3NUM was started because of a SIM Swap attack and ending SIM Swaps for good is a core part of our mission! This quickstart guide explains what SIM Swaps are, common questions and misconceptions about the problem, and how to protect yourself against this type of mobile fraud.

What is a SIM Swap:

A SIM Swap is a socially engineered attack where a hacker gains access to a victim’s phone number by tricking or coercing a mobile carrier employee into transferring the victim’s number to a SIM card controlled by the hacker. Once the hacker has control of the victim’s phone number, they can use it to gain access to sensitive online apps including email, social media, and more damaging, crypto and banking accounts.

Photo cred: @RuleXRP. Thanks for this awesome graphic!

Common SIM Swap Questions and Misconceptions:

My Phone Has an eSIM, am I safe from being SIM Swapped?

The term “SIM Swap” makes it sound like someone is physically “swapping” your SIM from your phone. In reality, this hack has nothing to do with a user “controlling” a SIM. This attack *actually *occurs by a mobile carrier simply re-assigning your phone number to a new user. In-fact eSIMs make this problem worse, not better.

Setting a PIN protects me from being SIM Swapped

This statement is unfortunately not true. A SIM Swap occurs either by a hacker impersonating you with a telco, or by colluding with a telco employee to pull off the attack. While PINs do help protect you against the former, they do nothing to protect you against the latter. We suggest setting a PIN, but ultimately this does not guarantee protection against SIM Swaps

I use a VOIP service like Google Voice, am I protected against SIM Swaps?

There is a common misconception that using a service like Google Voice, (where phone numbers do not have SIM Cards) are immune from the SIM Swap problem. This is not the case, as these phone numbers are still at risk of being ported, or “re-assigned” just like with an eSIM. Services like Google Voice or Hushed offer number portability, which means that you are not protected from “SIM Swaps” when using these services

How easy is it to pull off a SIM Swap?

SIM Swaps are trivial to pull off in the United States. In fact, the average cost to pull off this attack ranges from as low as $5k with T-Mobile to $50k with Verizon.

How Can Users Protect Themselves From SIM Swaps

The most important thing is to **stop **using traditional phone numbers with services for 2FA. Traditional SMS-based 2FA is not secure. The most effective way to ensure you are protected is to remove your phone number as a backup from websites all together.

The reality is that as long as users rely on traditional phone numbers and SMS, the SIM Swap problem cannot be stopped completely. Ending SIM Swaps for good requires upgrading the world from traditional phone numbers and SMS into end-end encryption with cryptographically secure identifiers. 3NUM is working to aggressively and seamlessly usher in this important and needed upgrade!

If you want to get a secure web3 mobile number to protect yourself against the ever present risk of being SIM Swapped, get your 3NUM Shield now.

The 3NUM team is thrilled to announce its membership acceptance into the ITU-T as an associate of Study Group 2. This membership acceptance is an integral step in 3NUM advancing its development of the world’s first E.164 Web3 Mobile Number, called a 3NUM Shield.

3NUM is known for its groundbreaking achievement in developing the world’s first Web3 Mobile Number, which combines traditional telephony with blockchain technology to provide enhanced security, privacy, and control for users. As a member of this influential study group, 3NUM will actively participate in shaping international standards and guidelines with industry stakeholders to drive emerging technologies with its seminal Web3 Mobile Number.

Amongst other responsibilities, Study Group 2 of the ITU-T is tasked with the maintenance of ITU’s International Numbering Resource (INR) database. The INR database includes repositories of the various numbers and codes overseen by ITU; a mechanism for the exchange of administrative and operational information among administrations and private-sector players. This includes specifically designated 882/883 prefixed numbers for international networks and novel use cases.

“This is an important step for 3NUM to help onboard the next billion users into Web3 with our novel Web3 Mobile Number.” Said Chris Boscolo, founder of 3NUM. “Leveraging 3NUM with these unique international codes has been a part of our strategy since 3NUM’s inception, and we view this membership acceptance as a major integral milestone on our journey to upgrade the world into end-end encryption.”

The ITU-T is a specialized agency of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a United Nations agency responsible for information and communication technologies. By joining Study Group 2, 3NUM gains access to a global platform that facilitates cooperation between industry leaders, regulators, and experts from around the world. This membership reinforces 3NUM’s commitment to staying at the forefront of driving user-focused innovation.

3NUM’s membership in ITU-T Study Group 2 underscores its dedication to promoting global standards, and driving advancements in the telecommunications sector. This significant achievement further solidifies 3NUM’s position as a leader and commitment to user focused innovation with cutting-edge telecommunication solutions.

For more information about 3NUM, visit 3num.co or follow @3numdao on Twitter

3NUM Telephony Bridge

3NUM’s telephony bridge could be thought of as decentralized, encrypted VOIP, that routes traditional phone communications into 3NUM’s encrypted messaging infrastructure accessible by 3NUM Web3 Mobile Numbers. It is a game-changer in the communication industry as it enables an upgrade path from traditional phone calls and insecure SMS into secure and encrypted communications without the need for a centralized telecom operator or requiring non-3NUM users to “adopt” a new set of standards and protocols. The 3NUM Telephony Bridge will be ran by node operators as part of the broader decentralized 3NUM Protocol.

Connecting Web3 and Traditional Messaging

One of the most significant advantages of 3NUM’s decentralized telephony bridge is its compatibility with traditional telecom infrastructure. 3NUM Shield users can call and text anyone with a traditional phone number just as they would with a traditional phone plan. This means that 3NUM users aren’t asked to sacrifice the ubiquitous acceptance and convenience of traditional telcom infrastructure, while being able to enjoy the benefits of a secure, decentralized communication system.

Cost Benefits

Another advantage to 3NUM’s decentralized, secure VOIP-like approach is the associated cost savings. Traditional telecom plans are expensive, averaging nearly $130/month in the United States. 3NUM users only need a 3NUM Web3 Mobile Number and access to the internet to experience full telecom functionality without compromises!

Upgrading Insecure Phone Based Use Cases

3NUM’s decentralized telephony bridge plays an important role in enabling businesses to upgrade their user onboarding and engagement to take advantage of all the benefits created by 3NUM with the same phone number-based identifier that is ubiquitously used throughout the world, without cutting support for their non-3NUM user base who still relies on the need for SMS-based authentication.

Join us!

3NUM is transitioning the world of 5.1 billion mobile numbers relying on insecure and expensive communication rails, into end-end encryption accessible by an internet connection. Join the revolution today!

