Guy! Editor-in-Chief here. If you think like me for 5 years ago say iExec (RLC) na just “Amazon but decentralized,” you go collect shock. I bin dey amazed when I dig pass. After I yarn with Gilles Fedak (Founder & CEO), e turn out say the project don change skin like snake. Dem dey sell computing power before, but now… Abeg, read on.
Summary for Person Wey No Get Patience (Like Me):
- Don Obsolete (2025): V3, IPFS as main feature, Alibaba/IBM as partners, “buy RLC on Binance.”
- Wetin Dey Happen Now (2025): V5 with Confidential AI (AI wey no dey show your secret), focus on DePIN (network of physical things wey dey work together without central control) and data monetization (how to make money from your data), partners include NVIDIA, Intel, Coinbase, Revolut, the RLC token na key to everything (staking, governance, liquidity).
- The Big Wahala: iExec don turn from marketplace to full ecosystem where RLC na lifeblood. If you get valuable data or wan use people AI without make secret leak – na here you dey.
Gist with Gilles Fedak: From “Small Small Clouds” to Heart of Web3
Gilles, no lie? I read your 2019 interviews about V3 again… E don expire. World don move. How iExec survive? Wetin dey drive una now?
Gilles: (Laughs) Survive? We dey fly! For 2019, we be like fine concept car – slick, sharp, but to drive am go work? No easy. Main mistake? To think say people just dey find “cheap hardware.” But no be so. Truth for 2025: Value no dey inside gigaflops but for data and how to use am safely. Na where we dey now. Our V5 no be upgrade – na full change of game.
How iExec Different from AWS (And Why E Sweet Pass):
Imagine:
- You get super AI model wey you train with your secret data (healthcare for Lagos General, finance for GTBank, personal matter). To sell am? Fear dey. To give access? Suicide mission.
- You get task wey need that model but you no get supercomputer.
Old world: Risk your data or pay crazy money for secure server. iExec for 2025: You upload encrypted model to network. Person pay with RLC, send dem encrypted data. The juju of TEE (Trusted Execution Environment – like strong room inside processor wey hackers no fit enter):
- Data and model only meet inside this “strong room.”
- Computations run inside – nobody see model code or raw data.
- Wetin come out? Only the result (diagnosis from Abuja clinic, price prediction for Jumia, risk analysis).
- You (model owner) go collect RLC. Dem (user) go get result. Hardware provider (with TEE-compatible Intel/AMD processors) go earn RLC too. Everybody win, secrets intact. This na Confidential AI – our flagship. No lie, I underrate demand, but e dey blow – especially for DeFi and healthcare.
Why E Dey Blow Now (Gilles’ Insight)
- AI no be future again – e don reach. But e depend on data quality and privacy. iExec solve both.
- DePIN don enter mainstream. People dey ready to own infrastructure (hardware, sensors, GPUs) and earn crypto. Our network sweet pass for their resources, especially for TEE tasks.
- RLC no be “just token” again. E don become fuel for ecosystem (more below – dis one serious!).
iExec V5: No Be “Wetin” But “How” (And Why E Easy Even for Newbie)
Before, you need SDK and tech knowledge. Now – no wahala:
- iApp Generator: Want your own “confidential” dApp? No need write code from zero. Use templates for common tasks (data analysis, AI predictions). Customize am – and go. “E be like WordPress for confidential computing,” Gilles dey laugh.
- Data Pools: Want to train models on plenty data without throway raw datasets? Add your encrypted dataset to pool. Algorithms learn from all data at once, but nobody (even other dataset owners) see your raw data. Gold for researchers for UNILAG. “Imagine hospitals for Lagos wey wan train model on patient data wey law no gree share. Data Pools solve am,” Gilles explain.
- Bellecour Sidechain: Avoid to jam Ethereum mainnet and high gas fees. Our transactions dey run here – fast and cheap like Airtel data bundle. Users? Dem just dey enjoy smooth operation.
RLC Tokenomics 2025: No Be “Buy and Wait for Moon” Again (But Still…)
Forget 2019: “Buy RLC, hold, dey watch charts.” Now RLC na utility tool for inside ecosystem. See how dem dey use am for real:
| Wetin You Do | Why RLC? | Benefit? |
|---|---|---|
| Staking (lock crypto collect reward) | Secure the network (Bellecour’s PoS mechanism) | Annual % yield (real, no be story) |
| Liquidity (LP) (when you put your money for pool so people fit trade) | Provide RLC + ETH (e.g.) for Uniswap V3 pool | Trading fees + extra rewards from iExec |
| Vouchers | Buy/sell prepaid computation or data packages | Discounts, predictable spending |
| Governance (DAO) (when token holders dey vote for decision) | Shape project future (features, partnerships, budget) | Real influence |
“RLC before na ticket to marketplace. Now e be currency for whole digital nation – our ecosystem,” Gilles talk. “The more services wey dey build on iExec (50+ already), the more RLC demand go rise – no for speculation, but for real utility.” Make sense to me.
