So, bitcoin as it currently exists is beset by a multitude of problems, including over-centralissation, the wasteful consensus mechanism and the non-reusability of computing power used infor mining. In order to properly solve these issues and create a more democratic, fair, energy efficient, secure, scalable and versatile blockchain infrastructure, the MASS community has developed a highly effective proof-of-capacity (PoC) consensus protocol. When a node in the MASS network competes for the next block, it only needs to provide a valid and unforgeable proof of capacity to the network. This proof relates solely to the capacity provided by the node and can be verified by any other nodes. The following are some of the main advantages of the MASS PoC consensus protocol: The network is permissionless. The level of security is similar to the Nakamoto consensus protocol. The network tends more towards decentralissation compared to bitcoin. Competing for blocks does not require the use of computing resources. The network can support multiple blockchain instances in parallel. The MASS consensus engine is universal and is capable of providing consensus services across any number of public chains. Nodes use storage capacity to run the consensus protocol and do not require permission. The MASS consensus engine is fair and energy efficient; only a very small amount of computing resources are required, meaning everyone has the chance to participate. The MASS blockchain system is the first public chain to make use of the MASS consensus engine. MASS is the store of value in the MASS blockchain system, and is also the value anchor for the MASS consensus engine. The MASS community is a non-profit online organisation that works for the popularisation of blockchain technology. It was launched in 2017.