Grab your 3NUM Shield Web3 Mobile Number:https://app.3num.co/mint

Stay up to date with 3NUM:https://form.typeform.com/to/PGDOAh7S

Follow us on Twitter:https://www.twitter.com/3numdao

Chat with our team on Discord:https://discord.gg/cxFU8NvCYV

Many users have analogized using ENS digits as a new “ENS phone number”. 3NUM makes that idea a reality with its upcoming 2-way messenger! The 3NUM 2-way messenger supports setting ENS names (and others) as the default messaging name in the app between fellow web3 users. This means users can receive messages directly at their ENS name, and set it as the default name shown to recipients. By upgrading to owning a 3NUM Shield, users can extend their messaging capabilities to 5.1 billion mobile numbers! This means that ENS Digit owners can use 3NUM to replace their traditional phone number and message all their frens directly from web3!

3NUM’s 2-way messaging app supports end-end encrypted messaging between web3 users, including Ethereum and Avalanche wallets, ENS, Avvy Domains and .lens names. By owning a 3NUM Shield, the world’s first web3 mobile number, users can extend their messaging directly to 5.1 billion mobile numbers- all from the 3NUM Messenger.

3NUM Shield Web3 Mobile Numbers are built for web3 users with their unique functionalities including being anonymous, shielded, unable to be SIM Swapped and are controlled by your wallet. These capabilities allow you to confidently use your 3NUM Shield as the ultimate barrier breaker between web2 and web3.

Getting started with 3NUM as a ENS Digits holder is incredibly accessible!

1.Sign in to the 3NUM messenger with the wallet address associated with your ENS.

     a. If you have additional names associated with your wallet address, such as a .lens      profile, you can choose to set your ENS as the default name that is shown when      messaging other recipients

2.Start messaging your web3 frens by simply typing in their web3 address! Simultaneously receive messages directly at your ENS name!

3.Purchase your 3NUM Shield (a globally routable +1 mobile number minted as a NFT) to unlock messaging between 5.1 billion phone users and create a seamless onboarding into web3 via your ENS Digit!

If you are a ENS Digits holder excited to use it as a valid, globally routable mobile number, join our 2-way messaging waitlist now:

https://form.typeform.com/to/PGDOAh7S

Purchase your 3NUM here, so you can instantly support messaging 5.1 billion phone numbers at the launch of the 3NUM Messaging app here:

https://www.3num.co/

Hey frens, we are excited to announce that the first version of our Smart Notifications feature is available now! With this update, users can configure time-based email notifications to send an alert after a new message has been sent to your 3NUM. This feature makes 3NUM more useful for receiving wallet secure SMS 2FA messages, and will be critical for full 2-way messaging that is launching soon! Browser Notifications will be available as part of our UI updates to support 2-way messaging.

Configuring Smart Notifications

Setting up Smart Notifications couldn’t be easier and is accessible from the settings dropdown of the 3NUM messaging app. From there, enabling email smart notifications is done by toggling on the setting. You will need to confirm your email address which is powered by our secure auth provider Privy. Once your email is confirmed, you will be able to configure time-based email notifications at timing intervals set to your liking. This interval timing can be updated at any time!

Important to note: The email address used with the Smart Notifications feature will only be used for email notifications and will not be used in any other capacity. We are privacy maximalists and recognize that not every user will want to use an email address for 3NUM notifications. For this group of users, Browser Notifications will be available with 2-Way messaging, and push notifications will be available with the release of our full mobile app.

If you do not own a 3NUM Shield, you can grab one to use with our Smart Notification feature here:
https://app.3num.co/mint

FAQs

Q: How do I confirm my email address?

A: You will receive a confirmation email from our secure auth service Privy

Q: How do I change my email?

A: Toggling the Email Notification feature will prompt you to add a new email address

Q: When will browser notifications be available?

A: Browser Notifications will be available with our Messenger UI updates which will come with our release of 2-way messaging

How 3NUM is Stopping SIM Swap Attacks With Web3

The moment that kickstarted 3NUM was a SIM Swap attack on our founder, who instantly recognized what was happening when an unused 2FA app that had been set up for testing started asking for auth codes he hadn’t requested. After sprinting to his nearest wireless storefront to stop the fraud, he immediately started thinking about how to prevent this kind of attack from happening to anyone else. Unfortunately, SIM Swaps have become increasingly more common in recent years, due to the attack being trivial to pull off:

• AT&T Sued for $224 Million After Phone Hackers Rob Crypto Investor

• Mobile Firm Employee Charged With Aiding Crypto SIM-Swap Attacks Targeting 19

• California Man Must Pay $61K in Restitution for SIM Swap Scam That Stole One Victim’s Crypto

• Another Bitcoin Investor Sues T-Mobile Over SIM Swap Attack

Just as a few examples…

What is a SIM Swap and Why Does This Problem Persist?

A SIM Swap is a socially engineered attack where a hacker gains access to a victim’s phone number by tricking a mobile carrier into transferring the victim’s number to a SIM card controlled by the hacker. Once the hacker has control of the victim’s phone number, they can use it to gain access to sensitive online apps including email, social media, and more damaging, crypto and banking accounts.

SIM Swaps are trivial to pull off because the current approach for managing and using mobile numbers is architected with two huge vulnerabilities:

1. Control over a phone number is completely dependent on trusting a telecom employee who can be easily tricked or coerced into simply updating a registry in a database.

2. Phone numbers, and their ability to receive messages, are directly coupled to a SIM.

Regardless of how many “safeguards” a telco provider might put in place to combat this type of mobile fraud, completely stopping SIM Swaps with existing approaches is not possible.

How 3NUM Uses Web3 Tools and Cryptography To End SIM Swaps

To stop SIM Swaps from victimizing users, we need to fundamentally change how numbers are managed, controlled, and used — without the reliance on a centralized counterparty.

This is where the necessity of web3 infrastructure comes in. By transforming a traditional mobile number into an NFT, 3NUM uses smart contracts, cryptography, and the blockchain to establish control of a mobile number. Once a mobile number transitions to a web3 native version, control over said number persists using cryptography, managed by controlling the private key of the wallet that minted the NFT. The blockchain then serves as a trusted ledger for verifying ownership. Once a 3NUM has been created, that number is no longer capable of returning to be a traditional web2 number.

This architectural approach not only transforms how numbers are controlled and managed, by transitioning from centralized reliance to decentralized user control — but it also functions to decouple the mobile number from the networking layer.

Instead of receiving messages directly to a SIM, messages sent to a 3NUM number are sent to the wallet address that owns the 3NUM NFT via an SMS gateway maintained by the 3NUM DAO. This simultaneously provides a seamless upgrade path and backwards compatibility with existing mobile communications. But, as more 3NUM-aware native applications are built, secure encrypted messages will skip the gateway and communicate with each other directly. Check out our “3NUM Technology Explained” article for additional information on how this works.

