Kraken’s Ink Mascot Contest Taps Blockchain Voting Tech

- Kraken launching mascot contest for its Ethereum Layer 2 network, Ink, with on-chain voting. - Initiative to boost user engagement ahead of INK token launch and ecosystem expansion. On July 4, 2025, The Block reported that Kraken is using JokeRace to crowdsource a name for a new mascot. The purple, spiky cartoon monster represents Ink, Kraken's Ethereum-based Layer 2 network. This Optimism-powered mascot embodies the company’s playful branding and serves as a unique focal point for the crypto exchange's strategy. JokeRace, a blockchain-based platform, hosts the contest and enables secure, sybil-resistant participation. Its "pay per vote" mechanism ensures fairness and deters spam, while its "vote-and-earn" and "enter-and-earn" models incentivize active involvement. By choosing this platform, Kraken demonstrates its commitment to engaging its community with innovative technology. Ink operates on the OP Stack, a modular framework for scaling Ethereum, and this project demonstrates Kraken’s effort to expand its Ethereum ecosystem. Furthermore, the naming contest sets the stage for the 2025 debut of a native INK token, a key component that will drive long-term growth within the network. This initiative reflects Kraken’s broader goal of blending technical advancement with community-oriented strategies, further positioning the crypto exchange as a leader in blockchain innovation.