Marlin is an open protocol that provides a high-performance programmable network infrastructure for DeFi and Web 3.0. The nodes in the Marlin network, called Metanodes, operate the MarlinVM which provides a virtual router interface for developers to deploy customized overlays and perform edge computations.

Notable overlays that can be built using MarlinVM include:

• Low-latency block multicast to scale blockchains
• Low-latency mempool sync for arbitrageurs
• Mesh networks
• Anonymity networks like mixnets
• Device optimization and caching responses of API to Infura, Alchemy etc

Its native utility token POND is used for:

• Running validator nodes on the network via staking
• Making and voting on governance proposals to determine how network resources are allocated
• Determining a set of network performance auditors and compensating users from an insurance fund in case of a SLA breach

Marlin aims to deliver on the promise of a decentralized web where applications secured via the blockchain are indistinguishable in terms of performance to users accustomed to Web 2.0.