BEAM Roadmap Update — Q3 2021

Published in

BEAM Privacy

6 min readOct 25, 2021

Meanwhile in a Confidential galaxy: let’s review the ambitious plans, bringing privacy to DeFi and the NFT realms. Since the previous update, you’re already familiar with the format of the three lanes:

Beam (the blockchain): is where innovations start, enabling the business level features in the best possible confidential way.
BeamX (the smart contracts): is where the DeFi and NFT services are being constructed.
DAPPS (the business apps): is where you as a user can actually benefit from all of the above. Feeling intrigued? Keep reading!

Beam — Q4 2021

Confidential Assets as a first-class citizen

In Q4 we’ll pull all the triggers to make it happen, namely:

The desktop wallet will support Asset Swap. Initially, this will utilize the same interface as Atomic Swap with BTC, ETH and many other coins. Same-same but much faster, as only one blockchain is involved, swaps will happen as a single on-chain transaction. Internal oracles: the rate will be calculated in real-time, based on the last trade on the marketplace to show users their Beam asset values!
The Asset Swap API will be catered to market makers so they’ll trade assets in the very same way like nine other currencies via Atomic Swaps.
Beam Explorer will display all the current Asset Swap offers along with the Atomic Swaps.

Web Wallet

We are crazy about Beam wallets: mobile and desktop (which are also highly praised by our community), making them more secure and user-friendly with every release. Beam wallets won’t expose your IP address unless explicitly approved by the user.

However, we can’t deny the fact that the common usage patterns in the industry rely on a wallet, implemented as a browser extension (Metamask is a good reference). Ah well, Beam will have a Web Wallet of its own, implemented as a Chrome Extension! The alpha version is going to be released in Q3 2021 followed by beta soon enough and so on.

The Web Wallet will empower every in-browser Web3 Beam DAPP.

Beam — Q1 2022

Asset Swap in the Web Wallet will work just like in the regular desktop wallet. Nothing else to say: create your own token on the Beam blockchain and trade it seamlessly from the Desktop or Web wallets.

Beam — Q2 2022 and beyond

Another Hard Fork is planned to support features and performance improvements that are currently being defined and, as a part of deploying the rightful DAO processes, will be discussed (and VOTED!) upon release.
The main Beam Blockchain emits a block every minute on average. Some apps such as trading require higher throughput and faster confirmation times. We plan to research how to solve this using L2 and/or sidechains.
To support fair trading for Beam users research will be done on how to reduce MEV via L2 solutions.
Based on frequent requests from various audiences to bring Ethereum apps to the Beam platform, we’ll also research ways to execute EVM code in our nodes.
To ensure compliance, opt-in auditability will allow businesses to safely grant access to their transactions to 3rd party auditors. We’ll take the time to make it right, as always.

BeamX — Q4 2021

DAPPs come to mobile wallets! Yes, just like on the desktop, you’ll be able to use any DAPP straight on your mobile phone.
Developer SDK (alpha): BeamX as a platform is designed to enable an ecosystem of apps, developed anywhere by anyone. You already know that once a DAPP is released from any vendor, every user can install it in the wallet in a decentralized way (similar to the way Android APK files are released). To boost the adoption of the dev community, Beam will release the well-documented SDK and will support every dev in our support channels. We’ll provide every assistance needed so any developer will be able to implement and release their apps for the BeamX ecosystem.

BeamX — Q1 2022

Here are some carryovers from Q3 and Q4. We’ll mention them briefly as most were well-described in the previous update:

Bridges with Ethereum will bring in liquidity for the coming DEX and lending DAPPs. Bridges will also allow confidential trading for Ethereum and any Ethereum based assets. We’ve elaborated on the mission in our previous roadmap update, released the demo a month earlier and aim to deliver the full-fledged bridge by Q1 2022.
The D² store will facilitate decentralized DAPP deployment to Beam wallets on any platform.
Oracles will empower DeFi apps, delivering external prices and market data.

Beam Token Standard

The standard will embed all the ETH token functionalities as well as long-anticipated privacy features (teaser: confidential NFTs). The specification will be put forth for community review, to establish the best assets for Beam.

BeamX — Q2 2022 and beyond

Bridging with Binance Smart Chain, Polygon and others are definitely on our roadmap, yet it’s a bit preliminary to share the ETA. Timing is everything.

DAPPS from Beam

You are already familiar with the Faucet DAPP. More apps are in the queue:

DAO Core will be released soon, where you’ll be able to stake BEAM and farm BEAMX. In Q4 the Voting functionality will be implemented as a part of DAO Core to facilitate the shift to decentralized governance.
Decentralized NFT Marketplace: as Beam Token Standard will streamline compatibility across its potential applications, you will be able to trade NFTs both confidentially and with minimal fees.

DAPPS from 3rd-parties

These won’t be developed by the core team, therefore it’s harder to share a time-bound commitment. However, the exciting projects (or should I say “drum roll”?) are well worth mentioning:

Once bridges are ready to secure liquidity, confidential stable coin DAPP might follow soon after.
DAO-governed Decentralized Launchpad: a place where investors meet promising ideas. On-chain, confidentially.
Asset Swap DEX with order book: imagine confidential trading via a DEX on top of our Asset Swap. Any swap offer will be fragmented so that given enough liquidity every trade request will be met.
AMM-based DEX will follow :)
Beam Outreach App will incentivize our community to spread awareness on various media channels. Let’s make the world know about Beam!
Beam is currently partnering with gaming studios around the world to bring Play to Earn games to the ecosystem. BeamerZ or RangerZ (spoiler alert!): the first NFT-based collector game might appear in your wallets by the end of 2021!

A lot to unpack, and much on the cards for Beam moving forward. Be sure to hodl onto your Beam tightly, stake them for some BeamX come the 21st(!), and join us in powering privacy in the crypto space!