Instars (Insights Network)
Instars (Insights Network) — a reference card for a crypto project: what the product does and how verifiable the project’s key claims are; also — alignment with the Decentralized AI thesis (DecAI Fit).
Instars (Insights Network) — a social platform that claims to pay users for consensual data sharing; token (symbol: INSTAR).
Disclaimer
Important: this page is a reference overview of the project. Within DecAIHub, we separately record a verification based on open sources within the AI thesis (what is real AI/onchain/why a token, and which sources this is based on).
This is not financial advice and not a recommendation to buy/sell/hold any asset. We do not assess price, returns, or entry/exit timing.
Conclusions are based on publicly available materials found as of the verification date. The absence of confirmation does not imply the absence of the technology.
TL;DR (for readers who are not into AI)
How it works (very briefly)
- The user does: registers and participates in activities/data sharing (per the project’s claim).
- The system does: credits cryptocurrency rewards for participation (per the project’s claim).
- The user gets: payouts in INSTAR and/or other cryptocurrencies (per the project’s claim).
- Where the blockchain is: the ERC‑20 token is confirmed in the Ethereum explorer; Tier‑1 sources describe a separate network/layer (EOS software) and provide a link to a blockchain explorer.
- Token role: rewards/payouts to users (per the project’s claim).
Quick links: AI thesis fit
Project passport
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Project name | Instars (Insights Network) |
| Also known as (aliases) | INSTAR |
| Logo (logo) | ../assets/688_insights-network_logo.svg |
| Token symbol (ticker) | INSTAR |
| Category | SocialFi | Consumer |
| Primary chain (chain) | Ethereum |
| Type | EVM |
| Network status | mainnet |
| Consensus (consensus) | PoS (Ethereum) |
| Launch date (launch_date) | — |
| Project status (status) | — |
| Token (standard) | ERC-20 |
| Token contract | 0x8193711b2763bc7dfd67da0d6c8c26642eafdaf3 |
| Token model (token_type) | — |
| Max supply | — |
| Issuance | — |
| Tokenomics (tokenomics, brief) | Rewards to users for “consensual data exchange” are claimed. |
| Governance | — |
| Admins/keys | — |
| Audit | — |
| Bug bounty | — |
| Team (team) | — |
| Funding (investors/funding) | — |
| AI component (ai_component) | — |
| Use‑case (use_case) | rewards for consented data sharing |
| DecAI Fit — AI thesis fit | 0/6 — no AI reality and no AI intent (ai_score=0) |
| DecAI Fit component summary | 0 / 2 / 1 / 1 |
| Last verified | 2026-02-11 |
Links (links_*)
| Type | Link |
|---|---|
| Website | https://instars.com/ |
| Docs | https://s3.amazonaws.com/insightsnetwork/InsightsNetworkWhitepaperV0.5.pdf |
| GitHub | https://github.com/insights-network/instar |
| Releases / Changelog | https://github.com/insights-network/instar/commits |
| Whitepaper | https://s3.amazonaws.com/insightsnetwork/InsightsNetworkWhitepaperV0.5.pdf |
| Roadmap | — |
| Security advisories | — |
| Explorer | https://etherscan.io/token/0x8193711b2763bc7dfd67da0d6c8c26642eafdaf3 |
| X | https://twitter.com/instartoken |
| Discord | — |
| Telegram | https://t.me/InsightsNetwork |
| Medium | https://medium.com/@InsightsNetwork |
| Audit report(s) | — |
| Bug bounty | — |
| CoinGecko (profile, reference) | — |
| CoinMarketCap (profile, reference) | https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/insights-network/ |
General project overview
Per a Tier‑1 source (the official website), the project promotes the idea of paying cryptocurrency to users for consensual data sharing and participation in activities. There is a Tier‑1 repository with smart contracts (a Truffle project). Details of the protocol necessity of the token and the application’s onchain logic (other than the token/contracts) require re‑checking.
Features/modules
- “Earn crypto” for participation and data sharing (per the project’s claim).
- “Create surveys” (per the project’s claim).
- A repository with smart contracts (
contracts/, Truffle) — a technical artifact.
Typical scenarios
- Scenario 1: a user registers → participates in activities/shares data with consent → receives payouts in cryptocurrency (per the project’s claim).
Getting started (wallet/network)
- What you need: an account on the platform (per the project’s claim).
