Orbit is redefining how teams manage digital assets and smart contracts with an onchain, multi-approver governance system that balances security and flexibility. The newly released platform streamlines workflows for treasury and contract management, ensuring that team-led projects operate with robust oversight without unnecessary complexity.
Kepler Vital, Staff Engineer and Team Lead at the DFINITY Foundation, outlines the motivation behind Orbit. With multiple teams handling smart contracts across different environments, finding the right governance solution was crucial. Many projects begin in test environments, controlled by individual team members. While effective for early-stage development, this structure presents risks when transitioning to production. The existing models—placing software under the NNS for community approval, launching an SNS for project-specific governance, or relying solely on private key control—each come with limitations. Orbit introduces a fourth path, offering a structured, onchain governance model tailored to the needs of specific teams.
At its core, Orbit allows teams to configure policies that determine how digital assets and contracts are managed. Instead of a single individual holding authority, approvals require input from designated team members. The platform integrates with Internet Identity, enabling passkey authentication for secure blockchain interactions. Once signed in, users can either create a new wallet or join an existing one, with approval processes ensuring that no single member wields unchecked control.
A key component of the system is Orbit Station, which oversees user management and policy enforcement. Team members can set permissions and approval policies tailored to their operational needs. Permissions determine who can request changes, but separate approval policies dictate whether those changes take effect. This structure provides a granular level of control, allowing teams to balance security with efficiency.
For example, a project might require low-risk actions to proceed without approval, while medium-security changes demand administrator oversight. Critical operations could be tied to a higher threshold, such as requiring approval from a percentage of admins rather than a fixed number. This approach ensures governance adapts as teams grow, preventing bottlenecks while maintaining accountability. The system notifies relevant members when changes require approval, facilitating a seamless decision-making process.
Beyond governance, Orbit simplifies treasury management by structuring accounts based on security levels. A vault account, safeguarded by admin approvals, can house long-term holdings, while a daily expenses account might permit transactions without additional authorisation. Teams can also link accounts to assets, adding predefined options such as ckBTC or custom tokens. Each addition requires approval, ensuring transparency in asset management.
Asset transfers within Orbit follow the same structured governance principles. Users can maintain an address book for known accounts, reducing errors when moving funds. A request to transfer assets must be approved according to the policy in place, preventing unauthorised transactions. If an operation is rejected, it appears in a comprehensive activity log, allowing teams to review past decisions and maintain accountability.
The platform extends its structured approach to smart contract management, addressing a longstanding challenge in blockchain development. Canister smart contracts, once deployed, often lack clear governance structures, leading to uncertainty over control and upgrades. Orbit resolves this by allowing teams to associate approval policies with specific contracts, defining who can modify, deploy, or interact with them. Whether managing a basic counter smart contract or a more complex system, teams can ensure that modifications align with predefined rules.
When adding a smart contract, users configure permissions and approval policies just as they would with treasury operations. By assigning labels and categorising contracts as active or inactive, teams can track project status at a glance. If an update is required, the request follows the same multi-approver workflow, preventing unauthorised alterations. The integration of snapshot functionality further enhances control, enabling teams to capture and restore contract states as needed.
Orbit’s commitment to security extends to method access within smart contracts. Users can define which functions are available to the team, ensuring that only authorised operations proceed. By linking access levels to approval policies, teams avoid the pitfalls of unrestricted control, mitigating risks while retaining flexibility. Even routine actions, such as incrementing a counter, pass through the structured governance process.
The introduction of Orbit represents a shift towards more resilient, team-driven blockchain management. Traditional models often force a trade-off between decentralisation and efficiency, leaving projects to navigate complex governance structures or rely on ad-hoc solutions. Orbit bridges this gap, allowing teams to tailor policies to their needs while maintaining the transparency and security inherent to onchain systems.
By incorporating user-friendly interfaces with robust security measures, Orbit ensures that teams can manage digital assets and smart contracts without unnecessary friction. The ability to adapt governance structures as projects evolve makes it a versatile solution for organisations navigating the complexities of blockchain management. With its multi-approver framework, Orbit is positioning itself as a critical tool for teams looking to balance autonomy with structured oversight.
As digital asset management continues to evolve, solutions like Orbit are becoming essential for ensuring security, accountability, and efficiency in blockchain operations. The platform’s focus on adaptability and structured governance provides a roadmap for teams seeking to scale their projects without compromising on control. By addressing the challenges of smart contract and treasury management, Orbit is setting a new standard for onchain governance, proving that structured oversight and flexibility can coexist seamlessly.
