain layer, a novel consensus mechanism, decentralized artificial intelligence, and post-quantum cryptography.

The Sub-Zero Layer and HyperStructure

Naoris Protocol introduces the concept of a "Sub-Zero Layer," which is a proprietary Layer 1 blockchain designed to operate as a foundational security fabric beneath other network stacks, including Layer 0, Layer 1, and Layer 2 blockchains, as well as traditional Web2 systems. ^{[1] [2]} This layer does not compete for transaction execution but instead functions as a "HyperStructure" that provides a universal, decentralized trust and validation service. ^[3]

This design allows it to enhance the security of other networks by verifying the integrity of their underlying nodes, devices, and infrastructure without requiring the host chains to undergo disruptive hard forks or architectural changes. ^[5]​

Decentralized Proof of Security (dPoSec)

Decentralized Proof of Security (dPoSec™) is the protocol's novel consensus mechanism. Unlike traditional consensus models like Proof-of-Work or Proof-of-Stake that validate financial transactions, dPoSec validates the security and integrity of devices across a network. ^[1]​

Under this model, every connected device (such as a server, validator, or IoT device) acts as an incentivized validation node in a "Decentralized Cybersecurity Mesh." These nodes continuously share their hash-based security and operational status with their peers. A consensus is reached in real-time on the "trusted" state of the entire network. If a device is compromised, its status changes, causing it to fall out of consensus. The network can then immediately identify, isolate, and mitigate the threat, effectively creating a collective immune system that eliminates single points of failure. ^[3]​

Swarm AI Mesh

Naoris Protocol employs a decentralized network of lightweight AI agents, described as a "Swarm AI Mesh." Instead of relying on a single, centralized AI model, these distributed agents work collectively to monitor behavioral patterns across all devices, validators, and smart contracts. By sharing threat intelligence and analysis, this swarm can detect anomalies, coordinated threats, and novel attack vectors in real-time, allowing for a more dynamic and predictive defense than traditional static security rules. ^{[1] [2]}​

Post-Quantum Cryptography

The protocol is designed to be "quantum-safe" from its foundation to protect against future threats from quantum computers. All transactions and communications on the network are secured using Dilithium-5, a digital signature algorithm selected by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as a standard for post-quantum cryptography (PQC). ^[1]​

The protocol also states its alignment with standards from NATO and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), utilizing algorithms such as Key Encapsulation Mechanisms (KEM) to ensure resilience against quantum attacks. ^[2]​

Naoris Products

The Naoris Protocol offers a modular suite of decentralized security products designed to operate beneath both Web2 and Web3 infrastructure. These products work in concert to form a "Decentralized Trust Mesh," where system integrity is continuously verified, trust is enforced economically, and execution environments are secured using post-quantum cryptography.

Guardian

Guardian serves as Web3's first line of defense, providing real-time integrity verification and threat prevention for on-chain applications and infrastructure. It includes several specialized components:

• Validator Shield: A real-time verification system for critical blockchain infrastructure like L1 validators, L2 sequencers, and ZK provers. It continuously monitors machine identity and behavior to automatically isolate any compromised components.
• Smart Contract Firewall: A live behavioral protection layer for DeFi protocols, DEXes, and other smart contracts. It is designed to block common on-chain exploits, such as reentrancy and flash-loan attacks, before they can execute, all without requiring contract redeployment.
• DePIN Device Verification: A hardware attestation system that verifies the authenticity and integrity of physical devices in Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN). It validates firmware, runtime behavior, and location signals to automatically penalize or remove compromised devices.

Sentinel

Sentinel is a cyber-threat detection and response system for Web2 and Web3 environments, functioning as the protocol's core intelligence and consensus layer. It combines two key technologies:

• Swarm AI: A decentralized intelligence layer that monitors behavioral patterns and correlates trust signals across the entire network of validators, devices, and smart contracts. By analyzing this collective data, it detects anomalies, coordinated attacks, and emerging exploit patterns in real-time.
• Decentralized Proof of Security (dPoSec): A consensus mechanism that gates network participation and authority on verified security integrity rather than purely economic stake. Participants must continuously prove their security posture via a "Proof of Health," and the system automatically downgrades or removes compromised infrastructure, ensuring overall network resilience.

QuantumGuard

QuantumGuard provides future-proof data security through post-quantum cryptography for future-proof data security, ensuring long-term resilience against threats from quantum computing. This is achieved through:

• The Sub-Zero Layer: A post-quantum native Layer 1 blockchain that acts as an immutable ledger for all security data. It anchors Proof of Health data, trust events, and AI-detected anomalies, creating a globally auditable record of infrastructure behavior.
• Post-Quantum Primitives: The system enables hybrid and post-quantum signing, allowing existing ecosystems like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and enterprise systems to migrate towards quantum resistance without disruptive hard forks or downtime. ^[6]

Use Cases and Solutions

Naoris Protocol is designed to provide security across a wide range of Web3 and enterprise applications by securing the underlying infrastructure.