- Network/chain: Ethereum (per the token contract).
- Fees: standard Ethereum network fees apply to the ERC‑20 token; fees/the cost model at the level of the separate Insights Network are not confirmed by Tier‑1 in this card.
Architecture/tech (non‑AI)
- Components: a web platform (per the project’s claim) + smart contracts in the repository (Truffle) + a token on Ethereum.
- Participant roles: users and the platform operator (not precisely established).
- Where logic runs: the application — offchain; token/contracts — onchain on Ethereum (per the artifacts).
- Dependencies: not confirmed by Tier‑1.
Token/economics (expanded, no forecasts)
- Token utility: payouts to users and the ecosystem’s internal “currency” (per the project’s claim).
- Protocol necessity drivers: not confirmed by Tier‑1 (for the ERC‑20 token INSTAR).
- Who pays fees: the transaction sender (Ethereum gas) for the ERC‑20 token.
- Where fees go: to the Ethereum network validators (standard gas logic).
- Issuance/burn: not confirmed by Tier‑1 in this card.
- Security/incentive mechanisms: payouts to users for participation (per the project’s claim).
- Distribution and token issuance schedule: not confirmed by Tier‑1.
- Treasury: not confirmed by Tier‑1.
Governance
- Who makes decisions: Tier‑1 sources describe 21 block producers (token holders) on Insights Network; detailed governance mechanics are not confirmed by Tier‑1.
- How protocol parameters change: not confirmed by Tier‑1.
- Where decisions are discussed/made: not confirmed by Tier‑1.
- Keys/multisig: not confirmed by Tier‑1.
Security and incidents
- Audits: not confirmed by Tier‑1.
- Bug bounty: not confirmed by Tier‑1.
- Incidents: not confirmed by Tier‑1.
- Threat model: Secure Multiparty Computation is mentioned as an approach to privacy, but a formal threat model is not confirmed by Tier‑1.
Project status and timeline
- Current status: not confirmed by Tier‑1.
- Key releases/milestones: not confirmed by Tier‑1.
- Roadmap: No Tier‑1 roadmap found.
Ecosystem/integrations
- Integrations: not confirmed by Tier‑1.
- Partners: not confirmed by Tier‑1.
- Where it’s actually used: not confirmed by Tier‑1.
AI component of the project
- What is real AI here? Per Tier‑1 sources, no confirmation of an AI component or an AI roadmap was found.
- What is truly onchain? The ERC‑20 token contract on Ethereum; Tier‑1 sources also describe a separate blockchain layer (EOS software) and its explorer.
- Why is a token needed? Per Tier‑1 sources: payouts to users for “consensual data exchange” and expanded token utility on its own network; the protocol necessity of the ERC‑20 token INSTAR is not confirmed by Tier‑1.
- Red flags (based on the information found): most claims about the product are at the level of descriptions; double‑check the onchain model and the actual role of the token.
DecAI Fit component summary
- DecAI Fit: 0/6 — no AI reality and no AI intent (ai_score=0)
| Component | Level | Score |
|---|---|---|
| AI reality | low | 0 |
| Onchain necessity | low | 2 |
| Token necessity | low | 1 |
| Evidence | Tier‑1 partial | 1 |
Details
AI reality
AI_0 — AI intent (Tier‑1 roadmap) (1/0)
- AI_0 (decision): 0
- Claim (one line): No Tier‑1 AI intent was found.
- Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://instars.com/
- Why sufficient / why not (one line): the website describes a social/data/earn model, but not AI‑intent.
- Conflict note (if any): —
AI_1 — what the AI does (1/0)
- AI_1 (decision): 0
- Claim (one line): No Tier‑1 confirmation of an AI component was found.
- Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://instars.com/
- Why sufficient / why not (one line): AI functionality is not established.
- Conflict note (if any): —
AI_2 — demos/examples (1/0)
- AI_2 (decision): 0
- Claim (one line): No demo of an AI component was found (an AI component is not established).
- Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://instars.com/
- Why sufficient / why not (one line): there is no subject of AI verification.
- Conflict note (if any): —
AI_3 — metrics/quality (1/0)
- AI_3 (decision): 0
- Metrics: not found (an AI component is not established).
- Context (version/date/how measured): —
- Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://instars.com/
- Why sufficient / why not (one line): AI metrics are absent.
