Buy Avalanche

Avalanche (AVAX) is a fast, low-cost blockchain platform designed to run apps and process transactions with near-instant finality. Its native cryptocurrency is called AVAX.

It helps to separate two names that are sometimes confused. Avalanche is the blockchain platform, while AVAX is the cryptocurrency that powers it. People often use the names interchangeably, but you buy and hold AVAX, while Avalanche is the underlying network. In other words, when you buy Avalanche in Ireland, you are purchasing AVAX.

Like Ethereum, Avalanche is a programmable blockchain that supports smart contracts, which are pieces of code that automatically run when certain conditions are met. Developers use it to build decentralised applications across areas such as decentralised finance (DeFi), gaming and tokenised assets. Avalanche is known for its speed and its ability to confirm transactions in seconds.

What is Avalanche used for?

Avalanche is used to run decentralised applications and to move value quickly across its network. AVAX is the asset that powers it. AVAX is used to:

• pay transaction fees on the Avalanche network
• stake and help secure the network, with the chance to earn rewards
• interact with apps and smart contracts built on Avalanche

Avalanche runs on a Proof of Stake system. Instead of mining, holders can stake their AVAX to help validate transactions and secure the network, and in return may earn staking rewards. This approach is designed to be fast and energy-efficient, with transactions that settle almost instantly.

Avalanche has a fixed maximum supply of 720 million AVAX. A portion of the AVAX paid in transaction fees is permanently removed from circulation, or burned, which can reduce supply over time. Because the supply is capped, no AVAX can be created beyond that limit.

How Avalanche is structured

Avalanche is built around a Primary Network of three chains: the C-Chain for smart contracts and apps (it works with Ethereum), the X-Chain for moving assets, and the P-Chain for coordinating validators. On top of this, developers can launch their own blockchains, called custom L1s (Layer 1s). These were previously known as subnets and were upgraded in the Etna upgrade, part of the Avalanche9000 release that went live in December 2024, which made launching an L1 much cheaper and simpler. AVAX is used to secure the Primary Network, pay its fees and for staking.

The history of Avalanche

Avalanche was launched in September 2020 by Ava Labs, a company founded by Emin Gün Sirer, a computer science professor at Cornell University, along with a team of researchers. It was built to address common blockchain challenges around speed, scalability and cost.

A defining feature of Avalanche is its high-performance design, which allows it to process large numbers of transactions quickly while keeping fees low. You can find out more on the official Avalanche website.

Since launching, Avalanche has grown into one of the larger blockchain platforms in the world, particularly associated with fast transactions and a flexible architecture for developers. People buy AVAX for many reasons, including using Avalanche applications, staking, paying network fees, or gaining exposure to the Avalanche ecosystem.