Nano set out to do one thing: move value quickly without charging a fee. Instead of a single shared chain, every account runs its own chain, and transactions settle as a pair of blocks, one on the sender side and one on the receiver side. Here is how it works and what it is used for, not the price.
Total value locked (DeFi)
n/a
Value locked in DeFi protocols on Nano. Updated Jun 8, 2026. Source: DefiLlama.
Nano does not use mining or staking rewards. Account holders delegate voting weight to representatives, which are nodes that vote on the validity of each transaction. Once a transaction gathers enough representative votes to reach quorum, every node cements it independently. Because votes are tied to delegated balance rather than computation, the network reaches finality in under a second and uses very little energy.
Consensus: Open Representative Voting (ORV)
Nano does not use mining or staking rewards. Account holders delegate voting weight to representatives, which are nodes that vote on the validity of each transaction. Once a transaction gathers enough representative votes to reach quorum, every node cements it independently. Because votes are tied to delegated balance rather than computation, the network reaches finality in under a second and uses very little energy.
Block-lattice
Each account has its own chain that only its owner can add to. This lets transactions process in parallel rather than waiting for a single global block.
Send and receive blocks
A transfer creates a send block on the sender chain and a matching receive block on the recipient chain. Both sides record the movement of value.
Representatives
Holders choose a representative to vote on their behalf. Voting weight follows account balances, and holders can switch representatives at any time.
Feeless transfers
Nano charges no transaction fee. A small proof-of-work stamp on each block deters spam without putting a cost on ordinary payments.
Ecosystem & usage
What Nano is used for.
Nano is used mainly as a payment rail rather than a smart contract platform, with wallets, point-of-sale tools, and tipping services built around fast settlement.
Microtransactions
Because transfers carry no fee, small payments and tips that would be uneconomic on fee-charging networks remain practical.
Peer-to-peer payments
Sending XNO between two parties settles in under a second, which suits direct payments without an intermediary.
Point-of-sale
Fast confirmation and no fees make Nano a candidate for merchant payments where speed at the counter matters.
In Zypto App
Hold, swap and spend XNO.
Nano is integrated in Zypto App. Hold XNO in self-custody, swap it to any supported asset, and use it across Zypto’s features.
Yes. The protocol does not charge a transaction fee. Each block includes a small proof-of-work value that exists to slow down spam, not to pay validators.
How does Nano reach agreement without mining?
It uses Open Representative Voting. Holders delegate voting weight to representative nodes, which vote on each transaction until it reaches quorum and is confirmed.
What is the supply of XNO?
The supply is fixed at 133,248,297 XNO. New units are not created, and the original distribution was carried out through a CAPTCHA faucet between 2015 and 2017.
Why does each account have its own chain?
The block-lattice design lets accounts update independently and in parallel, which is what allows transactions to confirm quickly rather than queue for a shared block.
Can I hold XNO in Zypto App?
Not yet. XNO isn't in Zypto App at the moment. You can hold it in any self-custodial wallet, and you can ask us to add Nano using the "Request Nano" button above.
