Dfinity Founder Accuses NEAR Protocol

Dominic Williams, founder of DFINITY and Internet Computer, claims NEAR Protocol stole Chain Signatures and NEAR Intents from DFINITY's exclusive license.

“carries civil and criminal legal implications”

NEAR Token Surges 5%

NEAR's token rose roughly 5% the same day, according to Kucoin, after Williams' accusation.

Threshold ECDSA Scheme

A 2021 cryptography paper by DFINITY researchers describes a threshold ECDSA scheme that speeds up transaction signing by three times without weakening security.

NEAR Adopted the Tech

Williams says NEAR has used the same mechanism for about two and a half years, with GitHub records to support it.

NEAR Swaps Algorithm

NEAR is now trying to swap in a different algorithm, which Williams frames as covering its tracks rather than a routine upgrade.

Former Staffers Tied to Harm

Williams alleged NEAR employed people DFINITY fired in the summer of 2021, linked to multiple attempts that harmed the project.

No Public Rebuttal

As of this writing, NEAR Foundation has not issued a public rebuttal to Williams' claims.