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Presearch

Presearch (PRE) — 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).

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)

  • What it is: a privacy‑focused search engine + a network of nodes that serve the queries.
  • Who it’s for: ordinary search users, node operators and advertisers/marketers (keyword staking).
  • Why onchain/token: PRE is needed for staking (nodes/keywords/search) and rewards; the contracts and ownership security are described in the docs.
  • What you can actually touch (Tier‑1): the Presearch search itself (web interface) + AI features in the product (AI Results / PreGPT — see docs).

How it works (very briefly)

  1. The user does: searches via Presearch (including browser extensions/mobile apps) and can enable AI results.
  2. The system does: queries are processed by the infrastructure and the network of nodes; part of the data/accounting/staking is handled via the PRE token economy.
  3. The user gets: search results without tracking (per the website’s claim) and PRE rewards (usage rewards).
  4. Where the blockchain is: PRE is an ERC‑20 on Ethereum; staking/contract ownership are maintained via a multisig (per the docs).
  5. Token role (if any): staking (search/keyword/node) + rewards and the advertising mechanic (keyword staking).

Quick links: AI thesis fit

Project passport

Field Value
Project name Presearch
Also known as (aliases) PRE; $PRE; Presearch Engine; PreGPT
Logo (logo) ../assets/244_presearch_logo.svg
Token symbol (ticker) PRE
Category Infra | Privacy | AI (product feature)
Primary chain (chain) Ethereum
Type EVM
Network status mainnet
Consensus (consensus) PoS (Ethereum)
Launch date (launch_date) 2017–2020 (vision paper v2.1: 2020‑10‑17)
Project status (status) active
Token (standard) ERC-20
Token contract 0xEC213F83defB583af3A000B1c0ada660b1902A0F
Token model (token_type) utility (staking + rewards + ads)
Max supply 1,000,000,000 PRE (Etherscan Max Total Supply)
Issuance fixed (max supply)
Tokenomics (tokenomics, brief) keyword/node/search staking and usage rewards (vision paper + docs/UI)
Governance multisig (Gnosis Safe) for token ownership (docs)
Admins/keys multisig (docs)
Audit yes (audit repo + docs on the multisig audit)
Bug bounty —
Team (team) —
Funding (investors/funding) —
AI component (ai_component) PreGPT / AI search results
Use‑case (use_case) private search + node network
DecAI Fit — AI thesis fit 5/6 — high alignment with the Decentralized AI thesis
DecAI Fit component summary 2 / 3 / 2 / 3
Last verified 2026-02-11

General project overview

Presearch is a private search engine that emphasizes the absence of tracking and a “decentralized network of nodes” serving search queries. The Vision Paper describes the economic primitives: rewards for searching, node staking and keyword staking (advertising platform), while the current docs describe the Web3 migration/staking mechanics and the security of contract ownership (multisig). The website also features AI options (AI results) and the subscription‑based PreGPT product.

Features/modules

  • Search UI: private search + settings (including “AI Results”) (website).
  • Usage rewards: PRE accruals for usage/activity (website UI).
  • Staking: search/keyword/node staking (vision paper + website UI).
  • Nodes: community‑operated nodes, powering network (website + docs).
  • PreGPT: an AI feature/subscription inside the product (website UI + the PreGPT AI docs section).

Typical scenarios

  • Scenario 1: the user searches via Presearch → receives results without profiling (as claimed) and can receive PRE rewards.
  • Scenario 2: an advertiser/PRE holder stakes PRE on keywords → receives impressions in search (keyword staking).
  • Scenario 3: an operator deploys a node and stakes PRE → receives node rewards.

Getting started (wallet/network)

  • What you need: a Presearch account (email/social/web3), an EVM wallet for Web3 operations and PRE.
  • Network/chain: Ethereum (PRE ERC‑20).
  • Fees: gas for onchain operations (transfers/staking).

Architecture/tech (non‑AI)

  • Components: search frontend + network of nodes + staking contracts/reward accounting + the PRE token.
  • Participant roles: users, advertisers/stakers, node operators, multisig admins.
  • Where logic runs: search/aggregation — offchain + node infrastructure; token/staking/ownership — onchain.
  • Dependencies: EVM infrastructure; node software/gateways (described in the vision paper and the nodes docs).