The elegance of this approach is that it provides the same functionality that’s achieved with a traditional number without any of the risks that come with the threat of being SIM Swapped!

If you want to get a secure web3 mobile number to protect yourself against the ever present risk of being SIM Swapped, get your 3NUM Shield now:

https://3num.co/

Follow us on Twitter:

https://www.twitter.com/3numdao

Chat with our team in Discord:

http://discord.gg/cxFU8NvCYV

This is a condensed version of a longer article that is available over in our discord server. You can access that detailed article by joining our server here.

3NUM is busy building the future of mobile communications! With our innovative web3 mobile number and service, users will be ditching their traditional monolithic mobile plan for a secure and trusted replacement in no time. The future for 3NUM is comprised of 3 key components which we will break down in this article.

Please note, the purpose of sharing this overview is to be transparent with the community but the roadmap items we’re sharing are subject to change, so keep that in mind as we move forward together.

Those 3 areas include:

1. 3NUM Product

2. 3NUM Protocol

3. 3NUM DAO

Product Roadmap:

3NUM Shield — Available Now

3NUM Shields are the world’s first Web3 Mobile Number, which are created by converting a regular mobile number into a web3 address secured by a user’s wallet. This unlocks the ability to send trusted encrypted messages to your web3 and web2 frens all from the same app, creating a seamless transition from insecure SMS into end-end encryption!

Wallet Secured 2FA (Limited)— Available Now

3NUM users can leverage their wallet secured number for secure 2FA. Traditional SMS 2FA is horribly insecure because regular phone numbers are at risk of being SIM Swapped. With 3NUM, the underlying number of a 3NUM Shield is controlled by a user’s wallet and can’t be SIM Swapped, meaning said number can be trusted for sites that require SMS-based authentication. There are some websites that this service does not work with, such as Twitter and CoinBase. We are in the process of enabling our numbers to work with *all *websites.

Anonymous Number For Encrypted Messaging Apps — Available Now

Encrypted messaging apps like Signal and Telegram are widely used for trusted messaging, but their reliance on regular numbers is a gateway to doxxing. Because 3NUM Shields are purchased in crypto, there is zero PII data collected, so the underlying number can be used as a trusted, no-dox number for these applications!

2-Way Messaging — In progress

Launching message notifications is a precursor to full 2-way messaging with the 3NUM web app. Users will be able to message other 3NUM Shields with end-to-end encryption, in addition to being able to message all traditional mobile numbers. 2-way messaging will be expanded as we work to support additional encrypted messaging protocols (See full article for details).

3NUM Mobile App — In progress

The 3NUM Mobile app will be your gateway to secure and trusted messaging powered by 3NUM! Our mobile app will unlock benefits including a better onboarding user experience, push notifications, access to contacts and more! Building a killer mobile app experience will take time and many of the app features will be rolled out incrementally.

For details on these other incredible features check out our full length article

• Name Your 3NUM

• Web3 Usernames

• Smart Inboxes

• Spam Prevention

• Smart Notifications

• Smishing Prevention

• Wallet Secured 2FA (Full)

• 2-Way Calling

• PFP Wrapping

• Mint On Additional Chains

• Other UX Improvements

• +833 Numbers

• Bring My Existing Number

• Plus More!

Protocol Roadmap:

Much of the utility for 3NUM Shields is realized through the 3NUM Protocol.

3NUM Protocol — Limited Access Until 2-Way Messaging Launches

The 3NUM protocol is what enables 3NUM Shields to message one another in a completely end-to-end encrypted way. 3NUM Shield messaging over the 3NUM Protocol is the most secure way to message a fren. What makes the 3NUM protocol unique, is that it is composable, meaning that it can support additional protocols. The 3NUM Protocol prioritizes the most secure messaging path available, and messages that need to be routed outside of the secure, end-to-end encrypted 3NUM ecosystem are fully encrypted until the point of exit. Users are made aware of how their messages are being routed via UI visuals in the 3NUM app!

SMS — Limited Access Until 2-Way Messaging Launches

The first “protocol” supported for messaging that is ***not ***3NUM to 3NUM is SMS. Because 3NUM Shields are built from a globally routable mobile number, by supporting SMS, your 3NUM Shield is capable of messaging any valid phone number through the 3NUM app! Messages initiated from your 3NUM Shield are fully encrypted before hitting the 3NUM Relay Gateway that routes messages to the SMS network. In-bound messages from a traditional mobile number to your 3NUM Shield are encrypted at this Relay Gateway as well. This means that your 3NUM Shield can replace a regular phone number for trusted messaging. We believe that this pragmatic approach will provide the opportunity to bridge users from unencrypted SMS and into the 3NUM protocol for trusted, end-end encrypted messaging!

XMTP— In Progress

Our team is working on integrating the XMTP protocol to expand the web3 messaging reach of 3NUM Shields. This means that your 3NUM Shield can be used to message other web3 addresses in the XMTP Ecosystem including .lens and Ethereum wallet addresses/ENS names. The XMTP Protocol will be supported at the launch of our 2-way messaging, and expanding support for others in the XMTP ecosystem will happen over time.

Additional protocol details outlined in our full length article

• Signal

• Other Protocol Support

Decentralizing the 3NUM Protocol

The plan from the beginning of the 3NUM project was to turn the 3NUM protocol into a decentralized, tokenized protocol that is run by relayers who are incentivized to decentralize and support the network.

The 3NUM Protocol will become tokenized, and node operators will be incentivized and compensated via the network’s token for providing relay services. The current token economic model and requirements for becoming a relayer are under development, but the network’s model will be comparable to successful Decentralized Wireless projects who have implemented at the network level what 3NUM is doing at the application level.

DAO Roadmap:

Our original vision for 3NUM was that it would evolve into a DAO that’s run by the members of the 3NUM community. The DAO model is great for collectively building solutions aligned with the needs and values of the community. And as a community with shared goals, 3NUMDAO can also create social momentum to help bridge from insecure existing communications infrastructure to the new world of decentralization and shared ownership that web3 offers.

Our goals for 3NUMDAO include:

1. Decentralization & tokenization of messaging infrastructure

2. Managing relationship with regulatory entities

3. Contributor driven go- to-market strategy and activities

4. Product Roadmap guidance

5. Community developer led initiatives

6. Programs for adoption, e.g. word of mouth and evangelism

7. 3NUMDAO governance

This Year

This year we will introduce opportunities for our community to have real impact and influence within the 3NUM ecosystem. The first opportunity will be for 3NUM enthusiasts to propose, vote on and evangelize the 3NUM project and be rewarded for their contributions. In the next quarter, we will begin incorporating community guidance to improve how we talk about the value and values of 3NUM’s solutions. Our core 3NUM team will start sharing more planning and roadmap details, including product features and marketing calendars as a way to kickstart 3NUM community member insight and feedback.