Who Don Join? (Partnerships Wey Shock Me)
- NVIDIA: Dem dey integrate their GPUs into our network for heavy Confidential AI tasks. Big players believe for us.
- Intel: Deep collaboration on TDX (Trust Domain Extensions) – next-gen TEE. Our ecosystem + their secure hardware.
- Coinbase & Revolut: RLC dey inside their “Learn & Earn” programs. New users dey discover iExec through top exchanges/neobanks – no be noisy Telegram channels. “Dis no be ordinary listing; na legitimacy for millions,” Gilles comment.
- DePIN Projects (Render, Filecoin, etc.): Dem integrate together. Their resources + our TEE data protection. Synergy!
Wetin Dey Come Next? (E Sound Like Film Trick But Dem Dey Do Am)
- ElizaOS: Think Siri or Alexa? Try AI assistant wey no fit leak your queries/history because e dey run inside iExec TEE. Beta dey test already.
- RWA (Real World Assets) Gateway: Want to tokenize property for Banana Island or art? Need confidential data verification (ownership, appraisal). iExec + TEE = trust + privacy.
- Extreme Simplification: Goal: Make any business (not just crypto people) fit use iExec through web interface with minimal learning. “Like AWS for 2006,” Gilles smile.
HODLing na like waiting for Lagos-Ibadan expressway traffic to clear — patience dey pay!
Any Problem? (We Ask – We Get Honest Answers)
- Competitors: Oasis, Phala, even big clouds (AWS Nitro Enclaves). “But our focus dey on practical applications and RLC ecosystem – no be just tech. Na key,” Gilles insist.
- TEE Complexity: E still dey like magic to some people. Dem need simple demos/case studies. “We dey work on dis daily,” he talk.
- Market Volatility: Crypto winter? We don see am. iExec survive. “We dey build useful product, no be financial pyramid. Crypto cycles na background noise,” he talk like philosopher.
How to Try iExec Yourself for 2025 (No Complex Code Needed):
- Buy RLC: No only Binance (though you fit), but Coinbase, Kraken, or Uniswap V3 (better rates!). Start with any amount wey sweet you – even small small. Abeg, check “how to buy Bitcoin on Binance with Opay” if you new.
- Stake Some: Through iExec Portal or trusted delegate. Earn passive income while you chop life.
- Try iApp Generator: Portal → “Build” → “iApps.” Pick template (e.g., “Secure Data Analysis”). Tweak settings. Run test task (cost pennies for RLC). See results – zero risk/complex setup.
- Follow Updates: Best through Discord (live team chat) or Twitter (@iEx_ec). Upcoming AMA with Gilles (6 June!) – ask your question!
My Personal Opinion (After Yarning with Gilles):
If iExec na interesting experiment for 2019, for 2025 e don become functional tool wey people dey find. Data privacy/control na internet wahala #1. Dem don hit am wella. TEE tech complex, but team dey fight make e easy. RLC tokenomics finally get real utility pass “buy/sell.”
Worth to join? If you believe say data privacy and AI no be hype but future, yes, look am well well. Try staking or build simple iApp – na best way to “grok am.” Risk dey (like anywhere for crypto), but project foundation strong pass before. Personally, I don stake some RLC – make we see wetin go happen.
P.S. from Gilles: “We no dey just build technology. We dey build trust infrastructure for new internet. If you care wetin dey happen to your data – you welcome. Make we build am together.” Sound big? Maybe. But after our gist, I believe am.
TL;DR (So You No Forget):
- iExec V5 (2025) = Confidential AI + DePIN + RLC Utility.
- Main Thing: Secure computation with private data/AI models inside TEE (processor “strong rooms”).
- RLC: No be ordinary token again – now na fuel for ecosystem (staking, LP, governance, vouchers).
- Partners: NVIDIA, Intel, Coinbase, Revolut – heavy weight people.
- How to try: Buy RLC → Stake / Provide liquidity → Play with iApp Generator.
- Future: ElizaOS (private AI assistants), RWA integration, make am easy for everybody.
Naija Crypto Resources Wey Go Help You
- Nairametrics Crypto News – Latest crypto gist for Nigeria
- TechCabal Blockchain – Tech and crypto news
- CryptoTvplus – Naija crypto media
- Binance Nigeria – How to buy crypto with Opay, bank transfer
- Flutterwave – Payment gateway for crypto purchases
- Opay – Fund crypto trades from your Opay wallet
- Paga – Another way to fund your crypto journey
