# Overview

## Quick Start

Don't wanna bother with the yapping? Find your Fogo quick start guide [here](https://www.fogo.io/start).

## What is Fogo?

### The Fastest SVM-Compatible Blockchain

[Fogo](https://linktr.ee/) is a new Layer 1 blockchain built for **speed**, **fairness**, and **performance**. It runs the same virtual machine as Solana (the SVM), meaning developers and users can bring their favorite Solana apps straight to Fogo — but with even faster execution and a smoother experience.

At its core, Fogo was designed for traders and DeFi users who want things to *just work* instantly.

With **40 millisecond block times** and **1.3s finality**, transactions on Fogo feel real-time. No lag, no waiting, no missed opportunities.

The network is powered by the $FOGO token, which is used to pay transaction fees and secure the chain through staking.

### Why Fogo Exists

Most blockchains make trade-offs between decentralization, speed, and usability. Fogo takes a different path — it borrows proven ideas from high-frequency trading and combines them with decentralized infrastructure to deliver the fastest on-chain experience possible.

That means:

* Lightning-fast transactions that settle almost instantly
* Fair execution, where speed doesn’t guarantee an advantage
* Tools that make trading and using dApps feel effortless

### Built for (Yo)users

Fogo’s design centers on four key decisions — each focused on reducing friction and latency without compromising security.

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### Fogo Sessions

**Simpler, faster, gas-free access to every dApp**

[Fogo Sessions](https://www.fogo.io/blog/introducing-fogo-sessions) makes using crypto apps as easy as logging in with Google. Once you start a session, you can interact with every app on Fogo — no constant signature pop-ups, no gas fees for users on every click. Each session is secure, app-specific, and time-limited, so you stay in control while enjoying a smoother experience.

In short: it’s the convenience of Web2, with the security and self-custody of Web3.
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### Colocation

**Bringing validators closer for the fastest possible blocks**

In traditional finance, traders reduce latency by hosting servers right next to the exchange. Fogo applies the same idea on-chain. Its initial validators are physically located in the same high-performance data center, dramatically reducing signal travel time.

The result? Blocks are produced in **40 milliseconds**, enabling trades, swaps, and transactions to confirm almost instantly — creating the most responsive blockchain environment possible.
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### Custom Client

**A high-performance validator built for Fogo’s speed**

Under the hood, Fogo runs on a **custom Firedancer-based client** — a version of the ultra-fast validator software originally developed by Jump Crypto for Solana. Fogo’s team has optimized it further for stability, throughput, and low-latency communication in its colocated environment.

This gives the network elite-level performance today while remaining fully compatible with future Firedancer improvements.
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### Validator Set

**Proven reliability from day one**

Fogo’s early validators were hand-selected based on their performance in testnet and other leading ecosystems — operators who consistently delivered high uptime, accuracy, and throughput. Each validator meets the standards defined by Kairos Research, a team monitoring the network’s health and performance.

As Fogo grows, the validator set will expand, but the commitment to high-performance operation will remain at its core.
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## The Ecosystem

At launch, Fogo will go live with a full suite of DeFi-focused products, including:

* [**Ambient**](https://perps.ambient.finance/v2/trade/BTC) — a next-generation on-chain perps exchange
* [**Valiant**](https://valiant.trade/) — a spot and liquidity platform for major and emerging assets
* [**Pyron**](https://app.pyron.fi/) and **FogoLend** — money markets for borrowing and lending
* [**Brasa**](https://brasa.finance/) — liquid staking via stFOGO
* [**FluxBeam**](https://www.fluxbeam.xyz/) — a DEX, Telegram trading bot, and on-chain safety tools
* [**Invariant**](https://linktr.ee/invariantapp) — An innovative SVM DEX
* [**Portal Bridge**](https://portalbridge.com/) — the official day-one bridge for transferring assets to and from Fogo

These applications will showcase what ultra-low-latency DeFi can feel like: instant trades, zero-friction transfers, and a seamless experience for both traders and builders.

### The Bigger Picture

By combining colocation, custom-built infrastructure, and user-first tools like Fogo Sessions, Fogo creates a network purpose-built for real-time on-chain activity.

As the ecosystem expands and more builders deploy, Fogo aims to become the benchmark for what fast, fair, and fluid DeFi should feel like.