Beyond

The long term direction of 3NUM will be dictated by the DAO and structured similarly to notable projects like ENS and the Helium Foundation. Along with the foundational decentralization mentioned, the 3NUMDAO plans for the usual community participation for governance, feature proposals and more! Another crucial role that the 3NUMDAO will play is to participate in managing the public relationship between regulatory entities, e.g. for telecoms regulations, and 3NUM users.

What’s Next?

We’re on a mission to help transition the world into secure and trusted messaging! You can currently get your 3NUM Shield to use with our available features and join our community to help shape the future of the project!

Get 3NUM here:https://3num.co

Follow us on Twitter:https://twitter.com/3numdao

Join us on Discord to view our full length article:http://discord.gg/cxFU8NvCYV

Turning Phone Numbers into Crypto Numbers

3NUM Shields are generated by minting a phone number into a messaging NFT. Here is how that works:

First, a wallet “reserves” a phone number from our pool of unallocated numbers by signing a transaction to “queue” it up for being minted into a NFT. (It’s worth noting that in the future, users will be able to mint their existing phone number into a 3NUM). This creates a reservation ID to associate the number with the user’s wallet, which gets passed into the smart contract for minting. This step ensures that the only wallet able to mint the new number is the wallet that “reserved” it to be minted. That reserved phone number is then hashed and the hash is registered as a NFT where the TokenID is the hash of that number. This process inextricably links a user’s private key to the underlying phone number. At this point, a traditional phone number has officially become a web3 native crypto number! A user could think about this process like replacing a SIM card with a Smart Contract.

How messages are sent:

A major benefit to this approach is that it completely decouples ownership and control over a phone number from the networking layer. Therefore, a relay layer is required for facilitating the sending and receiving of messages. This relay layer will be decentralized over time. The relay layer logic is software that is a component of the 3NUM service.

3NUM to 3NUM

All messages sent between 3NUMs are end-to-end encrypted. When a user initiates sending a message to another 3NUM (by typing in the underlying number or an ENS name that a user could associate with their 3NUM) a lookup is done to find the corresponding public key. This is possible because looking up the hashed phone number (which is the public tokenID) unlocks finding the public key associated with the owner of the underlying number. Messages are then encrypted with the recipient’s public key so they can only be viewed by the intended recipient. Messages are then sent by the relay layer.

3NUM to Traditional Numbers

When a message comes in from a traditional number to a 3NUM Shield NFT they are sent to a relay gateway that is built to handle this request. The relay gateway maps a phone number to a public key by hashing a number and looking it up on the blockchain to retrieve the public key associated with this number. Messages are then encrypted with the recipient’s public key so only the user with the corresponding private key can view the message.

Transferring 3NUM Shields

3NUM Shields are ERC-721 spec NFTs. This means they can be sold or transferred like any other ERC-721 NFT. The `ownerOf(tokenID)` function shows the current holder of the underlying phone number for a given NFT. If a transfer of ownership does occur, the only way a message can be viewed is by controlling the private key associated with the current `ownerOf` said 3NUM Shield. This also means that messages sent to the underlying number of a 3NUM Shield cannot be viewed by a previous owner as the public/private key would no longer be associated with the NFT. A transfer is verifiable on the blockchain with the Transfer(from, to, tokenID) event.

If you have additional questions about 3NUM and what we’re building, chat with our team by joining our Discord Server here

Join our waitlist to mint a 3NUM Shield by clicking here

Follow us on Twitter by clicking here

Visit our website by clicking here

Over 5 billion people in the world use a mobile number as the primary identifier to communicate with each other and businesses. 3NUM is transforming this mobile number into a Web3-native identity to facilitate a seamless transition to secure, private communications and payments.

3NUM Shield was conceived and developed to give ownership and control over communications back to users and their communities. Our priorities are security, privacy and community control of the communications infrastructure we all use.

Our service is transforming SMS and voice messaging with secure end-to-end encryption, replacing insecure legacy mobile numbers with secure E.164 compatible NFTs. Everyone can mint a 3NUM Shield to secure their communication on Web3 and traditional mobile networks. 3NUM Shield solves the identity problem, “who am I really talking to?” while enabling true end-to-end encrypted communications.

We’re incredibly bullish on the private, decentralized messaging possibilities with Web3 and are fortunate to be working with leading investors in the space. We’re also pleased to announce that we raised a pre-seed round led by BlueYard, and includes a select set of investors — Notation Capital, Ace Capital and A100x — representing Web3, telecoms and decentralized wireless.

“The world is long overdue for a private, secure messaging alternative. With a history of fraud, spam, phishing and other kinds of abuse the future of communications desperately needs a focus on security and verifiable user identity.” said David Byrd, Partner at BlueYard Capital. We’re bought into the 3NUM vision, and believe that their team has the expertise and ability to bring this needed solution to market.

About

3NUM was founded by Web3 and InfoSec veterans with a history of successful startups and product development including VPN products at Watchguard, blockchain-based identity solutions for Consensys and LifeID, as well as senior leadership for Unity.

Launched in March 2022, 3NUM Shield was conceived by CEO Chris Boscolo after getting SIM-swapped. He immediately began crafting a solution that leveraged cryptographically secure blockchain technology to create tamper-proof communications endpoints, solving one of the fundamental problems for communications in the information age. With the newly developing Decentralized Wireless (DeWi) infrastructure, combining 3NUM Shield with DeWi will create the first decentralized, community owned and rewarded messaging layer for private, censorship resistant communications for everyone.

Users can sign up for our 3NUM Shield mint allowlist, and request to be a beta tester by clicking here

For more information or to sign up for early access, visit https://3num.co.

• Decentralized Messaging Identifiers

• Censorship resistant messaging protocols

• Decentralized wireless networks

Self Sovereign Communication is made possible with Decentralized Messaging Identifiers (DMIDs). We have built the first DMID called 3NUM. DMIDs are universal decentralized messaging identifiers that enable channel agnostic messaging across both web3 and web2. What makes 3NUMs flexible and unique is that they can serve as both a standalone messaging “identifier” (like how you would traditionally use a phone number, for example) or provide user controlled messaging capabilities to an existing web3 “endpoint” associated with one’s identity, like an ENS name, NFT or a standard wallet address. Better yet, they can function universally across all messaging platforms, from popular messaging applications like Signal, WhatsApp and Telegram, to traditional SMS and also in peer to peer wallet messaging instances. This universality means that decentralized messaging identifiers, like 3NUMS, can go anywhere you want to communicate.

