Conflux Core Overview: The Tree-Graph Blockchain for Web3 Growth

As mainstream Web3 adoption accelerates across Asia and beyond, developers and enterprises are seeking high-throughput, low-fee networks that don’t compromise on security or decentralization. Conflux has emerged as a distinct Layer 1 with a novel Tree-Graph consensus architecture and a developer-friendly dual-space design, enabling both native Core Space functionality and EVM compatibility through eSpace. This overview unpacks how Conflux Core works, what sets it apart in 2025, and how users and builders can get started safely.

Why Conflux matters now

• Scalable and secure base layer: Conflux was designed from the ground up to improve throughput and confirmation latency, using a Tree-Graph (TG) model that captures more parallelism than a linear chain while preserving a canonical order for transactions. That makes it suitable for consumer-grade use cases and real-world integrations, where user experience and reliability matter.

• Regulatory-aware growth in APAC: The network has been active in enterprise-facing pilots in Asia, including a partnership with China Telecom to explore blockchain-enabled SIM cards (BSIM) that aim to store private keys and digital assets at the SIM layer, aligning with mobile-first usage patterns in the region. This initiative highlights a practical path for broad distribution of Web3 tech in mobile ecosystems, and reflects growing institutional interest in the region. See coverage in Cointelegraph for context: China Telecom’s BSIM pilot with Conflux in Hong Kong.

• Developer migration to composable, EVM-friendly stacks: A broader trend documented by a16z Crypto is the steady growth of on-chain activity alongside infrastructure improvements and developer tooling that reduce friction for builders. EVM compatibility remains a key on-ramp for teams and users, and Conflux’s eSpace embraces that reality while retaining a performant Core Space under the hood. For macro context, see the a16z Crypto State of Crypto 2024 report.

References:

• Conflux official site: Conflux Network
• Cointelegraph on BSIM: China Telecom to launch Conflux blockchain-enabled SIM cards in Hong Kong
• a16z Crypto: State of Crypto 2024

The Tree-Graph architecture, in plain English

Traditional blockchains serialize blocks in a single chain. That simplifies ordering but underutilizes the network’s ability to process transactions concurrently. Conflux’s Tree-Graph structure allows blocks to form a directed acyclic graph (DAG), capturing more of the network’s production capacity. From this DAG, Conflux derives a deterministic linear order for transactions via a pivot chain and global ordering rules, preserving a canonical ledger.

Key properties:

• High throughput without sacrificing security: The DAG allows the protocol to absorb more blocks produced in parallel, reducing orphaning waste and improving utilization.
• Shorter confirmation times: Because the protocol incorporates more information per time unit, users see faster settlement expectations under typical network conditions.
• Robustness to network delays and uneven block propagation: DAG-based designs can be more resilient to latency spikes and regional connectivity variance.

For a technical introduction and design rationale, see Binance Research’s Conflux overview.

Authoritative reference:

• Binance Research: Conflux (CFX)

Consensus and finality: PoW security with PoS finality

Conflux historically pairs Proof-of-Work security with a PoS finality layer. In practice:

• PoW-based Tree-Graph ensures liveness and throughput, making it costly for adversaries to outpace honest block production.
• A PoS finality mechanism adds stronger finality guarantees on top of the PoW-driven DAG, reducing the risk of deep reorgs and providing predictable settlement for high-value transactions.

This hybrid design aims to blend the battle-tested security of PoW with the finality characteristics often associated with PoS. For a quick high-level technical profile, see the Binance Research project page.

Two execution environments: Core Space and eSpace

Conflux offers a dual environment approach:

• Core Space (native):

  • Runs on the Tree-Graph consensus and is optimized for high throughput.
  • Uses the account model tailored to Conflux’s native capabilities and economics.
  • Suitable for applications that want to exploit Conflux-native primitives and advanced fee/storage policies.

• eSpace (EVM-compatible):

  • Implements an Ethereum Virtual Machine–compatible environment.
  • Allows developers to port Solidity contracts and tooling with minimal changes.
  • Works with mainstream EVM wallets, RPC tools, and libraries, easing developer onboarding.

For users, eSpace means familiar UX: adding Conflux eSpace to your wallet is as simple as configuring an EVM chain. You can verify the network details and Chain ID (1030) via Chainlist. For on-chain data, the ConfluxScan block explorer provides a unified view of transactions, addresses, and contracts.

Links:

• Chainlist entry for Conflux eSpace: Chainlist (Chain ID 1030)
• Network explorer: ConfluxScan
• EVM basics: Ethereum.org on the EVM

Performance, fees, and economics

Conflux’s design targets:

• High throughput in normal network conditions, enabled by DAG-based block processing and canonical transaction ordering.
• Predictable confirmation windows, bolstered by a finality layer to reduce settlement risk.
• Competitive fees intended to support consumer-scale applications and on-chain micro-interactions.

A noteworthy aspect in Core Space is its native economic model for storage and fee markets, designed to mitigate state bloat and provide incentives aligned with network sustainability. Developers building directly on Core Space can architect applications with long-term state growth in mind, while those targeting eSpace can typically rely on familiar EVM gas and tooling semantics.

For protocol-level economics and token information, see Binance Research’s CFX profile.

