$XPL 1. Built on Open-Source Giants
Plasma isn't built from scratch in a locked room. Its "power" comes from leveraging existing open-source technology:
Reth Execution Layer:
Plasma uses Reth, an Ethereum client written in Rust. Because Reth is open-source (typically under Apache 2.0 or MIT licenses), Plasma can modify it to handle high-speed stablecoin transactions while remaining fully compatible with Ethereum.
EVM Compatibility:
Because the code is open, developers can copy their "Smart Contracts" from Ethereum or Polygon and paste them onto Plasma without paying licensing fees or asking for permission
Public Audits:
Anyone can view the Plasma source code on platforms like GitHub. This allows security researchers to find and fix bugs before hackers can exploit them.
Permissionless Innovation:
You don't need a contract or a partnership with the "Plasma Corporation" to build an app on XPL. You just download the open-source developer tools and start coding.
3. Community Ownership (Governance)
While the code has no traditional "copyright" that restricts its use, the XPL token acts as a key to the "intellectual property" of the network:
Governance: XPL holders vote on upgrades to the code. If the community wants to change how the "Paymaster" (the system that allows zero-fee transfers) works, they vote on a code change.
The Forking Power: Because the code is open-source, if the community ever becomes unhappy with how the project is being run, they can "fork" it—essentially copying the code and starting a new version of the network (similar to how Bitcoin Cash was created from Bitcoin).
4. What is protected?
Even in an open-source world, some things are still "owned":
Trademarks: While the code is free, the Plasma logo and the name "Plasma One" (their banking app) are typically trademarked to prevent scams and impersonation.
Private Keys: Your individual wallet and its funds are protected by cryptography. The "open" nature of the network doesn't mean anyone has access to your money—it only means the rules of the money are public.
Peer-to-Peer Insight: Using open-source code is why Plasma was able to launch with such a massive ecosystem on Day 1. By being "open," they didn't have to convince developers to learn a new language; they just gave them a faster, free version of the tools they already knew.