Requirements for a Decentralized Messaging Identifier

1. A Decentralized Messaging Identifier MUST be owned not rented Over the last 60 or so years, we became comfortable with rented communication identifiers by way of traditional phone numbers. This is problematic on a number of levels. The least concerning risk being that if you stop paying for a service, you lose access to your communication identifier, with the more concerning being that you remain completely vulnerable to a corporation or nation state cutting access to “your” communication identifier based on any justification they deem reasonable.

2. A Decentralized Messaging Identifier must be solely controlled by the end user

Virtually every “messaging identifier” that is issued by a platform to a user, is ultimately controlled by the issuing company. Take email, for example. Those identifiers aren’t rented, like they are with phone numbers, but they are controlled by a single issuing party. This again introduces risks to end users, as access to the identifier could be revoked at any time — all without the users control or consent.

3. A Decentralized Messaging Identifier must be able to be used universally, regardless of the communication medium

Nearly all current messaging identifiers, even ones fully controlled by users, only work in siloed messaging environments. In order to be considered a DMID, it must work universally — whether that be in the web2 world with traditional phone and email messaging identifiers, or in web3 with wallets, web3 names and NFTs.

4. A Decentralized Messaging Identifier must give users control over who can contact them and where

Problems stemming from SMS spam are not only annoying to end users, they are dangerous. From receiving unsolicited messages to phishing attempts- If a user cannot control who messages them, they do not have sovereignty over that messaging identifier. Because DMIDs extend messaging functionality to other identifiers, this also means that they must extend control over who can contact these connected identifiers. For example, if you add your 3NUM as a record to your ENS name to use with the popular messaging app Signal.web3, you can limit who is able to message that identifier based on user directed requirements.

5. A Decentralized Messaging Identifier must be permanent

A messaging identifier must be able to exist in perpetuity, where a user has the ability to cut off communication access at their discretion.

6. A Decentralized Messaging Identifier must be non-fungible

Just as no two phone numbers are the same, neither are DMIDs. 3NUMS are actually minted as a non-fungible token, providing innovative ways to prove ownership while simultaneously extending user functionality.

If you are interested in learning more about how DMIDs fit into the broader Self-Sovereign Communication stack, check out our full length writeup covering all aspects of Self-Sovereign Communication here

If you are interested in learning more about our efforts, join our waitlist here:

https://twitter.com/signalapp/status/1580228175807754240

For those that don’t know about Signal or how it works, it is a messaging app similar to iMessage or WhatsApp. What has made Signal unique is its focus on end-to-end encryption which means users of Signal can feel confident that their communications are private and secure. Unlike Signal on the iPhone, Signal on Android is also able to send messages to people in your contact list via the standard non-encrypted SMS protocol. This means Android users can use Signal for all messaging. If your contact has Signal, the message will be sent via the secure Signal protocol, if they do not, then the message will be sent over the insecure SMS network.

The Signal post cites three reasons why they made this decision.

• SMS messages are inherently insecure

• Some users were “hit with high messaging fees after assuming that the SMS messages they were sending were Signal messages”

• Signal did not want users to “mistake SMS messages sent or received via the Signal interface as secure and private when in fact they are not”

In essence, Signal is known for being the most trusted and secure messaging app and they did not want to erode this brand reputation by continuing to support insecure SMS directly from the app.

On a branding level, I understand and can sympathize with this viewpoint. But, I wish they would consider a different approach, one that helps maximize the number of people that switch from insecure messaging to secure messaging.

Signal put itself in the perfect position to do this by choosing phone numbers as the “user-owned identifier”. (You can read why they did this here.) Where the opportunity was missed, was using the old insecure SMS protocol to inform prospective users how to upgrade to the more secure Signal option.

Signal user, Sasha Costanza-Chock @schock captured this thought in this post: https://twitter.com/schock/status/1580403542287822852 “Instead try regular nudges to convert sms users to Signal.”

There are over 5 billion mobile subscribers and only 40 million of them use Signal. Mobile users in the United States sent 2.2 trillion SMS or MMS messages during 2020, up from 1.5 trillion messages in 2017. Use of “insecure” SMS is still growing, so we need to continue to look for ways to upgrade these mobile subscribers to a modern secure end-to-end encrypted solution.

At 3NUM, that is exactly what we are trying to do. Our plan is to upgrade phone number-based communications from insecure SMS to Web3 native end-to-end encryption. Phone numbers themselves are just addresses for communications, much like an email address. The protocols used to speak to these address endpoints can and should be upgraded to be end-to-end encrypted. Giving users an upgrade path from insecure SMS to privacy-preserving encrypted communications will ensure we don’t relegate the poor and vulnerable to insecure networks.

There is a history of successfully upgrading our networking infrastructure in a way that does not abandon users to legacy protocols. Phones were once available in wired-only locations using ancient phone signaling protocols. The networks were upgraded to enable wireless calls and eventually SMS messages using mobile phones. Next, VoIP capabilities were added, enabling voice and messaging to natively use the Internet . On the Internet, the industry upgraded traffic from unencrypted HTTP to end-to-end encrypted HTTPS. Like this upgrade from HTTP to HTTPS, 3NUM is upgrading the protocols used to communicate between phone numbers with secure end-to-end encryption.

Step one on our journey is turning the phone number into a self-custodied Web3 asset, much like an NFT is a self-custodied asset. In the same way that ENS has decentralized Domain Name registration, where the names are self-custudied by the person registering them, 3NUM is decentralizing phone number registration. Our approach is to turn the phone number into a blockchain registered pseudonymous decentralized identifier (DID). For the tech-savvy readers imagine this as did:3num:15551081337.

When your number is a Web3 native DID, it unlocks two superpowers. First, you can achieve truly verifiable end-to-end encrypted communication because each user registers their number with their own cryptographic keys. Second, verifiable credentials can be attached to your number unlocking a whole new world of business value. As an example, with 3NUM, when I am messaging with a tech support agent at Acme company, I can send them a verifiable credential proving that I am the rightful owner of my Acme account.

Like Signal’s original decision to leverage the smartphone’s address book, using phone numbers as the address endpoint, we can create an upgrade path where we transform the world’s most commonly used messaging identifier into a future where messages are secure and private.

If you want to join us on this journey, join our waitlist to mint your 3NUM NFT at https://3num.co

Web3 has enabled builders to create tools that empower users to claim sovereignty over their data, money and identity. When it comes to communication, that same reality is unfortunately untrue. From our communication identifiers, to the messaging protocols and wireless networks used to connect them, virtually every layer of the “communication stack” is architected without user ownership and censorship resistance. We’re working diligently to change this at ENUM. 

