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What is Centric?

A comprehensive overview of Centric, its dual-token design, protocol mechanics, Solana migration, and ecosystem.

Centric: Comprehensive Overview

Centric is a dual-token digital currency protocol on the Solana blockchain. Its two tokens, Centric Swap (CNS) and Centric Rise (CNR), are linked by an on-chain conversion mechanism. Centric was conceived in December 2017 and is overseen by the Centric Foundation, a non-profit organization established in October 2019. As of March 2026, Centric operates on the Solana blockchain, having migrated from Binance Smart Chain (BSC).

The Dual-Token System

Centric Swap (CNS)

Centric Swap (CNS) is the transactional and liquidity token of the Centric protocol. CNS is freely traded on cryptocurrency exchanges at a price determined by market supply and demand and serves as the on-ramp and off-ramp for the Centric ecosystem. CNS has an elastic supply — tokens are minted when users convert CNR to CNS, and tokens are burned when users convert CNS to CNR. CNS has no fixed dollar value: its market price is set by buyers and sellers and can move sharply.

Centric Rise (CNR)

Centric Rise (CNR) is the holding token of the Centric protocol. The protocol's smart contract sets a conversion rate for CNR, recorded in hourly on-chain entries called Price Blocks, and the rate rises with each block. The contract expresses the rate in dollars but counts one CNS as one dollar, so in practice the rate is measured in CNS, not at CNS's market price. CNR has a fixed maximum supply of 8 billion tokens. CNR is not traded on external exchanges; it is obtained only by converting CNS through Centric's on-chain swap.

How CNS and CNR Interact

The relationship between CNS and CNR is governed by an immutable on-chain protocol. Users can convert between the two tokens at any time using Centric tools such as the Centric Wallet or swap interface. When CNS is converted to CNR, CNS is burned and CNR is released from quarantine. When CNR is converted to CNS, CNR is placed in quarantine and new CNS is minted. The conversion rate is determined by the current CNR price stored in the protocol's Price Blocks.

Protocol Mechanics

Price Blocks

Price Blocks are on-chain records of the current, past and scheduled conversion rates of Centric Rise (CNR). Each Price Block covers one hour (counted in hours since the Unix epoch) and holds the CNR rate, which the contract records in dollars while counting one CNS as one dollar, the monthly rate of change, the change from the previous block, and the creation time. Price Blocks cannot be altered or destroyed once created, and each hour has only one. The Centric team triggers each Price Block, an immutable formula on the Centric Rise smart contract calculates it, and the Centric Foundation sets the monthly rate the formula uses.

How conversion works

Because CNR's conversion rate against CNS rises every hour, converting CNS to CNR and later converting back returns more CNS than you started with. The extra CNS is created by the protocol at the moment you convert back. No staking or lockup is involved, and you can convert at any time in the Centric Wallet or at swap.centric.com. The rate is a protocol setting that the Centric Foundation can change; the current schedule is on the Metrics page. What your CNS is worth in dollars depends on its market price, which can fall by more than the rate adds.

How Centric Differs from Stablecoins

Centric is often compared to stablecoins like USDT (Tether) and USDC, but the design is fundamentally different. Stablecoins are pegged to fiat currency and backed by reserves, aiming to maintain a fixed $1 value. Centric has no reserves and no peg: CNS trades at a market price set by buyers and sellers, which can move sharply, and CNR has a conversion rate against CNS that the protocol raises every hour. Neither token is designed to hold a fixed dollar value.

Solana Migration

Centric moved from Binance Smart Chain (BSC) to the Solana blockchain in 2026. The migration ran from March 2 to May 31, 2026. The move to Solana was driven by the need for enhanced scalability, lower transaction costs, and faster confirmation times. The Solana deployment introduced an increased initial CNR supply of 8 billion and preserved the core economic logic of the original protocol. Centric's smart contracts underwent a security audit by CertiK prior to migration.

Three phases to global adoption

Phase One: Protocol consensus

Where Centric is today. The aim of this phase is for CNS to settle at a widely accepted market price with deep liquidity. That price is set by buyers and sellers, and nothing guarantees it.

Phase Two: Setting CNR's rate

If CNS reaches a stable market price, the Foundation plans to set CNR's monthly rate using inflation data and network activity. The rate stays a protocol setting that the Foundation can change, not a promised return.

Phase Three: Real-World Adoption

The aim of this phase: businesses accept CNS as a payment option and people spend it directly, with the reach of Visa and Mastercard and the freedom of decentralization.

View Roadmap

Ecosystem and Tools

The Centric ecosystem includes several applications and integrations:

  • Centric Wallet — a web app at solana-wallet.centric.com that works with your own Solana wallet, for holding and converting CNS and CNR on Solana.
  • Centric Swap — a web-based interface at https://swap.centric.com for converting between CNS and CNR using compatible Solana wallets.
  • Centric Explorer — a transparency tool for viewing transactions, Price Blocks, and protocol metrics.

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