Towns, Ben Rubin's Web3 Messaging Platform, Rolls Out New Features After $25.5 Million Funding

Ben Rubin, the co-founder and CEO of the on-chain messaging platform Towns, announced today that a "bunch of great features" are rolling out for the platform. The announcement, made via Rubin's social media, signals continued development and enhancement for the Web3 communication service, which officially launched in October 2024. Towns aims to redefine digital communication by offering decentralized, user-owned communities.

The platform, developed by Here Not There Labs, differentiates itself from traditional messaging apps like Discord and Slack by leveraging blockchain technology. Towns provides end-to-end encryption and allows communities to be "token-gated," meaning users can set specific on-chain qualifications for membership. This approach fosters private, programmable spaces where users retain full ownership and control over their data and interactions.

Towns secured significant financial backing, raising $25.5 million in a Series A funding round. This substantial investment was led by prominent venture capital firms including Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Benchmark, and Framework Ventures, highlighting investor confidence in its Web3 vision. The funding has been instrumental in scaling the team and building out the platform's underlying River Protocol.

Rubin, known for his previous ventures Meerkat and Houseparty, brings a wealth of experience in pioneering social applications to Towns. His latest endeavor builds on the concept of community-driven online spaces, addressing concerns around privacy and content moderation prevalent in centralized social media. The River Protocol, an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible layer-2 chain, underpins Towns, enabling its decentralized nodes and smart contracts.

The continuous rollout of new features, as indicated by Rubin, is crucial for Towns as it seeks to establish itself as a leading decentralized alternative in the competitive messaging landscape. By empowering users with greater control and ownership, Towns endeavors to create a more secure and transparent environment for online communities to thrive. The platform's ongoing evolution reflects its commitment to delivering on its promise of a new standard for digital communication.