Superfluid Protocol

What is Superfluid?

Superfluid is a revolutionary asset streaming protocol that enables real-time finance on Ethereum and EVM-compatible blockchains. Instead of discrete transactions, Superfluid allows money to flow continuously between accounts, enabling new financial primitives and use cases.

Core Concepts

Super Tokens

Super Tokens are the fundamental unit of value in Superfluid. They are ERC-20 compatible tokens with additional capabilities for streaming, distributions and composable apps.

There are two types of Super Tokens:

Wrapper Super Tokens

• Created by wrapping existing ERC-20 tokens
• Can be unwrapped back to the underlying token
• Most common type (e.g., USDCx, DAIx)

Native Asset Super Tokens

• Wrap the native blockchain asset (ETH, MATIC, etc.)
• Use special upgradeByETH and downgradeByETH functions
• Note: Native Asset and Wrapper Super Token ABIs are merged in the SDK

import { superTokenAbi } from "@sfpro/sdk/abi"

// Both wrapper and native super tokens use the same ABI
const abi = superTokenAbi

Important: All Super Token amounts use 18 decimals internally, regardless of the underlying token's decimals.

Flows (CFA - Constant Flow Agreement)

Flows are continuous streams of tokens from one account to another. Key characteristics:

• Measured in tokens per second (flowrate)
• Can be created, updated, or deleted
• Sender must maintain sufficient balance
• Automatic liquidation if balance runs out

import { calculateFlowrate } from "@sfpro/sdk/util"
import { parseEther } from "viem"

// Stream 100 tokens per month
const flowrate = calculateFlowrate({
  amountWei: parseEther("100"), // Amount in wei units
  timeUnit: "month"
})

Distributions (GDA - General Distribution Agreement)

The GDA enables one-to-many token distributions through pools:

• Create pools to distribute tokens to multiple recipients
• Members receive tokens proportional to their "units"
• Instant distributions to all members
• More efficient than multiple flows

Key Protocol Components

• Forwarders: Simplified interfaces for common operations (recommended approach)
  • CFA Forwarder: For managing flows
  • GDA Forwarder: For managing distributions
• Host: Core protocol contract managing agreements (advanced usage)
• TOGA: Trust-less liquidation system for insolvent flows

Protocol Architecture

The Superfluid Protocol uses a modular architecture:

1. Super Token contracts handle token logic
2. Agreement contracts (CFA, GDA) manage distribution rules
3. Host contract coordinates all components
4. Forwarder contracts provide user-friendly interfaces

Next Steps

• Learn about wagmi & viem integration
• Understand the SDK architecture
• Start with wrapping tokens