Forbole
Forbole is a Hong Kong-based Web3 infrastructure provider founded in 2017, offering multi-chain RPC endpoints across 30+ networks, non-custodial staking on 60+ chains with $150M TVL, and open-source developer tooling including the Big Dipper block explorer. It serves Web3 developers, token holders, and enterprise blockchain protocols via a freemium SaaS model with no institutional VC backing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersKowloon City, Hong Kong SAR China
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Forbole does
Forbole is a Hong Kong-headquartered Web3 infrastructure provider founded in 2017 that delivers multi-chain blockchain access through three primary product lines: a multi-chain RPC service, non-custodial staking, and open-source developer tooling. The company's core RPC offering (launched in November 2024) exposes RPC, gRPC, REST, and WebSocket endpoints across 30+ networks including Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, Optimism, Sui, Kaspa, Cosmos-family chains, and others, with on-demand archive nodes and custom indexers as add-ons. Forbole also operates as a validator on 60+ blockchain networks, currently securing approximately $150M in total value locked and having peaked at roughly $1B during the 2021 bull market. Its most recognized open-source asset, the Big Dipper block explorer, has been forked more than 400 times on GitHub and is adopted across the Cosmos, Flow, Solana, MultiverseX, and Celo ecosystems.
Forbole is structured as a privately held, founder-owned group with no institutional venture capital backing. In May 2023 it reorganized into three operating entities: Forbole Tech (staking and infrastructure, including Big Dipper and RPC), Forbole Ventures (a private investment arm managing a $25M portfolio of early-stage crypto positions including Solana, Akash, Kava, and Oasis), and Desmos Labs (commercializing the Desmos L1 for decentralized social applications). The company monetizes through freemium RPC subscriptions (free tier, $20/month pay-as-you-go, and custom enterprise contracts), staking commissions on delegated assets, and whitelabeling of node infrastructure. Distribution is product-led via self-serve API key generation, supplemented by community engagement across Discord, Telegram, GitHub, and X, and direct enterprise sales for archive-node and dedicated-support contracts.
Customers span Web3 developers (primary, horizontal), token holders delegating to validators, and enterprise organizations requiring archive access. Named enterprise validation includes the Wormhole Foundation. The company's co-founders Kwun Yeung and Terence Lam lead the group from Hong Kong and Taipei respectively, with subsidiary CEOs Shilin Zheng (Forbole Tech) and Kwun Yeung (Desmos Labs) overseeing operating units. Founded as a Cosmos Hub genesis validator, Forbole has accumulated seven years of operational track record and a portfolio of ecosystem relationships spanning SSV.network (Top 20 Verified Operator, 2024), Wormhole, Sui, and Solana.
Forbole firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Forbole
- Legal name
- Forbole Technology Limited
- Website
- https://forbole.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Forbole is a Hong Kong-based Web3 infrastructure provider founded in 2017, offering multi-chain RPC endpoints across 30+ networks, non-custodial staking on 60+ chains with $150M TVL, and open-source developer tooling including the Big Dipper block explorer. It serves Web3 developers, token holders, and enterprise blockchain protocols via a freemium SaaS model with no institutional VC backing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Forbole industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Blockchain Infrastructure
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320)
- SIC
- Finance Services (6199), Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- RPC / Node API Infrastructure Providers (FSADAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Blockchain Data & Indexing Infrastructure for Finance (Nodes, Indexers, Oracles) (FSAGAMAL), Interoperability Monitoring, Analytics & Compliance (bridge risk scoring, forensics, alerts) (FSAPAKAJ), Cross-Chain Wallet & Asset Routing Infrastructure (FSADACAJ)
Keywords
Where Forbole is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kowloon City
- HQ country
- Hong Kong SAR China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Forbole business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- RPC Subscription Plans: Subscription-based revenue from RPC services with three tiers: Free (250,000 requests), Pay as You Go (starting at $20/month for 1M requests), and Enterprise (custom pricing with archive node access). Monthly billing with option for annual or one-time purchases.
- Usage-Based Query Requests: Additional query requests available for purchase beyond plan limits at $20 per 1M requests. Both one-time and monthly top-up options available.
- Staking Services: Validator services across 30+ networks with $150M TVL. Revenue generated from staking commissions and validator operations for token holders.
