Nomad Overview

The Nomad network is a network of TEE-backed nodes that decrypt, validate, and execute client signals without exposing transaction details or node activity to any specific party.

How is nomad used in the network?

1. Clients encrypt their signal (containing recipient, amount, ...) using the enclave's global secp256k1 public key, and send it to the network.
2. The signal propagates through a libp2p gossip layer, where nodes receive incoming signals and randomly sample them for execution.
3. Inside each node's SGX enclave, the signal is decrypted and processed:
   1. The enclave validates the escrow contract bytecode
   2. Bonds tokens using one of its internal EOAs
   3. Executes the transfer from another EOA
   4. Builds a Merkle proof for the transfer and collects the reward by submitting the proof to the escrow contract using the bonded EOA

Basic requirements

To run a node, you must be able to provide the following requirements:

• At least $10k in USDC liquidity
• Dedicated SGX machine (cloud-hosted)

Node Revenue

Nodes generate revenue from tips paid alongside the signals. Operators can expect each signal's tip to be for a few dollars each, and the node will hold the profits until withdrawn by the node operator at a later time. Maintaining good node uptime will allow the node to accept as many unsolved signals as it can from the network gossip.

Mitigating Vulnerabilities

Nodes run a lightweight enclave that manages the funds and handles executing signals. In the event of a vulnerability or hack, the platform will issue a signature revoking the enclave, blocking any clients from producing any more signals for nodes. Once a sufficient mitigation is released by the platform, a new enclave is signed and distributed to nodes to resume work.