Token/economics (expanded, no forecasts)

  • Token utility: rewards for searching + staking (keyword/search/node) (vision paper + UI).
  • Protocol necessity drivers: the staking and reward incentive mechanics use PRE as the unit of account/collateral.
  • Who pays fees: network participants during onchain operations (staking/transfers); advertisers — via the staking mechanics.
  • Where fees go: gas — to the network validators; the economic effect of staking — into the advertising/network mechanics.
  • Issuance/burn: max supply 1B PRE (Etherscan); CMC mentions a burn function (for reference).
  • Security/incentive mechanisms: node/keyword/search staking; token ownership under a multisig (docs).
  • Distribution and token issuance schedule: not found in the available Tier‑1 sources.
  • Treasury: not found in the available Tier‑1 sources.

Governance

  • Who makes decisions: administration of token ownership via a multisig; in the long term, the vision paper discussed decentralised governance (as a phase).
  • How protocol parameters change: via contract/parameter updates under multisig control (where applicable) and via product releases.
  • Where decisions are discussed/made: docs + GitHub + community channels.
  • Keys/multisig: Gnosis Safe multisig (address — in the docs).

Security and incidents

  • Audits: the PresearchOfficial/audit repository contains PDF reports; the docs also indicate an audit of the multisig contracts (G0 Group, 2019‑11‑11) via a link to the report.
  • Bug bounty: —.
  • Incidents: not found in the available Tier‑1 sources.
  • Threat model: risks of staking contracts/proxy upgrades, risks of the node infrastructure and privacy.

Project status and timeline

  • Current status: an active product (web/app/extensions) + docs + contracts.
  • Key releases/milestones: vision paper v2.1 (2020‑10‑17); the current Roadmap docs page was updated recently.
  • Roadmap: https://docs.presearch.io/presearch-project/roadmap

Ecosystem/integrations

  • Integrations: browser extensions/mobile apps; Web3 login; node infrastructure.
  • Partners: — (requires separate verification).
  • Where it’s actually used: search, staking and the node ecosystem (website/docs).

AI component of the project

  • What is real AI here? AI features in the product: “AI results” and PreGPT (as a subscription/feature in the UI and the PreGPT section in the docs).
  • What is truly onchain? the PRE token (ERC‑20) and the Web3 staking/ownership mechanics (multisig) in the official documentation.
  • Why is a token needed? rewards and staking mechanics (keyword/search/node staking) for the network’s economic incentives.
  • Red flags (based on the information found): AI‑washing — AI is present as a feature, but not as decentralized onchain AI; double‑check — how exactly PreGPT is set up (model provider/data/privacy).

DecAI Fit component summary

  • DecAI Fit: 5/6 — high alignment with the Decentralized AI thesis
Component Level Score
AI reality medium 2
Onchain necessity high 3
Token necessity medium 2
Evidence Tier‑1 present 3
Details

AI reality

AI_0 — AI intent (Tier‑1 roadmap) (1/0)

  • AI_0 (decision): 0
  • Claim (one line): AI features are present in the product (AI_1/AI_2); this is not “intent only”.
  • Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://www.presearch.com/
  • Why sufficient / why not (one line): AI_0 applies only when AI_1..AI_4 = 0.
  • Conflict note (if any): —

AI_1 — what the AI does (1/0)

  • AI_1 (decision): 1
  • Claim (one line): PreGPT and “AI results” add an AI layer/AI answers on top of search.
  • Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://www.presearch.com/ ; https://docs.presearch.io/pregpt/what-is-pregpt
  • Why sufficient / why not (one line): the presence of the AI feature is described in the UI and in the docs.
  • Conflict note (if any): the model provider/architecture is not disclosed in the extracted Tier‑1.

AI_2 — demos/examples (1/0)

  • AI_2 (decision): 1
  • Claim (one line): the interface has an “AI Results” toggle and a PreGPT/subscription section.
  • Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://www.presearch.com/ ; https://docs.presearch.io/pregpt/what-is-pregpt
  • Why sufficient / why not (one line): these are verifiable product artifacts showing the presence of an AI function.
  • Conflict note (if any): the content may require a login/subscription.