- Whitelabeling Infrastructure: Secure and high-performance node infrastructure offered as whitelabeling solutions for partners seeking branded blockchain infrastructure.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free Plan - Ideal for individuals or small projects starting with blockchain development |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Pay as You Go - Perfect for solo developers or small teams needing additional resources |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Enterprise - Designed for growing organizations requiring robust infrastructure and advanced features |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Forbole product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Forbole operates multi-chain blockchain infrastructure delivering high-performance RPC, gRPC, REST, and WebSocket endpoints across 30+ blockchain networks for web3 developers. The company also provides non-custodial staking services as a validator on 60+ networks, an open-source block explorer (Big Dipper), and a non-custodial wallet (Kastle) for the Kaspa blockchain.
Product overview
Forbole is a Web3 infrastructure provider offering a unified platform of blockchain developer tools and services. The core offerings include Forbole RPC (providing RPC, gRPC, REST, and WebSocket endpoints across multiple blockchain networks), Big Dipper (an award-winning open-source block explorer), Kastle Wallet (non-custodial wallet for Kaspa), and Non-Custodial Staking Services (validator services across 60+ networks). These products are complemented by Juno (a Cosmos parser for data indexing), Desmos (L1 blockchain for web3 social applications), and Forbole Ventures (the investment arm managing a $25M portfolio). The platform also offers add-on services including Websockets, Archive Nodes, Custom Indexers, and Whitelabeling solutions. Together, these form a comprehensive ecosystem for blockchain development, data access, staking, and investment.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Big Dipper: Award-winning open-source blockchain explorer supporting Cosmos, Flow, Solana, MultiverseX, and Celo ecosystems. Forked over 400 times on GitHub.
- Forbole Tech
- Forbole Ventures
- Desmos Labs
- Juno
Products and services
- Forbole RPC A comprehensive blockchain infrastructure service providing Remote Procedure Call (RPC), gRPC, REST, and WebSocket endpoints across 30+ blockchain networks. Enables web3 developers to build, deploy, and scale blockchain applications with real-time, uninterrupted access.
- Big Dipper An award-winning open-source block explorer that helps users visualize and interact with on-chain data. Supports ecosystems including Cosmos, Flow, Solana, MultiverseX, and Celo. Forked over 400 times on GitHub indicating strong developer adoption.
- Kastle Wallet A non-custodial wallet designed for the Kaspa blockchain, enabling secure and streamlined blockchain interactions for users seeking self-custody of their Kaspa assets.
- Non-Custodial Staking Service Secure non-custodial staking solutions for token holders across 60+ blockchain networks with enterprise-grade security. Forbole serves as a validator, helping delegators earn staking rewards reliably through professional validator operations since 2017.
- Juno A Cosmos blockchain parser tool that parses Cosmos SDK-based chains and stores data in PostgreSQL databases accessible via GraphQL. Supports Cosmos Stargate, custom module development, data pruning, and parallel processing for high-performance data indexing.
- Desmos A web3 social initiative consisting of Desmos Network (an L1 blockchain for social applications with on-chain governance) and Desmos Core (a development kit with modules for building web3 social applications including Profiles for decentralized identity and Subspace for social application spaces).
Quantifiable outcome
- $150M TVL staked across network
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Forbole
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Forbole technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature8 records
Forbole partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Sui NetworkcoreForbole provides RPC infrastructure support for Sui Network, a leading Layer 1 blockchain. The partnership involves providing RPC endpoints for developers building on Sui.
- ssv.networkcoreForbole is among the Top 20 Verified Operators in the SSV.network ecosystem. They received a grant from the SSV grant committee for developing a fully SSV-integrated Ethereum 2.0 staking pool. The partnership focuses on Distributed Validator Technology (DVT) for Ethereum staking.
- AppWorksminorForbole joined AppWorks' 18th accelerator program in March 2019. The partnership provided access to the startup ecosystem in Greater Southeast Asia and facilitated talent recruitment from Taiwan.
- Wormhole FoundationcoreForbole has played a critical role in strengthening and expanding the Wormhole Protocol. They have been steadfast in supporting the network's decentralization and security, demonstrating dependability, professionalism, and consistent readiness to assist as a key contributor to the Wormhole protocol.