Our team knows a thing or two about building tools that empower user control and ownership, having built one of the first Decentralized Identifier (DID) specifications submitted to the W3C at our previous venture lifeID. As a result, our team is taking what we know about enabling sovereignty over identifiers and bringing that to communication.

What is required for self-sovereign communication :

1. Universal Decentralized Messaging Identifiers (DMIDs)

2. Encrypted, censorship resistant messaging protocols

3. Modular, decentralized wireless networks

Introducing Universal Decentralized Messaging Identifiers

Self Sovereign Communication is made possible with Decentralized Messaging Identifiers (DMIDs). We have built the first DMID called ΞNUM. DMIDs are universal decentralized messaging identifiers that enable channel agnostic messaging across both web3 and web2. What makes ΞNUMs flexible and unique is that they can serve as both a standalone messaging “identifier” (like how you would traditionally use a phone number, for example) or provide user controlled messaging capabilities to an existing web3 “endpoint” associated with one's identity, like an ENS name, NFT or a standard wallet address. Better yet, they can function universally across all messaging platforms, from popular messaging applications like Signal, WhatsApp and Telegram, to traditional SMS and also in peer to peer wallet messaging instances. This universality means that decentralized messaging identifiers, like ΞNUMs, can go anywhere you want to communicate. 

Requirements for a Decentralized Messaging Identifier

1.A Decentralized Messaging Identifier MUST be owned not rented

Over the last 60 or so years, we became comfortable with rented communication identifiers by way of traditional phone numbers. This is problematic on a number of levels. The least concerning risk is that if you stop paying for your phone service, you lose access to your communication identifier, with the more concerning being that you remain completely vulnerable to a corporation or nation state cutting access to “your” communication identifier based on any justification they deem reasonable**.** 

2.A Decentralized Messaging Identifier must be solely controlled by the end user

Virtually every “messaging identifier” that is issued by a platform to a user, is ultimately controlled by the issuing company. Take email, for example. Those identifiers aren’t rented, like they are with phone numbers, but they are controlled by a single issuing party. This again introduces risks to end users, as access to the identifier could be revoked at any time - all without the user's control or consent.

3.A Decentralized Messaging Identifier must work universally, regardless of the communication medium

Nearly all current messaging identifiers, even ones fully controlled by users, only work in siloed messaging environments. A DMID must work universally - whether that be in the web2 world with traditional phone and email messaging identifiers, or in web3 with wallets, web3 domain names and NFTs. 

4.A Decentralized Messaging Identifier must give users control over who can contact them 

Problems stemming from email and SMS spam are not only annoying to end users, they are dangerous. From receiving unsolicited messages to phishing attempts- if a user cannot control who messages them, they do not have sovereignty over that messaging identifier. Because DMIDs extend messaging functionality to other identifiers, this also means that DMIDs must extend control over who can contact these connected identifiers. For example, if you add your ΞNUM as a record to your ENS you should also be able to limit who is able to message that ENS name based on your preferences.

5.A Decentralized Messaging Identifier must be permanent

A messaging identifier must be able to exist in perpetuity, where a user has the ability to cut off communication access at their discretion.

6.A Decentralized Messaging Identifier must be non-fungible 

Just as no two phone numbers are the same, neither are DMIDs. ΞNUMs are actually minted as a NFT, providing innovative ways to prove ownership while simultaneously extending user functionality. 

Encrypted, Censorship Resistant Messaging Protocols

In order for communication to be self sovereign, the messaging protocols used must be: 

1. Fully end to end encrypted

2. Allow participants to engage in decentralizing the messaging protocol

Self sovereign communication extends beyond just decentralized messaging identifiers, and includes the protocols that pass messages from one DMID to another. The most fundamental requirement for sovereignty over messaging protocols starts with them being fully encrypted. A user sending a message must be certain that information is being transmitted securely and privately. Not only is security and privacy a fundamental human right, without it, users cannot execute complete control over their communication. 

End to end encrypted messaging protocols are not enough, however, as they need to be censorship resistant as well. This is best done through decentralization, where there is no single point of control that could prevent a user from accessing a messaging protocol to communicate. Furthermore, by decentralizing the messaging protocol, it allows every user to participate in the functionality and robustness of the protocol itself.

Modular, Decentralized Networks

The final piece of the Self Sovereign Communication puzzle lies in emerging, censorship resistant decentralized networks.

Wireless technology has long been in the control of massive telecommunication and ISP companies, who in many ways have a monopoly on wireless access. These highly centralized monopolies make it very difficult for a user to execute sovereignty over their communications, when access is controlled by only a few players. 

Tokenized peer to peer networks have created new business models with incentive structures that were previously inconceivable to build. Decentralized Wireless, or DeWi for short, takes advantage of these new incentive models to build decentralized wireless networks that rival their centralized counterparts. As a result, censorship resistant mesh networks made up of thousands of individual nodes are able to provide critical wireless infrastructure that unlocks the ability for users to fully leverage universal, Decentralized Messaging Identifiers with decentralized encrypted messaging protocols in a completely self-sovereign way.

The tools are becoming available to empower users to reclaim control over their communication, from the messaging identifiers used, to the messaging protocols and networks that connect them. We are proud to be driving this necessary innovation at ΞNUM in order to make this revolution possible! 

We made Avvy our priority as the next web3 name to support in Signal.web3, as we think it will be a great addition for both current Signal users and the Avalanche community!

While Signal.web3 is still in alpha and currently only supports public numbers, we are excited about the unique functionality that Avvy domains will bring to our feature complete version in the coming months. Specifically, around the ability to support shielded names using zero knowledge proofs. This means that Avvy users can enjoy a unique and unparalleled level of privacy not currently offered by other blockchain name service providers.

Signal.web3 with Avvy domains support will be available for download starting August 24th. This added functionality will be available via an update, so if you already have Signal.web3 you will not need to download a new version!

Download Signal.web3 here:

enum.wtf/signal-web3-alpha-download

Purchase your Avvy domain here:

https://app.avvy.domains

Get help with our download guide and FAQ here:

https://hail-wisteria-c3e.notion.site/Signal-web3-Alpha-Setup-Support-481b7dad3eae4f76a4e5a2d05815c1e6

Network layer:

Until Helium launched their decentralized IoT network, networking infrastructure took billions in CapEx to build out, and subsequently was controlled by a handful of major corporations. With the advent of token incentives and the recent democratization of 5G spectrum in the United States, innovators including Pollen Mobile and Helium have leveraged these two innovations to build the first truly decentralized 5G wireless network, to power the future of communication that is built, ran and operated by a community of users.

