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Ault is built as a layered blockchain stack that separates consensus, application logic, and smart contract execution.
This modular design allows the protocol to combine institutional-grade consensus with customizable application logic and full Ethereum compatibility. At a high level, the stack consists of:
  • CometBFT as the consensus layer
  • AultCore as the application layer based on the Cosmos SDK
  • AultEVM as the Ethereum-compatible execution layer based on Cosmos EVM

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CometBFT: Consensus Layer

Ault uses a CometBFT-based Proof-of-Stake consensus engine to secure the network, which enables sub-second block times and single-slot finality. Validators are responsible for proposing and validating blocks, executing transactions, updating state, and maintaining finality. The BFT design provides fast confirmation times and deterministic finality, making the network suitable for financial and institutional use cases. Consensus remains focused purely on ordering and finalizing blocks, while higher-level logic is handled in the application layer.

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AultCore: Application Layer

AultCore is built on the Cosmos SDK and defines the chain’s sovereign application logic. The Cosmos SDK provides:
  • Modular architecture
  • Custom state machine design
  • Protocol-level parameter governance
  • Upgrade flexibility
Ault utilizes standard Cosmos modules such as bank, staking, distribution, slashing, and feemarket (EIP-1559 style). On top of these, Ault introduces custom modules that implement its licensed participation model and governance design, including:
  • License module, which manages license state and governance voting weight
  • Mining module, which handles epochs, VRF submissions, work credits, and emission distribution
  • Governance module, which enforces voting rights, voting caps, quorum rules, and veto logic
This structure allows Ault to implement protocol-level rules that go beyond a standard EVM chain.

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AultEVM: Ethereum-Compatible Execution

AultEVM provides full Ethereum-compatible smart contract execution. Developers can deploy Solidity contracts using familiar tooling such as Hardhat and Foundry, and standard token interfaces like ERC-20 and ERC-721 are fully supported. While applications may issue their own tokens, AULT remains the sole protocol-level gas asset, used for transaction fees and validator incentives. This design enables Ault to leverage the Ethereum developer ecosystem without sacrificing sovereign protocol control.

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Interaction Between AultCore and AultEVM

The boundary between the Cosmos-based application layer and the EVM execution layer is defined through precompiles. Precompiles allow EVM smart contracts to call selected Ault-native functions, enabling interaction with protocol-level features such as governance or other custom modules. This integration ensures that smart contracts can access native chain functionality while preserving clear separation between execution and core protocol logic.

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Expansion Direction

The architecture is designed for extensibility. Future protocol-level modules may include spot order book DEX functionality, lending primitives, perpetual derivatives infrastructure, and AI or oracle extensions. These additions would be implemented at the application layer while remaining compatible with EVM-based applications.