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 and a leading figure in the world of decentralized messaging. Push Protocol is a messaging protocol that utilizes the power of decentralized networks to create secure, private, and efficient communication between dApps and Web3 users. In our conversation we dive into Harsh’s background, the founding story of Push Protocol, their business model, the intersection of Web3 and AI, challenges in Web3 UX, and more. We begin our conversation with an introduction to Push Protocol from Harsh.

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05:09 The Importance of Notification and Messaging Systems for Web3 Applications

09:05 Understanding the Functionality of Push Protocol in Web3

15:08 Harsh’s Background and Founding Story

43:00 Simplifying the Onboarding Process for New Web3 Users

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Revolutionizing Communication on the Blockchain: The Push Protocol Explained

Why don’t we just start from the very basics, if you can describe what Push is?

Push protocol is a decentralized communication protocol designed to handle various types of communication, such as notifications, messaging, video calling, and streaming. This protocol allows any decentralized application (dApp), smart contract, or backend service, including web2 services, to send communication through on-chain or off-chain notifications or chats. These communications are tied directly to users’ wallet addresses and are secure and encrypted.

The integration of wallet and communication enables crypto wallets and dApps to tap into the Push network and display all types of communication, including notifications and chats, within the wallet or dApp. Push protocol was established in 2020 to bring notifications to web3, addressing the need for alerts in the growing DeFi space.

Push protocol recognizes that web3 wallet addresses serve as web3 usernames, so it ties communication to these addresses instead of relying on separate platform usernames like those used on Twitter or Telegram. Since its inception, Push protocol has launched two products: Push notifications and Push chat. The latter was developed after the successful implementation of notifications, as messaging systems like WhatsApp heavily rely on notifications.

So far, Push protocol has sent over 30 million notifications to more than 80,000 web3 users and powers notifications and communications for prominent protocols like Uniswap, Lens, Bitcoin Polygon, Aave, Decentraland, and dYdX.

The Importance of Notification and Messaging Systems for Web3 Applications

The decentralized nature of web3, while exciting, creates challenges for DeFi protocols to communicate with their users. The solution is to have web3-native messaging through wallets to allow for direct communication between users and protocols without the need for personal information exchange.

In web2, we often start our day by checking notifications on our phones from various applications. These notifications alert us to important events or updates, like work-related messages on Slack, viral tweets on Twitter, or delivery notifications from Amazon. These apps have their own notification and messaging modules to communicate with users and prompt them to take action.

Applying this concept to web3, decentralized applications (dApps) need similar notification and messaging systems to compete with web2 apps. Users need notifications for events such as DeFi loan liquidations, protocol upgrades, layer 2 to layer 1 transfers, governance proposals, or even article notifications from platforms like DeFiant.

These notifications are sent to users’ wallet addresses. Once users receive targeted notifications, the next logical step is to enable chat functionality. In web3, wallet addresses serve as usernames, so it’s essential to have messaging and chat features for better interaction among users, particularly in NFT marketplaces or web3 social platforms. This allows wallets to “talk” to each other and fosters communication within the web3 ecosystem.

Understanding the Functionality of Push Protocol in Web3

When dApps integrate Push notifications, does the end user have to do anything on their end, or will they just receive these notifications on their desktop or like whenever, wherever they are in interacting with these dApps?

End users must install a compatible wallet, extension, mobile app, or compatible dApp/crypto wallet to access the Push protocol. They can view notifications by signing in with their wallet address on both desktop and mobile devices. However, it is not automatic; users must opt-in to receive notifications from a specific protocol and accept chat requests from other users.

This requirement for user consent is in place to ensure privacy and control over which protocols can send notifications and which users can initiate chats. Once users allow certain protocols or wallets to send them notifications or chats, the process becomes automatic, and they will receive the messages as desired.

If I’m using a Metamask wallet for Uniswap, then I would have to go to the Push website to allow Uniswap to send me messages through my wallet. Is that right?

Yes. Users can opt-in to receive notifications from specific protocols, like Uniswap, by visiting 

 and selecting the desired channel. They can then give consent through a free, gasless signature from their wallet, maintaining a permissionless and trustless system. After opting in, users will receive all notifications that Uniswap sends to them.

Alternatively, users can opt-in from any dApp frontend that offers this functionality, without needing to visit the Push website. If a user’s wallet, such as MetaMask, does not yet support the Push protocol, they can download the Push extension or the Push mobile app to start receiving notifications or chats.

Currently, four wallets are integrating with the Push protocol. Although specific names cannot be disclosed, the Polygon wallet is one of them, and its compatibility has been publicly announced. There are three other wallets also working on integration with Push.

Are there any competing or similar protocols in web3 that also offer notifications?

Currently, no one offers notifications at the protocol level. Most solutions opt for a web2.5 experience, connecting wallets to emails, which was not the desired approach for the Push protocol. Instead, Push aims to create a web3 experience.

Dialect, a Solana-based project, offers messaging services, but they only focus on chat and do not have a native notification module. This could limit user re-engagement. To achieve optimal re-engagement, it is believed that having separate chat and notification modules is essential.

Etherscan also had or has a chat function or feature.

Yes, Etherscan offers some web3 solutions, but it functions more like a closed system, similar to WhatsApp. Unlike an open protocol, it doesn’t allow any developer to build on top of it.

What’s your background and what’s the founding story behind Push?

I have a decade of entrepreneurial experience, starting with mobile apps and games. I was there when Apple introduced notifications to web2 and observed their impact on users. My journey in communication led me to explore Bitcoin, Ethereum, and various protocols before starting the Ethereum Push Notification Service (EPNS) project.

I focused on communication for two reasons: First, I recognized its central role in web2 and dApps. Second, I experienced a personal loss in a DeFi protocol liquidation without any alerts, motivating me to investigate web3’s communication gaps.

To address these gaps, we developed notifications as a foundation for other communication forms. We also built Push Chat, an AI chatbot, and will soon introduce Push Video, an instant video feature.

It looks like since 2020 you’ve had a really good amount of traction. You’re seeing users on the protocol which is great to see. So for other builders out there, what would you say are important lessons that you’ve had in this journey? What has been key in driving growth?

What’s the business model there? Just like bluntly, how do you make money from this?

Harsh Rajat is the founder of Push Protocol and a leading figure in the world of decentralized messaging. Push Protocol is a messaging protocol that utilizes the power of decentralized networks to create secure, private, and efficient communication between...

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