Push Protocol (formerly the Ethereum Push Notification Service, or EPNS) is a web3 communications protocol for sending notifications to wallet addresses. Its documentation describes channel-based subscriptions and off-chain message delivery through Push Network nodes and integrated apps. Push is also developing Push Chain, a separate blockchain project: official documentation currently describes a public testnet, with mainnet still in development.
Key Facts
- Original name: Ethereum Push Notification Service (EPNS); the project adopted the Push Protocol name as it expanded beyond an Ethereum-only framing.
- Core use: applications and services can publish notifications associated with wallet addresses through channels that users can choose to follow.
- Delivery: notifications are generally off-chain and are shown through compatible wallets, apps, or other integrations; support and presentation depend on each client.
- Related product: Push Chain is a separate shared-state blockchain project, not another name for the notification protocol. Its current official docs list the Donut public testnet and say mainnet is still in development.
- Token distinction: $PUSH is associated with the earlier Push Protocol, while $PC is the planned native token for Push Chain. The project says $PUSH holders will be able to migrate, but readers should verify the current official process and terms rather than relying on old proposal ratios or third-party claim pages.
How Push Notifications Work
A service creates a channel and publishes notifications for people who subscribe to it. The channel gives users a way to identify a source and opt in; the notification may be generated by a protocol, application, smart contract, or backend service. Push documentation says message delivery is generally off-chain and gasless, with exceptions when a smart contract sends the payload on-chain.
Push Network nodes validate and index notification payloads. A wallet or application that integrates Push can then retrieve and display the message, and some clients can trigger a device notification. This separates the event that creates an alert from the interface a person uses to see it.
That separation can make a notification useful across more than one app, but it does not guarantee that every wallet supports Push, that an alert appears on time, or that its content is accurate. A channel owner or delegate can send messages to subscribers, so users still need to judge the source and the link in each alert.
Channels, Subscriptions, and Communication
A channel is a service’s communication identity in the Push system. Channel owners can publish updates to subscribers and may authorize delegate addresses to send messages on their behalf. Users can subscribe to channels they want to hear from; the notification client they choose affects where messages appear and which controls are available.
The Push product family has also included wallet-linked chat and other communication features. These are related to the notification protocol but should not be confused with the transaction layer or consensus rules of a blockchain. Availability can differ by app and can change as Push’s products evolve.
Push Protocol and Push Chain
Push Chain is a newer project in the Push ecosystem with a broader goal: a shared-state layer designed for applications that interact across different blockchains. It is a distinct chain, not the network that simply routes Push notifications. Push’s current chain configuration lists Donut as a testnet and states that mainnet remains in development.
The two projects are connected by the team’s roadmap, but their technical roles and tokens are different. Push Protocol provides communication tools such as notifications; Push Chain is being built as a blockchain for universal apps and cross-chain interactions. A Push Chain testnet token or points balance is not proof that a mainnet asset is live or has a market value.
$PUSH and $PC
$PUSH is the token associated with Push Protocol’s earlier notification ecosystem. Push’s official materials describe $PC as the native token planned for Push Chain and say existing $PUSH holders will be able to migrate. The live documentation reviewed for this page identifies $PC on the Donut testnet and says Push Chain mainnet is still in development.
Token migration details can change between a governance proposal, a testnet program, and a live mainnet launch. Do not assume a proposed conversion ratio, unlock schedule, airdrop, or migration portal is current unless it is confirmed by Push’s official channels. This page describes the products and their relationship; it is not a market profile or a recommendation to buy either token.
Limitations and Risks
Push can help an app reach users without collecting an email address for every alert, but it does not eliminate reliance on app integrations, node software, wallet interfaces, internet access, or channel administrators. A subscriber may miss a message if a client is unavailable or does not surface it. Notifications should not be treated as guaranteed liquidation warnings, security monitoring, or emergency delivery.
A wallet-linked message can still contain a phishing link or misleading claim. Check the channel, destination domain, and any transaction request independently. Connecting a wallet or signing a message is a separate action from receiving a notification.
Push Chain also carries the risks of an evolving blockchain project. The official documentation’s testnet and mainnet status matters: testnet use is experimentation, not proof of production readiness, security, or future token value.
Related Terms
See Also
- Why Calling It a “Wallet” May Have Been Crypto’s Biggest Mistake
- Are Layer 2 Networks Actually Decentralized?
- Why Smart Contract Audits Fail: What Post-Mortems Reveal About the Limits of Security Reviews
- Swap crypto with ChangeNOW
Sources
- Push Documentation: Notifications introduction — Describes channel-based communication, Push Network validation and indexing, off-chain delivery, and the gasless-delivery caveat.
- Push Documentation: Important notification concepts — Explains channel ownership, delegates, subscriptions, and how compatible wallets or front ends receive notifications.
- Push Chain Documentation: Chain configuration — Lists Donut as the public testnet and states that Push Chain mainnet remains in development.
- Push Chain: Push Rewards Program goes Public — Identifies $PC as the token for Push Chain’s native functions, describes its testnet status, and says $PUSH holders will be able to migrate.
Social Media Sentiment
A small 2022 r/ethereum discussion about the EPNS-to-Push rebrand had mixed reactions. Some commenters saw a broader name as a better fit for multi-chain communication; others argued that a rebrand would not solve adoption or token-design concerns, and one pointed to competing communication standards. The thread predates Push Chain and is a limited historical sample, not a measure of current user sentiment.
Reddit discussion: “EPNS Rebrands into Push Protocol, the Communication Protocol for Web3”
Last updated: 2026-10