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Kerem Soylu
@keremsoylu
Imagine a world where every digital handshake—be it a contract, a claim of ownership, or a badge of identity—carries an unbreakable seal of trust, etched across the sprawling tapestry of blockchains. This is the audacious vision of Sign Protocol, formerly known as EthSign, a project that’s quietly morphing into a cornerstone of the Web3 ecosystem. Born in 2020 from a hackathon spark at the University of Southern California, this Singapore-based initiative has evolved from a decentralized e-signing tool into something far grander: a global trust layer that could redefine how we verify truth in the digital age.
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Kerem Soylu pfp
Kerem Soylu
@keremsoylu
What’s rarely emphasized is the sheer audacity of its pivot. EthSign started with a laser focus—bringing DocuSign-like functionality to the blockchain, using Ethereum as its bedrock and later expanding to Polygon and other EVM-compatible chains. It was a practical, almost modest ambition: make agreements immutable, transparent, and decentralized. But by mid-2024, as announced on Twitter ( @ethsign) , it shed its skin to become Sign Protocol, an omni-chain attestation framework. This wasn’t just a rebrand; it was a leap into uncharted territory. The project now aims to let users attest and verify any digital information—think property deeds, academic credentials, or even tokenized real-world assets (RWAs)—across multiple blockchains, not just one. It’s as if a local notary decided overnight to become the world’s universal record-keeper.
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Kerem Soylu pfp
Kerem Soylu
@keremsoylu
One overlooked gem is how Sign Protocol’s roots in e-signatures gave it a unique edge. Unlike many Web3 projects that chase hype cycles—NFTs one day, DeFi the next—Sign’s journey began with a real-world pain point: trust in agreements. Its early product, EthSign Signatures, connected over 250,000 unique wallet addresses, a testament to its utility. But what’s fascinating is how this practical foundation fueled its broader vision. The team didn’t just stop at signing PDFs on Polygon; they saw that the same cryptographic principles could underpin a trust system for everything. This organic evolution—from a niche tool to a protocol powering millions of attestations—hints at a rare blend of pragmatism and ambition.
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Kerem Soylu pfp
Kerem Soylu
@keremsoylu
Another under-the-radar aspect is its quiet but explosive growth in partnerships. While posts on X and web articles mention integrations with TON (Telegram’s blockchain) and Polygon, few spotlight its role in real-world asset tokenization with projects like Plume or its work with XDAO for ownership registries. Sign Protocol isn’t just a backend for crypto nerds; it’s infiltrating Telegram mini-apps and RWA platforms, places where everyday users might unknowingly brush up against blockchain tech. This stealthy expansion suggests a strategy of embedding itself into the fabric of Web3 before anyone notices the seams.
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Kerem Soylu pfp
Kerem Soylu
@keremsoylu
Funding is where the story gets juicy. Sign has raised over $30 million from heavyweights like Sequoia, Binance Labs (now YZi Labs), and Hashkey Capital—names that don’t bet lightly. Yet, what’s rarely discussed is the implication: this isn’t just about money but about belief in a future where attestation becomes as foundational as smart contracts. The shift from a SaaS-like model (charging for signatures) to an attestation service platform—where verification itself is the product—shows a gamble on a world where trust is the ultimate currency. And with over $4 billion in airdrops already facilitated, per X posts, Sign isn’t waiting for that future; it’s building it now.
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