The Avalanche token (AVAX) performs various tasks within Avalanche's Proof of Stake blockchain network. The Avalanche token functions as a rewards and payment system for users. The network is designed to be an open-source platform for launching highly decentralized applications, enterprise deployments, and decentralized financial instruments. The Avalanche ecosystem is meant to be smore scalable and interoperable than other blockchain platforms. Unlike Bitcoin and many other networks, transaction fees are “burnt” in order to increase token scarcity. This process is offset by the release, or “minting,” of new coins.
Avalanche was launched by Ava Labs, whose founder Emin Gün Sirer is a veteran computer scientist that has been very influential in the Blockchain space. Gün Sirer is a computer science professor at Cornell University and has written extensively about scaling blockchain networks.

ARK, which is a fork of Lisk, is developing an interconnected blockchain ecosystem that will make it easier for users to develop their own blockchains. Ark emphasizes interoperability and usability. Their moto is “Point.Click.Blockchain” and their goal is to allow for easy deployment of DApps. Ark's "push button blockchains" can be easily created with minimal programming knowledge. Ark also hopes to encourage adoption by developers by accommodating 18 different programming languages.
Ark has a delegated Proof-of-Stake (dPoS) consensus mechanism. Their governance model allows users to vote for delegates that secure the network. The top 51 delegates voluntarily share there tokens with their voters.
Ark contract execution service (ACES) connects ARK with other blockchains and will enable exchanges of value between them.

Fantom is developing a smart contract platform based on a directed acyclic graph (DAG). They hope to address the scalability issues of current decentralized platforms. Instead of a blockchain, Fantom's Lachesis Protocol uses a directed acyclic graph to confirm transactions asynchronously. This transaction history is immutable and cannot be modified. The platform's Opera Chain will consist of three layers: an application Layer, Opera Ware Layer, and Opera Core Layer. Fanotm issued an Ethereum-based token in 2018.