AI_3 — metrics/quality (1/0)

  • AI_3 (decision): 0
  • Metrics: —
  • Context (version/date/how measured): —
  • Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://docs.presearch.io/pregpt/what-is-pregpt
  • Why sufficient / why not (one line): AI quality metrics/benchmarks are not published in the extracted Tier‑1.
  • Conflict note (if any): —

AI_4 — tech description/architecture/versions (1/0)

  • AI_4 (decision): 0
  • Claim (one line): the architecture/versions of the PreGPT AI models were not found in the available Tier‑1 sources.
  • Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://docs.presearch.io/pregpt/what-is-pregpt
  • Why sufficient / why not (one line): there is a description, but without technical details of the model — 0.
  • Conflict note (if any): —

Onchain necessity

OC_1 — contracts/addresses/chain (1/0)

  • OC_1 (decision): 1
  • Chain: Ethereum
  • Addresses/identifiers: PRE ERC‑20: 0xEC213F83defB583af3A000B1c0ada660b1902A0F
  • Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://etherscan.io/token/0xEC213F83defB583af3A000B1c0ada660b1902A0F
  • Why sufficient / why not (one line): the token address is confirmed by the explorer.
  • Conflict note (if any): —

OC_2 — onchain beyond just a token (1/0)

  • OC_2 (decision): 1
  • What useful logic is onchain: staking (keyword/search/node) and the token’s ownership/security model under a multisig.
  • Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://www.presearch.io/vision.pdf ; https://docs.presearch.io/presearch-project/tokenomics/contract-security
  • Why sufficient / why not (one line): the vision paper and docs describe the staking mechanics and ownership control.
  • Conflict note (if any): —

OC_3 — onchain is critical (1/0)

  • OC_3 (decision): 1
  • “Replace the blockchain” test: without onchain staking/accounting, the incentives and the transparency of rewards/stake distribution deteriorate; the token economy and the ownership model are part of the design.
  • Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://www.presearch.io/vision.pdf
  • Why sufficient / why not (one line): the vision paper builds the product economy around staking/rewards.
  • Conflict note (if any): part of the functionality (search) can also exist offchain.

Token necessity

TK_0 — no token (1/0)

  • TK_0 (decision): 0
  • Claim (one line): the project has a token, PRE (ERC‑20).
  • Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://etherscan.io/token/0xEC213F83defB583af3A000B1c0ada660b1902A0F ; https://www.presearch.io/vision.pdf
  • Why sufficient / why not (one line): the token is confirmed by the explorer and the whitepaper/vision document.
  • Conflict note (if any): —

TK_1..TK_4 (1/0)

TK_1 — payment for the service (1/0)

  • TK_1 (decision): 1
  • Claim (one line): PRE is used for the keyword staking advertising mechanic and other paid features (vision paper).
  • Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://www.presearch.io/vision.pdf
  • Why sufficient / why not (one line): the vision paper describes Keyword Staking as an advertising platform on PRE.
  • Conflict note (if any): —

TK_2 — incentives/collateral/penalties (1/0)

  • TK_2 (decision): 1
  • Claim (one line): PRE staking is used for nodes/keywords and is linked to rewards.
  • Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://www.presearch.io/vision.pdf ; https://www.presearch.com/
  • Why sufficient / why not (one line): the vision paper describes node staking/rewards; the UI shows staking sections.
  • Conflict note (if any): —

TK_3 — governance (1/0)

  • TK_3 (decision): 0
  • Claim (one line): the vision paper discusses “decentralized governance” as a phase, but the current governance mechanics are not confirmed in the extracted Tier‑1.
  • Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://www.presearch.io/vision.pdf
  • Why sufficient / why not (one line): this is a plan/intent, not the SSOT of the current governance.
  • 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 proven (staking/rewards/keyword staking are tied to PRE).
  • Evidence: Tier‑1 — https://www.presearch.io/vision.pdf
  • Why sufficient / why not (one line): the token is a systemic part of the economic model.
  • Conflict note (if any): —

Evidence (table)

Tier Source What it proves
Tier‑1 https://www.presearch.com/ the product (privacy, nodes, UI with AI Results/PreGPT, staking sections)
Tier‑1 https://www.presearch.io/vision.pdf architecture of decentralized search + tokenomics/staking
Tier‑1 https://etherscan.io/token/0xEC213F83defB583af3A000B1c0ada660b1902A0F onchain SSOT of the PRE token (max supply/contract)
Tier‑1 https://docs.presearch.io/presearch-project/tokenomics/contract-security ownership of the token contract under a multisig + links to the audit
Tier‑1 https://github.com/PresearchOfficial/audit a set of audit PDFs (staking/contracts)
Tier‑1 https://docs.presearch.io/presearch-project/roadmap the current roadmap docs page (link to the interactive plan)
Tier‑1 https://docs.presearch.io/pregpt/what-is-pregpt PreGPT AI documentation

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