The model works like this:

Node operators provide 5G spectrum service to their surrounding community with an affordable at-home base station, and are in-turn compensated via a native token. This enables everyday people to participate in a network made up of millions of individual nodes. The beauty with this approach is that it provides a more robust and secure network, as there is no single point of failure, while simultaneously benefiting users with a cost model that’s far more competitive when compared to its monolithic counterparts. As a point of comparison, the average data cost on Pollen Mobile is $.50 per gig, which is roughly 1/10th the average cost of data from major telco providers. This means end users can enjoy cost effective and censorship resistant network access to enable connected devices and communication without compromises.

Mobile OS Layer

Until recently, users wanting to leverage decentralized 5G networks had to do so with devices running very centralized operating systems. Functionally speaking, your only real options for connecting to these networks as an end user were by way of an iPhone or Android device running their respective OS’s.

Within the last 6 months, major blockchain ecosystems have announced plans to decentralize mobile, most notably with SMS (Solana Mobile Stack) by Solana and ethOS by Ethereum Phone. These operating systems are customized, blockchain enabled versions of Android, built for running decentralized applications, known as Dapps. The benefits from these decentralized operating systems are wide ranging, with native wallet support, decentralized storage, decentralized browsing and Dapps being just a few of many. Because of these advances, users can now utilize applications on their phone in a manner that reflects the same decentralized ethos as the rest of the emerging wireless stack.

Messaging Endpoints

Innovative decentralized wireless and mobile communication deserves better than antiquated phone numbers. That is tech from yesteryear, but it is still how over 5 billion people identify themselves to communicate with one another on networks today. What users deserve is a web3 native messaging endpoint that is able to interact with the legacy 5.1 billion phone users. This is what we’re building at ENUM, a Web3 native messaging endpoint that also functions as a valid, globally routable phone number. ENUMs are a communication specific identifier that powers secure wallet or blockchain name messaging. This means that users leveraging decentralized networks and operating systems can seamlessly message other web3 users in a secure, private and censorship resistant way, without creating a walled garden from current mobile users, just as decentralized wireless networks interoperate seamlessly with existing networks.

The value delivered by DeWi and DeMo (decentralized mobile) is unparalleled, and we believe that this emerging industry will be the gateway for billions of new users into Web3.

If you are interested in learning more about the future of this space, be sure to follow the projects linked in this article to stay current with their efforts!

If you are looking for a complete list of projects working in the DeWi space, check out this Twitter thread compiled by one of the members on our team:

https://twitter.com/tylerboscolo/status/1552770020446351360?s=20&t=K50yStuC-5irmzQ3rGtlqQ

Why Make Signal Web3 Native?

1. It will make Signal even more secure than it already is

2. It will add new functionality that Web3 enthusiasts will routinely use and leverage, further increasing Signal’s clear competitive advantages.

What Are We Doing?

Because Signal is open source, we are able to build Web3 features and submit them as pull requests to integrate directly into the Signal platform. We know some of these pull requests will not be accepted by the Signal Foundation (for example, this one), so we will maintain a fork of Signal with Web3 functionality that fully interoperates with the existing Signal ecosystem.

Scope Of Our Development Efforts

2. Web3 Names and Addresses

   We have built and released the ability for users to look up and message one another with their  ENS name in Signal. We will continue adding support for leading blockchain name providers, including Avvy, Unstoppable Domains and Bonfida (Solana), so users can look up and message one another knowing only their blockchain-registered web3 name. In addition to web3 name lookups, we will build and support this same functionality for wallet addresses. The ENS lookup service we built was the first pull request submitted to the Signal Foundation, and it was not accepted, prompting us to create and maintain a Web3 fork of Signal.

3. Expand Identifiers Used for Account Verification

   Signal currently relies on a user's phone number to identify their “account” within Signal. Unfortunately, this dependency leaves users vulnerable to SIM swap attacks. We believe this is problematic, and thus we will build the ability to identify a user's Signal account with a Web3 native identifier, secured by their private keys, rather than a traditional phone number, adding additional security for existing Signal users.

4. Wallet Support

   In addition to identifying users with a Web3 address, we will also add native wallet support. This feature greatly expands our ability to build extended user functionality, including wallet messaging and payments all within the same application. We will build integrations with existing APIs so users can do peer to peer payments with popular cryptocurrencies like ZCash.

5. More to Come

   While we have plans to enhance Signal beyond these feature sets, the scoped work listed above will take the majority of our time for the foreseeable future.

What’s Next?

Our development team will continue building out these features and submitting them as pull requests to the Signal Foundation in order to make Signal Web3 native. It is important to point out that users on our maintained Web3 version of Signal will be able to communicate seamlessly with the 40 million users on the existing Signal platform.

We are committed to ensuring that our maintained version of Web3 Signal is fully open sourced and public. You can stay current with our development efforts by joining our Discord channel or by viewing our public Github repo.

If endeavor sounds interesting to you, and you would like to contribute, please join our Discord channel to get in touch with us!

Follow us on Twitter by clicking here

A quick explainer on how that works:

All ΞNUM-based phone numbers use a new special country code that is different from those used by legacy mobile numbers based on geographic country codes. All SMS messages sent to an ΞNUM number are sent to the gateway registered to handle this special top-level country code. The ΞNUM Relay Gateway does not keep a database to map the specific number to the owner. Instead, the number is looked up on the blockchain to retrieve the public key associated with this number. The message is encrypted with the public key, and the ΞNUM Messenger is notified to retrieve it. Only the ΞNUM Messenger with the private key can receive and decrypt the message.

The most feature rich and secure way to use ΞNUM’s is in the ΞNUM Messenger, which is based on the Signal protocol, enabling interoperability with the existing 40 million Signal users. The ΞNUM Messenger uses the secure ΞNUM phone number as the public key to encrypt and authenticate all data sent to other ΞNUM Messengers and ΞNUM Relay Servers. You can think of this as secure encrypted VoIP. Because these communications transmit over data networks, there is no SIM card associated with your number to compromise. When a legacy phone number (+1-555-1212) sends a message to a user that has an ΞNUM, it is sent to the ΞNUM Relay Servers, then encrypted and sent to the owner of the ΞNUM. With this approach, you can say goodbye to SIM-swap attacks.

We are building toward a future where people will purchase data-only mobile plans and use ΞNUM for secure messaging that also supports legacy SMS/Voice through a gateway. 

Learn more about our novel messaging NFTs by clicking here

Connect with our team by joining our Discord Server by clicking here

Follow us on Twitter by clicking here

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Join our Signal + Alpha Waitlist here.

You can sign up for our alpha by clicking here 

What is in this alpha release?

