What is Parachain?
An individual blockchain that runs parallel to the Polkadot Relay Chain, leasing shared security while maintaining its own governance, tokenomics, and runtime logic. Parachains are what make Polkadot a network of networks — each one optimized for a specific use case (DeFi, identity, gaming, data) while benefiting from the Relay Chain's security. If the Relay Chain is the highway, parachains are the destinations.
Take the next useful step
In plain words
"An independent store in a shopping mall — it runs its own business but shares the building's security, electricity, and foot traffic."
How it works
Key takeaways
-
Independent chain with its own logic
-
Shared security from the Relay Chain
-
Can customize governance, tokens, economics
Real-world example
Moonbeam is a parachain — it runs Ethereum-compatible smart contracts, has its own token (GLMR), but relies on Polkadot's Relay Chain for security.
Related terms
Newsletter
·1,000+ readers · weekly · no spam