Overview
Subsquid Labs published a strategic roadmap outlining SQD Network’s development through 2026. The article emphasizes that while the decentralized data protocol launched on mainnet in June 2024, the organization views this as “an entirely new beginning” rather than a final destination.
Key Background Information
SQD Network operates as a decentralized data lake enabling permissionless access to blockchain and off-chain data. The infrastructure includes:
- Worker nodes (811 online at publication, storing 594 TB of data)
- Delegators (71.2 million tokens delegated)
- Data providers and consumers through gateway operators
The network has already served 433 TB of data to consumers since mainnet launch.
Development Priorities (2024-2026)
1. Data Streams (Gateways 2.0)
- Eliminates RPC dependency for real-time data access
- Enables faster squid indexer performance
- Testing begins mid-August 2024, starting with Solana
2. Query Verification & Validation
- Implements zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs and Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs)
- Beta testing planned for Q4 2024
- Offers multiple validation options based on trustlessness requirements
3. SQL Query Functionality
- Enables direct SQL queries against curated datasets
- Supports analytics like “What was average trading volume of X/Y?”
- Research phase; MVP expected Q2 2025
4. Decentralized Dataset Provision
- Replaces Cloudflare R2 dependency with decentralized storage
- Smart contract deployment targeted for Q4 2024
- Data provider whitelisting begins early 2025
5. Light Squid Indexers
- Replaces heavy PostgreSQL with SQLite-based indexers
- Enables multi-region deployment and decentralized scaling via AVS
- Production testing begins September 2024
Market Position
The article positions SQD as solving a critical Web3 infrastructure gap:
- Approximately 20% market share in indexing (second-largest player)
- 300+ dApps depend on Squid SDK daily
- Over 5,000 production indexers currently running
- Support for 150+ chains (EVM, Solana, Substrate, and others)
Strategic Vision
Subsquid Labs frames SQD as Web3’s answer to Google (for data aggregation) and Snowflake/Databricks (for developer access). The emphasis on “credibly-neutral” protocol design and permissionless data access aims to create infrastructure similar to HTTP’s role in early web development.
Notable Metrics
- Current network APR: 22% for worker nodes, 8.1% for delegators
- Query costs: Less than $0.001 per query
- Token sale: Sold 5% of supply in 19 minutes (January 2024)
Community Engagement
The article explicitly invites feedback from developers and community members via the SQD Discord, acknowledging that decentralization may alter timelines and priorities based on community input.