Algorand is a Boston based company that is developing a blockchain network with a Pure Proof of Stake (PPoS) consensus mechanism. Algorand's decentralized platform is designed to enable faster transaction times and remove some of the technical barriers of creating scalable DApps. Algorand was founded by Silvio Micali, a pioneer in the field of cryptography.

The UMA token is used to enable holders to participate in community governance issues and to help resolve contract disputes on the UMA platform. UMA is designed to be a decentralized financial contracts platform, and is an abbreviation of Universal Market Access. Their goal is to build the financial infrastructure that will make creating decentralized financial services easier. UMA provides a variety of smart contract templates as well as a decentralized oracle that can be used to validate payouts related to financial contracts.