- Sonic, a rebrand of Fantom, is a blockchain that can hit 370,000 TPS.
- Developers earn 90% of dApp fees via Sonic’s FeeM model.
- Full EVM compatibility supports Solidity and Vyper with sub-second finality.
- $200M Innovator Fund boosts dApp adoption and Web3 startup support.
- Airdrop includes a burn mechanism to discourage early exits and dumping.
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On August 1, 2024, Fantom officially rebranded to Sonic. It was more than just a name change – it marked a complete evolution in performance, usability, and developer incentives.
Built to push the boundaries of Layer-1 capabilities, Sonic clocks in at a staggering 370,000 transactions per second, outpacing even the fastest blockchains like Solana.
But speed is just the beginning.
With 90% of dApp fees going back to developers, Sonic introduces a powerful incentive model designed to attract the next wave of web3 builders. From full EVM compatibility to an upgraded staking mechanism and an airdrop system that rewards long-term participation, Sonic is setting a new benchmark for scalable, efficient blockchain ecosystems.
In this article, we dive deep into what makes Sonic one of the most compelling blockchains today.
Understanding Sonic Blockchain
Sonic is a developer-focused, high-performing Layer-1 EVM-compatible blockchain that combines high speed with incentives and top infrastructure for developing DeFi applications. One of the most impressive features of this chain is its transaction speed, clocking around 10,000 TPS with sub-second finality.
Developers can use Sonic's full EVM compatibility to build using Solidity or Vyper, depending on their preference. This developer-friendly blockchain allows them to integrate seamlessly with other essential Web3 tools such as Safe, Chainlink, Alchemy, etc.
With its Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, Sonic allows holders to stake the project's S tokens and earn rewards in return. Sonic aims to push the network to its optimal capacity without disruptions while setting high transaction fees to cover its emission rate.
The Sonic ecosystem has seen explosive growth, with total transactions and deployed contracts surpassing 32 million. On top of that, its Total Value Locked (TVL) skyrocketed past $1.2 billion, marking an impressive 1,534.91% surge since the start of 2025.
Sonic Labs, the developer of this efficient blockchain, is headed by Michael Kong as CEO and David Richardson as executive chairman. Andre Cronje, a.k.a. "Father of DeFi," notably known for his pioneering contributions to Fantom Foundation, Yearn Finance, and others, acts as Sonic Labs' CTO.
Sonic surpasses leading Layer 1 blockchains like Avalanche in finality time and average transaction cost. While Avalanche finalizes transactions in 1-2 seconds at an average cost of $0.01, Sonic achieves finality in 720 milliseconds and costs less than $0.0001.
History: The Fantom Opera Network Evolution
Sonic Mainnet, previously known as Fantom Opera Network, was launched in December 2019. Post-launch, it became one of the top EVM-compatible blockchains preferred by developers to build dApps based on their speed, efficiency, and low transaction costs.
The migration from Fantom to Sonic involved extensive discussion and approval through four governance proposal voting that ended in June 2024. The average agreement rate during the voting was 98.55%, with 99.9% approval of the final proposal, showcasing strong support from the Fantom community.
The major components of the proposals included reducing the minimum and maximum lock-up period for the stakers and validators from one year to two weeks. Another major specification of the proposal included that the FTM will be compatible with the S token in a 1:1 ratio.
Key Features to Choose Sonic
Fee Monetization (FeeM)
Based on Sonic's FeeM, developers are rewarded with 90% of the network fee that their dApps generate. This monetization model helps project developers earn recurring income, which grows based on the application's user growth and activities.
With this impressive developer reward system, Sonic aims to attract and retain top-tier developers to build user-beneficial dApps in its ecosystem.
Liquid Staking Tokens (LSTs)
According to Sonic's lite paper, their Fantom network consistently saw 40% of its network staked, higher than Ethereum's around 30%. However, Fantom's complicated staking mechanism restricted the growth of its liquid staking ecosystem, thereby limiting the potential to onboard millions of users and capital.
Sonic's introduction of its new staking mechanism aims to leverage the liquidity and growth potential of its LST market, worth over $500 million. Its staking mechanism sets the lock-up time to 14 days, with a 7-day withdrawal period.
