The Internet Computer is a blockchain hosted on node machines operated by independent parties and located in geographically distributed datacenters. The nodes run the Internet Computer Protocol, an advanced cryptographic fault-tolerant protocol which ensures that smart contracts running on the blockchain cannot be tampered with or stopped. The Internet Computer is composed of individual subnet blockchains running in parallel and connected using chain key cryptography.

Within the Internet Computer ecosystem, Internet Computer Protocol tokens are a native utility token with a value determined on the open market. ICP tokens play a key role in both the governance and the economics of the Internet Computer.