We’re excited to announce the launch of the Helix Testnet, the first public deployment of Nuklai’s custom blockchain infrastructure, built on Cosmos.

You can access the Helix Testnet portal at nuklaivm.com.

This launch is a major step toward building a scalable, modular, and data-centric blockchain ecosystem designed for collaboration and on-chain intelligence.

From Avalanche to Cosmos

After initially building Helix with Avalanche’s HyperSDK, we’ve transitioned to Cosmos to leverage its more mature development environment and robust modularity. The Cosmos ecosystem provides:

• Proven modules for faster execution of our roadmap

• A thriving developer ecosystem and well-maintained tooling

• Improved scalability and architectural flexibility

More on this strategic shift can be found in this previous article: Nuklai’s Evolution: Embracing Cosmos for a Bigger Vision

What’s in the Helix Testnet

The current testnet showcases the core functionality of the Helix. It includes token staking, validator management, and a fully functioning proof-of-stake environment. A dedicated validator staking interface has been launched alongside the testnet to make participation seamless for early testers. Additionally, the foundation of marketplace functionality is added as a native set of functions. This allows to track and market datasets onchain without relying on smart contracts.

Technical and functional documentation will be released soon.

Users can request testnet tokens from our faucet, delegate tokens to validators, and explore the chain's core operations without needing to spin up their own infrastructure. 

Helix testnet is released as an open sandbox for feedback and validation as we prepare for mainnet.

Validator Staking Frontend

To support both technical and non-technical users, we’ve introduced a new staking interface. This web-based tool allows users to easily:

• Request testnet tokens

• Stake tokens with active validators securing the Helix testnet

• Participate in network consensus without operating validator nodes themselves

In order to get started, we highly recommend that users must install Cosmos-compatible wallets, such as Keplr, Leap or Cosmostation.

The goal is to lower the barrier to entry and give our community a direct way to engage with the network’s consensus layer.

What’s Coming Next

We're actively expanding Helix's capabilities. Here's what’s on the immediate roadmap:

• A full suite of developer documentation for interacting with the Helix chain

• Block explorer integration for better visibility into transactions, blocks, and validator activity

• Ecosystem readiness for the upcoming mainnet launch

Helix Testnet is laying the groundwork for a network that can power real-world use cases in AI, data collaboration, and multi-agent systems.

Why This Matters

The launch of the Helix Testnet is a foundation-layer moment for Nuklai. By building on Cosmos, we gain the modular design and community support necessary to bring a decentralized data economy to life.

We're inviting developers, validators, and curious users to join the testnet, test its capabilities and performance, and help shape the direction of Helix as we move toward mainnet.

You can access the Helix Testnet portal at nuklaivm.com.