Innovator Fund
The Innovator Fund launched by the Sonic Foundation allocates up to 200 million S tokens to boost immediate adoption of dApps to their ecosystem. This fund also supports new Web3 ventures that are ready to build on the Sonic chain.
Sonic is closely collaborating with notable names like Michael Egorov, the founder of Curve Finance, and many others to drive innovation and accelerate the growth of the Sonic ecosystem.
Sonic & Sodas
Funded by Sonic Labs, the Sonic & Sodas program aims to empower the community to conduct global networking events focused on developers. This program focuses on strengthening grassroots collaboration and networking within the Sonic ecosystem.
Interested community members with an event idea can submit a proposal by filling out an application form or sending a Telegram message. Once the proposal is approved, Sonic Labs will provide the necessary funding, promotional materials, educational content, and marketing support.
Bridging Other Blockchains with Sonic Gateway
Sonic Gateway is the native bridge of the Sonic ecosystem, allowing users to transfer tokens between Sonic (S) and Ether (ETH). The bridging process involves three simple steps: depositing assets, bridging them in batches to save gas fees, and claiming tokens.
Asset bridging is processed using heartbeats, which are scheduled batch transactions designed to optimize gas efficiency. Bridging occurs at intervals, approximately every 10 minutes from Ethereum to Sonic, and around every hour in the reverse direction.
Sonic Gateway also provides its users with a fail-safe mechanism to retrieve their bridged assets upon the Gateway experiencing failure on the original chain. If the Gateway or the Sonic chain remains inactive for 14 consecutive days, which is highly unlikely, users can reclaim their bridged assets on Ethereum.
At each specific interval, all queued crypto transactions are processed together, cutting down transaction costs but introducing a wait time for users who need instant bridging. To solve this, Sonic Gateway's Fast Lane offers a way to skip the waiting line for a small fee, ensuring immediate transaction processing.
How to Migrate from FTM to S Token
As the native token of the Sonic ecosystem, the S token can be used for fee payments, governance participation, staking, and more. Existing FTM holders don't need to worry; they can migrate their tokens to S tokens.
Sonic Labs has streamlined the upgrade process with an intuitive portal on MySonic. Users can easily convert FTM to S tokens while maintaining a 1:1 exchange rate by following these steps:
- Visit MySonic upgrade portal.
- Connect wallets like MetaMask, Phantom, or others.
- Enter the FTM amount that needs to be converted.
- Confirm and ensure the amount of S tokens.
- Approve the wallet confirmation request.
In the first 90 days after launch, the portal allows you to swap freely between FTM and S. After this period, it will only support conversions from FTM to S.
Native Token Airdrop & Sonic's Incentive Programs
Sonic’s ambitious airdrop program is designed to reward both users and developers within its ecosystem, distributing a total of 190.5 million S tokens. The program is structured into two key components: Sonic Points, which are allocated to users based on their engagement, and Sonic Gems, which serve as incentives for developers contributing to the ecosystem.
The first season of the airdrop is set to go live around June 2025, with recipients receiving 25% of their allocated tokens immediately. The remaining 75% will be locked as NFT positions, gradually unlocking over 270 days. This ensures a structured and fair distribution while encouraging long-term participation.
Airdrop Burn Mechanism
One of the standout features of Sonic’s airdrop model is its innovative burn mechanism, designed to keep participants engaged on-chain. Rather than a standard vesting process, recipients have two choices:
- Wait for full maturation and claim the entire amount once the vesting period is complete.
- Exit early by claiming before maturation, but at the cost of a burn penalty, where a portion of the allocated tokens is permanently removed from circulation.
This mechanism creates a dynamic incentive structure, where recipients must weigh the benefits of immediate liquidity against the advantages of holding for the full duration. It also aligns with Sonic’s vision of promoting an active and sustainable ecosystem rather than encouraging instant sell-offs.
Conclusion
Sonic's evolution from Fantom signifies more than just a name change; it's a well-planned strategic leap toward redefining the existing Layer-1 landscape. By prioritizing developer incentives and funding, Sonic is positioning itself as a powerhouse for scalable and efficient dApp development.
Introducing features like FeeM, Liquid Staking Tokens (LSTs), and the Innovator Fund highlights Sonic's dedication to supporting innovation and sustainability within its ecosystem. As Sonic continues to bridge gaps between blockchains and empower its users and developers, it's clear that this is a Web3 project to watch closely.
