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Spore Protocol

Spore is an on-chain Digital Object (DOB) protocol built on Nervos CKB that enables secure, efficient, and flexible creation and transfer of digital objects. It supports features like intrinsic value redemption, privacy-preserving ownership, and zero-fee transactions — all natively on-chain.

Use Cases​

  • Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs)
  • Digital collectibles
  • Gaming assets
  • Redeemable digital vouchers or certificates

Comparison Table​

Spore is comparable to Ethereum’s ERC-721 and Bitcoin Ordinals, both of which are token standards for representing unique digital assets.

FeaturesERC-721 (Ethereum)Ordinals (Bitcoin)Spore Protocol (Nervos CKB)
ContentMostly off-chainOn-chainOn-chain
ModelAccount-basedUTXOUTXO-based Cell Model
PrivacyNoMaybeYes
ImmutabilityVariableYes, immutableYes, immutable
RedeemableNoNoYes
SimplicityComplexSimpleSimple (1 Cell per DOB)
Content Size Limit-4MB / 400KB500KB
Transaction CostGas in ETHBTC feesZero-fee (optional payment)
Basis of ValueMarket, manufactured rarityRarity of satsIntrinsic + market value

What Makes Spore Protocol Unique?​

Intrinsic Value & Redemption​

Spore is a unique class of digital assets linked to the native currency of the Nervos Network, CKBytes (CKB). This intrinsic connection ensures that every Spore has a foundational value that reflects the amount of CKBytes allocated to it during its creation.

  • Redemption of Intrinsic Value: Spores can be melted back into the underlying CKBytes at any time. This is achieved through the meltSpore API provided by the spore-sdk, granting owners the flexibility to convert their digital assets into CKBytes currency whenever they choose.

  • Tokenomics and Intrinsic Value Growth: As the utilization of on-chain space on the Nervos CKB grows, the value of the CKBytes locked within each Spore naturally appreciates. This growth is organic and driven by CKB’s economic model, which includes a structured issuance schedule and a state rent mechanism, as detailed in the CKB Cryptoeconomics RFC.

On-Chain Ownership & Privacy​

Spore Protocol offers enhanced privacy and security features that are not inherent in account-based NFT protocols, particularly addressing the challenges faced by NFT holders.

  • Privacy through Cell Model: Unlike account-based blockchains, where all transactions are tied to a single address, Nervos CKB uses a UTXO-based Cell Model, which leverages independent Cells. In this model, each transaction uses a new address — even though it is controlled by the same key — effectively splitting ownership across multiple addresses and making it difficult to link them to a single identity.

Zero-Fee Transfers​

Spore Protocol supports zero-fee transfers by reserving a small amount of CKBytes when creating a Spore or Cluster.

  • Capacity Margin: When a Spore or Cluster is created, the createSpore or createCluster API allows specifying a capacityMargin — typically 1 CKB — which is reserved to cover future transaction fees. With a 1 CKB margin, a Spore can be transferred approximately 100,000 times before requiring additional funding. This enables a seamless user experience where new holders can interact with Spores without needing to manage or acquire CKBytes.

  • Preserving Privacy: By removing the need to fund transactions externally, Spore Protocol reduces the risk of linking wallet addresses through fee payments — a common vector for de-anonymization on public blockchains. This design improves privacy while maintaining full on-chain integrity.

Support for Multiple Content Types​

Spore Protocol is designed to support a wide range of digital content formats — far beyond static images like JPEGs. This flexibility enables developers and creators to store and manage diverse types of media and data directly on-chain.

DOB/0 Protocol​

The DOB/0 protocol is a standard configuration and interface specification for defining and decoding the attributes of a Digital Object (DOB). It includes the concepts of:

  • DNA – the core data structure
  • Pattern – a template or schema for interpretation
  • Decoder – a logic layer to parse and render the DOB

DOB/0 standardizes how applications interact with and extract meaning from DOBs, significantly reducing integration complexity.

DOB/1 Protocol​

The DOB/1 protocol builds on DOB/0 by introducing standardized support for SVG image rendering. It allows DOBs to express visual content directly on-chain by:

  • Defining how DOB attributes are translated into SVG
  • Allowing automatic generation of visual representations
  • Making digital objects both interpretable and displayable

This opens doors for NFT-style use cases with fully on-chain art.

Additional Resources​