- Conflict note (if any): —
AI_4 — tech description/architecture/versions (1/0)
- AI_4 (decision): 0
- Claim (one line): No Tier‑1 tech description of an AI component was found (the AI component is not established).
- Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://instars.com/
- Why sufficient / why not (one line): AI architecture is absent.
- Conflict note (if any): —
Onchain necessity
OC_1 — contracts/addresses/chain (1/0)
- OC_1 (decision): 1
- Chain: Ethereum
- Addresses/identifiers: ERC‑20 token: 0x8193711b2763bc7dfd67da0d6c8c26642eafdaf3
- Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://etherscan.io/token/0x8193711b2763bc7dfd67da0d6c8c26642eafdaf3
- Why sufficient / why not (one line): there is a Tier‑1 onchain artifact (the token contract).
- Conflict note (if any): —
OC_2 — onchain beyond just a token (1/0)
- OC_2 (decision): 1
- What useful logic is onchain: Tier‑1 sources describe Insights Network (EOS software) with 21 block producers and onchain reputation/voting on network issues.
- Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://about.instars.com/our_blockchain/
- Why sufficient / why not (one line): The Tier‑1 description includes onchain logic of the network that is not limited to token issuance/transfers.
- Conflict note (if any): —
OC_3 — onchain is critical (1/0)
- OC_3 (decision): 0
- “Replace the blockchain” test: onchain criticality is not confirmed by Tier‑1.
- Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://about.instars.com/our_blockchain/
- Why sufficient / why not (one line): Tier‑1 argumentation for OC_3 is absent.
- Conflict note (if any): —
Token necessity
TK_0 — no token (1/0)
- TK_0 (decision): 0
- Claim (one line): The project has a token, INSTAR (per the website and onchain contract).
- Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://instars.com/ ; Tier‑1 — https://etherscan.io/token/0x8193711b2763bc7dfd67da0d6c8c26642eafdaf3
- Why sufficient / why not (one line): the existence of the token is confirmed by the Tier‑1 website and explorer.
- Conflict note (if any): —
TK_1..TK_4 (1/0)
TK_1 — payment for the service (1/0)
- TK_1 (decision): 0
- Claim (one line): No Tier‑1 confirmation of payment for a specific service with the token was found.
- Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://instars.com/
- Why sufficient / why not (one line): the website focuses on rewards/payouts rather than payment for the service with the token.
- Conflict note (if any): —
TK_2 — incentives/collateral/penalties (1/0)
- TK_2 (decision): 1
- Claim (one line): Users are paid cryptocurrency for participation/data sharing (per the project’s claim).
- Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://instars.com/
- Why sufficient / why not (one line): Tier‑1 description “Get paid for your data / Earn crypto”.
- Conflict note (if any): —
TK_3 — governance (1/0)
- TK_3 (decision): 0
- Claim (one line): No Tier‑1 confirmation of the governance role of the token (as TK_3) was found.
- Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://instars.com/
- Why sufficient / why not (one line): there is no description of governance via the token.
- Conflict note (if any): —
TK_4 — token is replaceable (1/0)
- TK_4 (decision): 0
- Claim (one line): The replaceability of the token is not confirmed by Tier‑1.
- Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://instars.com/
- Why sufficient / why not (one line): there is no Tier‑1 argumentation “replaceable/irreplaceable”.
- Conflict note (if any): —
Evidence (table)
| Tier | Source | What it proves |
|---|---|---|
| Tier‑1 | https://instars.com/ | Positioning: “Get paid for your data”, payouts to users, description of INSTAR as “native cryptocurrency”. |
| Tier‑1 | https://github.com/insights-network/instar | Tier‑1 repository with smart contracts (Truffle project). |
| Tier‑1 | https://etherscan.io/token/0x8193711b2763bc7dfd67da0d6c8c26642eafdaf3 | Onchain artifact: ERC‑20 token contract. |
| Tier‑1 | https://about.instars.com/our_blockchain/ | Description of Insights Network’s own network/layer (EOS software), 21 block producers, onchain reputation, and a mention of voting. |
| Tier‑1 | https://blog.instars.com/final-instar-token-migration-instructions/ | Confirmation of the existence of the ERC‑20 INSTAR migration contract and the context of migration to the network’s native token. |
| Tier‑1 | — | No Tier‑1 source for claim “there is an AI component/AI intent” was found. |
| Tier‑1 | — | No Tier‑1 source for claim “onchain is critical (OC_3)” was found. |
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