# Dash

By [kotleta](https://paragraph.com/@kotleta) · 2023-06-08

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Dash is an open-source [blockchain](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/blockchain) and [cryptocurrency](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/what-are-cryptocurrencies) focused on offering a fast, cheap global payments network that is decentralized in nature. According to the project's [white paper](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/whitepaper), Dash [seeks](https://github.com/dashpay/dash/wiki/Whitepaper) to improve upon [Bitcoin](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/bitcoin) (BTC) by providing stronger [privacy](https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/what-are-privacy-coins) and faster transactions.

Dash, whose name comes from "digital cash," was [launched](https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=421615.0) in January 2014 as a fork of [Litecoin](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/litecoin/) (LTC). Since going live, Dash has grown to include features such as a two-tier network with incentivized nodes, including "masternodes," and decentralized project governance; InstantSend, which allows for instantly settled payments; ChainLocks, which makes the Dash blockchain instantly immutable; and PrivateSend, which offers additional optional privacy for transactions.

[https://opensea.io/assets/0xFF289fB792c49648CB6179667d8321474a4d2F87/2](https://opensea.io/assets/0xFF289fB792c49648CB6179667d8321474a4d2F87/2)

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*Originally published on [kotleta](https://paragraph.com/@kotleta/dash)*