• Blockchain Infrastructure: It secures validators, sequencers, and nodes for Layer 1s, Layer 2s, and rollups. Its "Validator Shield" product provides real-time integrity validation to prevent key theft and compromise.
• DeFi and dApps: A "Smart Contract Firewall" offers a behavioral protection layer that analyzes execution patterns and device trust to stop runtime exploits and malicious transactions before they occur.
• Decentralized Physical Infrastructure (DePIN) and IoT: The protocol provides a hardware attestation system that validates the BIOS, firmware, GPS, and runtime integrity of DePIN devices, helping to detect fake or compromised hardware.
• Exchanges and Custody: It is designed to protect critical infrastructure for both centralized and decentralized exchanges, including signing servers, withdrawal pipelines, hot wallets, and operator devices.
• Cross-Chain Bridges: By providing a "Cross-Chain Trust Relay," the protocol exports Proof of Health and trust scores to validate assets, validators, and smart contracts involved in cross-chain transfers, aiming to prevent bridge exploits.
• Financial Services and Critical Infrastructure: The decentralized security model is suited for protecting critical systems like banking APIs, energy grids, and transportation networks from advanced persistent threats. ^[1]

Tokenomics ($NAORIS)

The $NAORIS token is the native utility and governance asset of the Naoris Protocol ecosystem, playing a central role in its economic and security model.

Utility

• Security and Staking: Participants bond or stake $NAORIS tokens to nodes (TrustNodes) to participate in the dPoSec consensus mechanism, helping to secure the network.
• Validation Rewards: The token is used to reward nodes that successfully perform integrity attestations and validate the safe behavior of their peers.
• Governance: Token holders can participate in protocol governance, influencing decisions on future upgrades related to its AI, cryptography, and economic parameters.
• Enforcement and Access: The token powers the enforcement of security policies across the mesh and may be required to access certain services or features within the ecosystem. ^{[1] [2]}

Market Data

As of February 3, 2026, the market data for the $NAORIS token is as follows:

Metric	Value	Source
Ticker	NAORIS	​​
Token Type	ERC-20, BEP-20	​​
Contract (ETH & BSC)	0x1b379a79c91a540b2bcd612b4d713f31de1b80cc	​​
Max Supply	4,000,000,000 NAORIS	​​
Total Supply	4,000,000,000 NAORIS	​​
Circulating Supply	599,260,000 NAORIS	​​
Market Capitalization	~$14,028,633	​​
Fully Diluted Valuation	~$93,639,711	​​

The token is traded on several centralized exchanges, including Gate.io, Bitget, and MEXC. ^[3]​

Partnerships and Collaborations

Mova Chain

On January 12, 2026, Mova, a blockchain platform and digital asset ecosystem backed by Aqua Group, announced a strategic investment in Naoris Protocol. The partnership's objective is to launch secure payment cards and financial infrastructure by embedding Naoris's dPoSec technology directly into transaction authorization and settlement workflows. The collaboration also includes plans for joint discussions with institutional and state-level entities regarding secure stable tokens and real-world asset (RWA) initiatives. ^[5]​

In a statement on the partnership, Mova Chain CEO Wael Muhaisen said, "By investing in Naoris Protocol and embedding its post-quantum security layer into our card and payment infrastructure, we are advancing a more resilient foundation for institutional and sovereign-grade finance." ^[5]​

David Carvalho, Founder and CEO of Naoris Protocol, commented, “This partnership moves post-quantum security from theory into live financial infrastructure. With Mova Chain, we are creating a new standard.” ^[5]​

Other Partnerships

Naoris Protocol has also announced partnerships with Hivello, to bring quantum-resistant security to its DePIN network, and has been verified by Assure DeFi, a KYC service for web3 projects. ^[1]​

Leadership and Advisors

Founders and Leadership

• David Carvalho: Founder and CEO, a cybersecurity professional credited with designing the core Naoris Protocol architecture.
• Monica Oravcova: Co-Founder and COO, responsible for strategic and operational direction. ^[3]

Awards and Recognition

Naoris Protocol has received numerous awards and has been a finalist in various global accelerator and startup programs.

Year	Awarding Body / Program	Outcome
2023	T-Mobile	Winner
2023	Santander X Global Challenge	Finalist
2021	Expert DOJO	Winner
2021	Start-Up Chile	Finalist
2020	Cyber Security Awards	Winner
2020	Noel Pitcher Accelerator	Winner
2020	Investing in the Future	Winner
2020	K-Startup Grand Challenge	Finalist
2020	MassChallenge Rhode Island	Finalist
2019	Wirtschaftsagentur Wien	Winner

The project has also been recognized by Enterprise Security Magazine and was selected for the Binance Alpha Spotlight. ^{[1] [3]}​