This alpha is a desktop version of Signal that supports ENS lookups. This means that ENS owners can add their phone number as a new text record to look up and message existing Signal users knowing only their ENS! Because this alpha is a modified version of Signal, you will be able to message the existing 40 million Signal users. We think this will be a valuable public good for the nearly 500k ENS owners who want to use their Ethereum name on Signal.

Other consideration with this alpha release:

• Easy Integration

Setting up your ENS with our modified Signal desktop client is easy and simply requires adding your number as a new text record with the ENS you want to use for Signal messaging.  

• Message Existing Contacts

Because our alpha is a modified version of Signal, you will be able to link your current account and message your existing Signal contacts. 

• Familiar UI

This alpha uses the same UI as the existing Signal Desktop app, making it friendly and familiar.

• Supported Operating Systems

This alpha will support MacOS, Windows and Linux. Our team is working on a mobile version that will be released later this year. 

• Open Sourced

This Signal + ENS alpha is and will always be fully open sourced!

• Full Platform Coming Soon

This alpha connects your ENS to our modified Signal desktop client without the ΞNUM NFT. Our full platform will launch later this year supporting secure ΞNUM’s to replace your current phone number.

If you are ready for your ENS on Signal than join our Alpha today! 

Check out a video demo of our alpha live by clicking here

Connect with our team by joining our Discord Server by clicking here

Follow us on Twitter by clicking here

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At the heart of the ΞNUM solution is our novel messaging NFT, called an ΞNUM. ΞNUMs are a new utility NFT that exists as a new “communications identifier”. An ΞNUM can be thought of as a modernized, Web3 phone number, that also doubles as a real-world phone number. Its inherent superpower is extending truly end-to-end encrypted messaging to current Web3 identifiers like Ethereum Name Service (ENS) and wallet addresses.

ΞNUMs are constructed so they can be minted on any layer 1 or layer 2 blockchain. Data, including the owner’s public key and other information needed for messaging, is assembled and hashed off chain. The resulting hashed content is then registered on chain. On Ethereum, ΞNUMs are minted as ERC721 NFTs.

Because ΞNUMs work in the real world as a valid phone number, many businesses and users will have more than one ΞNUM:

• ΞNUMs that are published for the general public

• ΞNUMs that are only shared with friends and family

ΞNUMs and Web3 Names

Blockchain name services like ENS are a vital component of the Web3 ecosystem. While ENS makes it easy to lookup human-readable names, it lacks any integrations with popular secure messaging apps. By associating an ΞNUM with their ENS, users or businesses can securely find and message each other knowing only their ENS name.

Because the ΞNUM messaging app supports the Signal protocol, ΞNUM associated ENS holders can use their Web3 name natively on the Signal platform. This gives them instant access to communicate with 40 million Signal users using ENS.

We are also working on integrations with additional chains, starting with Avalanche and Solana.

Plugging your ENS or equivalent Web3 name into your new ΞNUM is straightforward. Users will simply add their unique ΞNUM address as a new record to their existing Web3 name to unlock native messaging functionality through their ΞNUM.

ΞNUM NFT as your PFP

NFTs have become the avatar of choice for online profile pictures (PFP). With major social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram supporting NFTs, their importance and relevance will only grow over time. That said, while NFTs work as your personal avatar they cannot function as a communication identifier, preventing the opportunity for NFT to NFT messaging.

ΞNUM messaging NFTs can also be used as your PFP. Each ΞNUM is a unique piece of generative art, rendered on chain so it can never be spoofed. This plays an important role in the user experience when you receive a friend request or message from another user. You can be certain that the image represents the person you’re communicating with.

Users can also associate their existing NFTs with their ΞNUM, enabling users to directly, securely, and privately message the owner of the NFT.

Phone numbers and ΞNUMs

The problem with phone numbers is that they are terribly insecure and are not Web3 native. Despite this fact, they are used by 5 billion people as the primary identifier for communication. Building a new paradigm shifting communication identifier means replacing legacy phone numbers with ΞNUMs. ΞNUMs let users replace these insecure phone numbers by minting a global, secure ΞNUM NFT. ΞNUM phone numbers are Web3 native and secure, preventing current vulnerabilities like SIM-swapping, spam, and SMS phishing.

The format for telephone numbers is defined by an international standard called E.164. Conforming numbers are limited to a maximum of 15 digits. The E.164 format numbers must contain only digits split as follows:

• Country code (1 to 3 digits)

• Subscriber number (max 12 digits)

To provide a secure solution, ΞNUM uses a reserved top-level country code for the cryptographically generated numbers. Each number under this top-level code is registered on chain by the owner of the number. In the same way that you control your Ethereum address, you will control your ΞNUM.

The elegance of this approach is that it completely decouples ownership and control over a phone number from the networking layer. Routing messages to the phone no longer depends on a SIM, meaning you could never be SIM-swapped. Furthermore, because the phone number is based on a cryptographic public key pair, the phone number can be used to initiate end-to-end encrypted messages.

We are building the future of communication, where security, privacy, and decentralization are primary tenets of its architecture. If you want a better future, stay informed with our efforts by following us on Twitter and joining our Discord server! ** **

Join our Discord Server by clicking here

Follow us on Twitter clicking here

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Today, Web3 users don’t have an easy and secure way to message each other using their NFT, ENS, or wallet addresses. Instead, we rely on apps like Signal or Telegram even though they’re not Web3 native and rely on outdated and insecure phone numbers. With problems like SIM-jacking, SMS spam and scam calls, phone numbers just aren’t safe to use for secure and private messaging.

To get started, we’re updating the Signal platform to work with your Web3 identifiers. As most folks in Web3 know, the Signal platform is trusted by over 40 million users for secure end-to-end encrypted messaging. ΞNUM replaces phone numbers on Signal with a novel messaging NFT as a trusted identifier for Web3 users to securely and conveniently message one another. Transforming Signal to support Web3 native addresses, will make it the platform of choice for Web3 messaging and notifications.

ΞNUM will be the first Web3-native mobile communications platform that is owned and operated by members who can mint their own personalized, tamper-proof ΞNUM NFTs in place of their phone number. ΞNUMs can be used for communication on Web3 and traditional mobile networks. These personalized NFTs solve the identity problem, “who am I really talking to?”

We’re launching early access ΞNUM NFTs to the Web3 community this year while we build the messaging app. While we’re starting with the Web3 community, our goal is to extend Web3 messaging capabilities globally. We’ll talk more about what that looks like soon!

Everyone deserves secure, private communications no matter who they’re talking to. We’re crazy excited about building this and hope you join us.

Click here to follow us on Twitter and stay updated with our efforts! LFG!!!

Ready to jump in? Join our Discord channel now by clicking here