Ren, formerly known as Republic Protocol, was founded in 2017 by Taiyang Zhang and Loong Wang. The company focuses on providing interoperability and liquidity between various blockchain platforms through its core product, RenVM. RenVM enables the permissionless and private transfer of value across blockchains, addressing the fragmentation in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space. In February 2021, Ren was acquired by Alameda Research, a prominent cryptocurrency trading firm. The native token, REN, functions as a bond for operating Darknodes, which are essential for powering RenVM. Ren has established integrations with several major blockchains, including Ethereum, Polkadot, Solana, and Avalanche, to facilitate seamless cross-chain transactions and enhance the overall DeFi ecosystem.