Towns Protocol is a communication infrastructure project designed to enable developers to build real-time messaging applications. It is composed of an EVM-compatible Layer 2 blockchain, decentralized stream nodes for message delivery, and smart contracts deployed on Base, an Ethereum Layer 2.

Towns Protocol enables the creation of programmable group chats called Spaces. Each Space is owned and operated by its creator or community. Spaces support encrypted messaging, on-chain memberships, staking mechanisms, and monetization through smart contract functionality. The protocol is designed to allow users to build communication platforms without relying on centralized intermediaries.

Towns Protocol is developed by the team behind the Towns application and was founded by the creators of Houseparty, a social video app acquired by Epic Games. The team is based in the United States and is backed by investors including a16z crypto, Coinbase Ventures and Benchmark.