Developer experience

• EVM toolchain: In eSpace, deploy with standard Solidity pipelines — Hardhat, Foundry, and common libraries typically work out of the box. RPC integrations and indexing platforms that support EVM chains can be adapted quickly.
• Core-native features: Teams that want the benefits of Core Space can architect for the Tree-Graph model and explore performance-sensitive designs. Documentation and community resources are evolving, with ecosystem support channels and explorers facilitating discovery.
• Interoperability: Projects often combine Core Space performance with eSpace accessibility, using canonical bridges where appropriate. As always, evaluate bridge risk carefully and prefer official routes where available.

Getting started resources:

• Conflux Network homepage: Conflux Network
• Explorer for both spaces: ConfluxScan

Real-world adoption signals

• Telecom-grade experiments: The BSIM collaboration with China Telecom spotlights a credible path for mobile distribution of Web3 credentials and keys, aligning with user behaviors in markets where “super apps” and mobile-first financial tools are common. Such integrations could reduce onboarding friction for millions of users if scaled. See Cointelegraph’s coverage for the 2023–2024 pilot context: China Telecom’s Conflux BSIM in Hong Kong.

• Institutional and developer interest: As developer communities coalesce around EVM-compatible stacks, networks that blend high throughput with familiar tooling are seeing increased experimentation, from DeFi and payments to gaming and identity. The broader infrastructure trajectory is described in the a16z Crypto report, suggesting continued multi-chain usage patterns and the rise of specialized L1s alongside modular stacks.

References:

• Cointelegraph on BSIM: China Telecom to launch Conflux blockchain-enabled SIM cards in Hong Kong
• a16z Crypto: State of Crypto 2024

Security model and user best practices

Conflux’s hybrid consensus aims for strong economic security and practical finality. Still, end-user security depends on wallet hygiene, private key custody, contract risk assessment, and careful use of cross-chain bridges.

Recommendations:

• Prefer hardware-backed key storage for long-term holdings or active builders managing deployer keys.
• Verify network parameters (e.g., RPC endpoints, Chain ID 1030 for eSpace) via trusted sources like Chainlist.
• Use ConfluxScan or other reputable explorers to confirm contract addresses and transaction status.
• Be cautious with high-risk contract interactions, admin keys, or opaque upgradeability patterns.

For general EVM execution context, see Ethereum.org’s EVM guide.

Using Conflux with a hardware wallet

For users who want secure custody while exploring Conflux eSpace and Core Space:

• Key management: A hardware wallet like OneKey keeps private keys offline and signs transactions in a secure environment, mitigating malware and phishing risks during day-to-day interaction with DApps.

• EVM compatibility: Because eSpace is EVM-compatible, you can add Conflux eSpace to your EVM wallet stack and sign with OneKey. Add eSpace via Chainlist (Chain ID 1030), and connect through common paths such as WalletConnect-enabled DApps or compatible browser extensions.

• Developer operations: Teams deploying and upgrading contracts on eSpace benefit from offline signing for deployer accounts, transaction batching safeguards, and clear transaction previews — all supported by hardware signing flows. This reduces the blast radius of mistakes and targeted attacks on hot keys.

• Open, auditable stack: OneKey emphasizes an open-source approach, transparent firmware, and verifiable builds, which is aligned with the security expectations of Web3-native users and builders.

If you plan to hold CFX or interact with eSpace DeFi for the long term, anchoring your setup on a hardware wallet is a practical way to reduce key compromise risks without sacrificing usability.

How to get started on Conflux today

1. Choose your wallet and secure your keys

• For robust security, consider a hardware wallet. Initialize offline and back up your seed phrase securely.

2. Add Conflux eSpace to your EVM wallet

• Use Chainlist to add Conflux eSpace (Mainnet, Chain ID 1030). Confirm RPC parameters and explorer settings from trusted sources. Reference: Chainlist (Conflux eSpace).

3. Acquire CFX

• Obtain CFX via reputable exchanges. Move small test amounts first, confirm receipt on ConfluxScan, then scale up.

4. Explore the ecosystem

• Use ConfluxScan to discover tokens, contracts, and on-chain activity. Start with audited or widely adopted DApps and carefully review permissions.

5. Level up your security posture

• Keep high-value assets on a hardware wallet like OneKey, use allowlist features where available, and double-check contract addresses on explorers before signing.

Resources:

• Network explorer: ConfluxScan
• Conflux homepage: Conflux Network
• EVM basics: Ethereum.org on the EVM

Risks to keep in mind

• Bridge and cross-chain risk: Prefer official bridges and well-audited protocols; monitor announcements for security advisories.
• Contract upgradeability and admin keys: Review docs and on-chain metadata. Privileged roles can impact user funds.
• Phishing and address poisoning: Always verify destinations via ConfluxScan and use hardware signing to preview and confirm transaction details.

Final thoughts

Conflux’s Tree-Graph architecture addresses a core challenge for Web3 adoption: how to scale block production and maintain fast, credible settlement without sacrificing decentralization. With Core Space for performance and eSpace for EVM compatibility, it offers a pragmatic path for both enterprises and Web3-native teams to ship at scale.

If you’re building or investing on Conflux and want a safer default for key management, a hardware wallet like OneKey provides offline signing, transparent open-source components, and smooth EVM workflows — a strong fit for Conflux eSpace’s developer-friendly design. By pairing a high-throughput L1 with secure custody practices, users and teams can participate in the next wave of Web3 growth with confidence.

Further reading:

• Conflux Network
• Binance Research: Conflux (CFX)
• Cointelegraph: China Telecom to launch Conflux blockchain-enabled SIM cards in Hong Kong
• a16z Crypto: State of Crypto 2024
• Chainlist: Conflux eSpace (Chain ID 1030)
• ConfluxScan Explorer