Despite Web3’s ethos of decentralization, most blockchains and decentralized applications (dApps) still rely on centralized infrastructure for their operations. Pocket Network, a decentralized data platform, has partnered with staking provider Kleomedes to offer decentralized infrastructure for the Cosmos ecosystem.
Pocket Network, which functions as an open data platform, connects chains and applications with full nodes through its decentralized relay network. This partnership will enable Cosmos, known as the ‘internet of blockchains,’ to migrate its dependency on centralized infrastructure to a Pocket Network-serviced decentralized one.
Cosmos Needs Decentralized Infrastructure
The Cosmos ecosystem has long strived to offer decentralized and modular services for Web3 users. However, it remains heavily dependent on a few hosting providers and centralized cloud infrastructure.
According to a recent analysis across 117+ Cosmos chains and 9,000+ network nodes, two providers control 38% of the ecosystem. The German data center company, Hetzner Online GmbH, controls 27.51%, while the French cloud computing enterprise, OVH SAS, controls 10.78%.
Similarly, major cloud providers like Amazon run 957 nodes (10.43%) and Google runs 428 nodes (4.66%). This over-reliance on centralized entities creates a single point of failure, increasing the risks of network downtime and disruption for dApps within the Cosmos ecosystem.
Staking platforms like Kleomedes serve as a popular decentralized alternative for hosting some of the biggest networks and dApps within the Cosmos ecosystem, but it is not enough. The partnership with Pocket Network aims to expand this decentralized infrastructure and provide open data accessibility at cheaper rates.
Pocket Will Power Cosmos’ Decentralized Infra
The collaboration between Pocket Network and Kleomedes positions them as strategic infrastructure partners for the Cosmos ecosystem. Through their integrated services, Kleomedes will onboard validator communities and end-users by leveraging Pocket Network-powered RPC endpoints.
As a symbiotic partnership, both platforms have aligned their incentive structures. Pocket will gain exposure in one of the most active interchain ecosystems, while Kleomedes will provide faster and cheaper services through Pocket’s decentralized infrastructure.
Pocket Network’s “Shannon” upgrade claims to have reduced relay prices by 30-75% compared to competitors. With Pocket’s ‘Pay Upfront’ model, relay service charges will cost just $2.50 per million relays for Cosmos chains and dapps, setting a new benchmark.
Furthermore, Pocket routes 1 trillion relays across 10,000+ nodes, offering decentralized load balancing and preventing a single point of failure. Since no individual node can block data transfers, the overall network remains operational even when multiple nodes go offline. This distributed network of nodes will ensure high uptime for the Cosmos ecosystem.
With the Kleomedes partnership, Pocket is now serving decentralized RPC endpoints for Cosmos chains like Akash, AtomOne, Fetch, Cheqd, Osmosis, Chihuahua, Elys Network, Jackal, Juno, Stargaze, Persistence, Router, Seda, and Shentu. All of these are part of the Kleomedes validator lineup.
This partnership is part of Pocket Network’s broader plan to provide additional support for the Cosmos ecosystem and become a fully native Cosmos chain. Although Pocket now supports 14 chains within the Cosmos ecosystem, it will eventually offer additional chain support. Cosmos-based dApps and users will now be able to access scalable, censorship-resistant alternatives that are more resilient than centralized service providers.
Currently, Cosmos has 180 active validators, while 163 remain inactive and 250 are jailed. Besides expanding the validator network, Pocket Network’s partnership with Kleomedes will enable builders, stakers, and communities within the Cosmos ecosystem to access decentralized infrastructure without the burden of node management.
