Shelby Introduces a New Era of Decentralized, Cloud-Speed Storage for Web3 Applications

Aptos Labs and Jump Crypto have unveiled Shelby, a decentralized storage network that rivals traditional cloud platforms in speed and reliability.

Powered by Aptos’ high-throughput blockchain technology, Shelby offers a globally distributed, chain-agnostic platform compatible with Ethereum, Solana, and other major blockchains.

This innovative infrastructure addresses the growing need for cloud-like performance in decentralized applications, enabling developers to build streaming video, AI pipelines, and decentralized physical infrastructure (DePIN) solutions with unprecedented efficiency.

Competing in a Cloud Market Dominated by Giants

Shelby enters a highly competitive market dominated by Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud.

Despite this, Shelby distinguishes itself by allowing developers to retain ownership, control pricing, and program business logic at the protocol level.

Pranav Raval, the engineering lead at Aptos, says that Shelby performs as well as top cloud providers and gives users control through decentralized governance and economic models, marking a significant shift in how cloud services work.

Did you know?
Shelby leverages Aptos blockchain’s 600-millisecond transaction finality and capacity for 30,000 transactions per second, enabling rapid coordination and low-cost operations at scale.

Addressing the Exploding Demand for Data Storage

The rapid growth of AI workloads and streaming services is driving unprecedented demand for scalable, efficient data storage.

Power consumption in global data centers is projected to double by 2030, intensifying pressure on existing cloud infrastructures.

Shelby’s architecture, which includes a global mesh of high-performance nodes connected by a dedicated fiber-optic backbone and edge caching, ensures sub-second data access at scale.

This design supports high-frequency, real-time Web3 applications without compromising decentralization or data control.

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Enabling Next-Generation Applications with Advanced Features

Shelby supports a range of advanced functionalities such as usage-based pricing, token gating, digital rights management (DRM), smart contract permission controls, and dynamic pricing.

These features enable developers to monetize content, enforce access controls, and tailor services to specific application needs.

Early adopters like Metaplex, Story Protocol, and Pipe Network are already integrating Shelby, with major media players like NBCUniversal exploring its potential for streaming scenarios.

A Vision for a Decentralized and Scalable Web3 Future

Built by teams with deep experience in scaling consumer-grade infrastructure and real-time systems, Shelby aims to combine the speed and reliability of Web2 cloud services with the transparency and user empowerment of Web3.

By supporting multiple blockchains and offering seamless programmability, Shelby is poised to become a foundational layer for decentralized applications that demand both performance and decentralization.