- StaFiHubcoreForbole is one of StaFiHub's genesis validators and provides professional staking services. They support the network in securing the chain and raising awareness about liquid staking solutions. They are exploring bringing Big Dipper to StaFiHub.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Forbole competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Alchemy: Largest venture-backed multi-chain RPC and developer platform, serving Ethereum, L2s, Solana, and other chains with a similar developer-tools-plus-paid-tier model. Forbole competes directly on RPC coverage but at a fraction of Alchemy's funding and customer base.
- Infura: Consensys-owned RPC and node infrastructure platform with deep Ethereum heritage and broad multi-chain support. Closest incumbent comparable to Forbole RPC's core offering, with materially larger infrastructure footprint and brand.
Direct peers
- QuickNode: Multi-chain RPC infrastructure provider targeting developers with tiered plans, WebSocket support, and marketplace add-ons. Highly comparable GTM motion and product surface area to Forbole RPC's freemium + enterprise model.
- Ankr: Multi-chain RPC, staking, and node-as-a-service provider. Closely comparable to Forbole across both RPC and validator businesses, with overlapping chain coverage and similar product structure.
- Figment: Blockchain infrastructure and institutional staking provider with deep Cosmos and Ethereum validator operations. Directly comparable to Forbole's validator and staking services, particularly on Cosmos SDK chains.
- Cosmostation: Cosmos-ecosystem validator and infrastructure provider offering RPC endpoints, block explorers, and wallet products. The most directly comparable validator-led infrastructure peer to Forbole's Cosmos heritage.
- Chainstack: Multi-chain RPC and dedicated node infrastructure with tiered plans and enterprise offerings. Comparable positioning to Forbole RPC on developer self-serve + enterprise tiers, with broader protocol coverage.
- Pocket Network: Decentralized RPC infrastructure protocol that pays node operators for serving requests. Comparable to Forbole's RPC business but with a decentralized economic model that competes on price.
- Everstake: Non-custodial staking and validator services provider across 50+ networks. Comparable to Forbole's validator footprint on the staking side, though with less emphasis on RPC infrastructure.
- P2P Validator: Institutional-grade staking provider and validator across multiple PoS networks with Cosmos and Ethereum focus. Comparable to Forbole's staking business, especially in Cosmos and ETH ecosystems.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Forbole social profiles
Digital presenceForbole financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Forbole leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Forbole subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Forbole funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Forbole M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Forbole
What does Forbole do?
Forbole operates multi-chain blockchain infrastructure delivering high-performance RPC, gRPC, REST, and WebSocket endpoints across 30+ blockchain networks for web3 developers. The company also provides non-custodial staking services as a validator on 60+ networks, an open-source block explorer (Big Dipper), and a non-custodial wallet (Kastle) for the Kaspa blockchain.
Is Forbole a public or private company?
Forbole is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Forbole founded?
Forbole was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Forbole based?
Forbole is headquartered in Kowloon City, Hong Kong SAR China, in the Asia region.
How does Forbole make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. RPC Subscription Plans are the primary driver. The others are usage-Based Query Requests, staking Services and whitelabeling Infrastructure.
Who are Forbole's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Alchemy and Infura. Direct peers are QuickNode, Ankr, Figment, Cosmostation, Chainstack, Pocket Network, Everstake and P2P Validator.
Does Forbole have an API?
Yes. Forbole RPC provides Remote Procedure Call (RPC), gRPC, REST, and WebSocket (WSS) endpoints for blockchain interactions across multiple supported networks. Developers can access these endpoints to query blockchain data, send transactions, and interact with various blockchain protocols. API access requires authentication via API key, which is automatically generated upon account registration. The service offers different endpoint types including RPC, gRPC, REST for various blockchain networks (Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, Optimism, Sui, Kaspa, Celer, Quasar, Agoric, Akash), and WebSocket connections for real-time data streaming. Developer documentation is at docs.rpc.forbole.com.
What industry is Forbole in?
Forbole's product category is Blockchain Infrastructure. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSADAKAD, RPC / Node API Infrastructure Providers, with a secondary code of FSAGAMAL, Blockchain Data & Indexing Infrastructure for Finance (Nodes, Indexers, Oracles). Its NAICS code is 522320 and its SIC code is 6199.