PulseChain Public Blockchain: An Overview of the Ethereum Fork

PulseChain is a public blockchain launched as a fork of Ethereum, designed to offer lower fees, faster block times, and a broad copy of Ethereum’s state to kickstart applications and liquidity. Since mainnet went live in May 2023—led by the creator of HEX, Richard Heart—the network has drawn attention for its EVM compatibility and controversial fundraising history, while developers and users continue to evaluate its long-term viability and security posture. For context on the launch, see the coverage from CoinDesk: Richard Heart’s PulseChain Network Goes Live.

This article breaks down what PulseChain is, how it works, what users should know about assets and bridging, developer considerations, and how to self-custody safely in the ecosystem.

What PulseChain Is Trying to Solve

Ethereum has steadily improved scalability and fee efficiency with upgrades such as EIP-1559 and the move to Proof of Stake, while further gains are increasingly concentrated in Layer 2 systems tracked by L2BEAT. PulseChain takes a different approach: it is a separate L1 fork that aims to:

• Replicate Ethereum’s system state to seed a ready-made app and liquidity environment.
• Maintain EVM compatibility so Solidity contracts, tools, and developer workflows migrate easily.
• Offer lower fees and faster finality by tuning parameters and validator incentives.

Because it is an EVM chain, developers and users can reuse familiar tooling from Ethereum, including Hardhat and Foundry, with minimal changes to RPC endpoints and chain configuration. For developer references, see Ethereum EVM documentation, Hardhat docs, and Foundry Book.

Design Overview

• EVM Compatibility: PulseChain runs an Ethereum Virtual Machine compatible execution layer, making contract bytecode and tooling portable. This is the primary reason projects can mirror or migrate with relatively little friction.
• Consensus and Validators: The network relies on a validator set and staking mechanics around its native token (PLS). Details such as validator requirements, slashing, and block time targets are specific to PulseChain and should be verified against official network parameters on pulsechain.com.
• Fee and Burn: Like Ethereum, PulseChain emphasizes fee efficiency. While fee mechanics and burn policies vary by network, EIP-1559 on Ethereum provides a conceptual baseline for how base fee markets can reduce volatility and support deflationary tendencies under high activity; reference the model via EIP-1559. For Ethereum’s ongoing supply dynamics, see Ultrasound.money for a live burn dashboard.

The State Copy and Asset Reality

PulseChain’s most notable launch feature was a copy of Ethereum’s state. That means accounts and contracts appeared with mirrored balances and code at genesis. However:

• A copied token balance on a fork does not equal the original token’s value or rights. Price, liquidity, and utility depend on the fork’s native ecosystem.
• NFT metadata, off-chain pointers, and oracle feeds can behave differently on a forked chain.
• Users should check whether protocols officially support the fork before interacting or assuming parity.

Many projects treat the forked balances as a separate asset graph. TVL and liquidity are trackable on public dashboards; for a snapshot of PulseChain’s DeFi footprint, consult DeFiLlama’s PulseChain chain page.

Bridging and Security Considerations

Bridges connect assets and liquidity between PulseChain and other ecosystems. This introduces cross-chain risk beyond typical L1/L2 concerns. Vitalik Buterin’s analysis on bridge risks remains relevant: Why cross-chain bridges are risky. Practical guidance:

• Prefer battle-tested bridges and assess their security model (trusted multisig vs. light client vs. zero-knowledge proofs).
• Verify destination contract addresses and chain IDs via official sources.
• Be cautious with wrapped assets; always confirm redemption paths and counterparty assumptions.

As in any EVM environment, MEV, sandwich attacks, and phishing are persistent concerns. For background on MEV in Ethereum (applicable conceptually to EVM forks), see Ethereum.org MEV resources.

Ecosystem and Activity

PulseChain hosts a growing set of applications, with exchanges, staking services, and mirrored deployments from Ethereum. PulseX—an AMM on PulseChain—is frequently cited as a core liquidity venue. On-chain activity can be monitored via community explorers and analytics dashboards; consult official links from pulsechain.com and neutral data aggregators like DeFiLlama for TVL trends.

Regulatory context continues to evolve. In August 2023, the U.S. SEC announced charges against Richard Heart relating to HEX, PulseChain, and PulseX offerings. Users should remain aware of legal developments and jurisdictional implications: SEC Press Release.

Developer Experience: Migrating and Building

If you already build for Ethereum, you can typically port to PulseChain with minimal changes:

• Tooling: Hardhat, Foundry, and standard Solidity toolchains work with updated RPC endpoints.
• Chain IDs and Network Config: Use official network parameters from pulsechain.com and double-check chain IDs in wallets and deployment scripts.
• Oracles and Off-chain Data: Evaluate how price feeds and oracle networks support PulseChain. Lack of robust oracles can affect DeFi safety.
• Audits and Threat Modeling: Forked code may not behave the same under different consensus or gas rules. Treat migrations as fresh deployments and re-audit critical components.

Tracking the broader Ethereum roadmap helps anticipate changes forks may adopt or diverge from, including signature schemes, object formats, and account abstraction. See the Ethereum Roadmap and ERC-4337 for account abstraction developments that many EVM environments are experimenting with.

User Checklist: Using PulseChain Safely

• Verify Chain Settings: Use official RPC endpoints and explorers recommended by pulsechain.com. Avoid random RPCs.
• Confirm Contracts: Interact only with contracts verified by trusted sources or project teams. Double-check token addresses when bridging or swapping.
• Beware Airdrops and Copies: A mirrored balance does not guarantee liquidity or value. Test with small amounts first.
• Protect Signatures: Use hardware wallets for offline signing, set strict approval limits, and periodically revoke allowances with reputable tools.

OneKey for PulseChain Self-Custody

Because PulseChain is EVM compatible, it works well with wallets that support custom networks and offline signing. OneKey hardware wallets provide:

• EVM Support: Add custom RPC endpoints for PulseChain to manage PLS and EVM tokens.
• Offline Signing: Private keys remain offline, reducing exposure to web-based threats common in new ecosystems.
• Open-source Transparency: Code reviewability helps security-conscious users validate wallet behavior.
• Multi-chain Operations: Easily manage Ethereum, its forks, and L2s from one device, which is practical when testing or deploying across environments.

If you plan to explore PulseChain, using a hardware wallet with offline signing and strict transaction verification can mitigate many risks inherent to forks and cross-chain activity.

Final Thoughts

PulseChain’s proposition is straightforward: fork Ethereum, seed an ecosystem with a copied state, and tune parameters for lower fees. The result is a familiar EVM developer experience with distinct economic and security considerations. Whether you are deploying protocols or testing liquidity strategies, treat PulseChain as a separate environment: verify contracts, bridge cautiously, and secure your keys. Keep an eye on cross-chain risk research, evolving regulatory news, and Ethereum roadmap changes that may influence PulseChain’s future direction. For ongoing reference, see Vitalik’s bridge risk analysis, DeFiLlama PulseChain metrics, and SEC updates.