# Welcome to PIN

![](https://1925690997-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MZuNcPTcEu5hZahipkT%2F-M_hcmUP8xgy0waxNQ_S%2F-M_iEoUmwFpgSHU2sPAw%2Fwhatisbanner.svg?alt=media\&token=56dc7fdf-9c89-4667-b075-dce23d63eed2)

PIN📌is a proof-of-work cryptocurrency designed to index web3 metadata. PIN also exists as a wrapped token on [Ethereum](https://etherscan.io/token/0xc1f976b91217e240885536af8b63bc8b5269a9be), Binance Smart Chain, and Polygon.

{% hint style="success" %}
**Looking for FLO? We've re-branded to PIN:** [**FLO Rebrand and Expansion Into Web3**](https://medium.com/public-index-network/upgrading-flo-to-pin-to-build-content-rich-web3-applications-d3b679b8f6ab)
{% endhint %}

Users and developers can **"pin"** metadata, permanently and immutably storing it on the network for public use. Pins can then be retrieved and read by any PIN-based application. When combined with its supporting metadata library, the [Open Index Protocol ("OIP")](https://www.openindexprotocol.com/), **PIN provides a new standard for publishing, indexing, and monetizing any digital content.**

A robust development community is actively using PIN to create and index immutable links that will help to serve as the infrastructure for web3.

[![](https://1925690997-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MZuNcPTcEu5hZahipkT%2F-M_gtmWBHJbDUaDTt0rs%2F-M_hXze0HyMMEP3vE__t%2FBuyButton.svg?alt=media\&token=7136a491-989f-44ad-8999-928ab01b92e0)](https://docs.publicindex.network/for-users/exchanges) [![](https://1925690997-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MZuNcPTcEu5hZahipkT%2F-MaBcgACA5k92QA3dHGz%2F-MaBcoAD0wSDgb5gDj0U%2Fupgradebutton.svg?alt=media\&token=e7ff59f0-a4d3-4b55-942d-7f4e1134ef5f)](https://docs.publicindex.network/for-users/upgrade-flo-to-pin)

> "The goal of PIN is to build a worldwide database of metadata for content on the web,"
>
> — **Joseph Fiscella**, CEO of PIN Labs.

{% content-ref url="about-pin/design-philosophy" %}
[design-philosophy](https://docs.publicindex.network/about-pin/design-philosophy)
{% endcontent-ref %}

![](https://1925690997-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MZuNcPTcEu5hZahipkT%2F-M_hcmUP8xgy0waxNQ_S%2F-M_iEaA9UbvyvY9l-M65%2Fsocialmediabanner.svg?alt=media\&token=a7b3e3de-b707-4baf-88da-08e66ece9d54)

{% embed url="<https://twitter.com/pinblockchain>" %}

![Established 2013](https://1925690997-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MZuNcPTcEu5hZahipkT%2F-M_lhm0mddZvq9Xnpbho%2F-M_ltF1W37K57nC1Ubgt%2Ftitlebar.svg?alt=media\&token=c5e1ed6c-35b2-467e-8fd7-f2bae1ea4b8f)