Binance Founder ‘CZ’ Calls Aster Mainnet Launch A ‘Big One’ As It Takes On Hyperliquid, DYDZ

Aster has launched its own Layer 1 blockchain to give it an edge over peer decentralized exchanges like Hyperliquid and dYdX.

• Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao described the launch as a “big one,” with his family office backing the project.
• The new chain focuses on privacy features aimed at reducing risks such as position-hunting in DeFi markets.
• Perpetual futures trading volumes have increased amid the U.S.-Iran war, boosting activity across platforms.

Binance (BNB) founder Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao on Tuesday called the launch of Aster Chain’s mainnet as a “big one,” after the project’s push into a growing segment led by decentralized exchanges like Hyperliquid (HYPE) and dYdX (DYDX).

Aster (ASTER) said its new Layer 1 network is designed specifically for trading and aims to address the “transparency trap” in decentralized finance. “This is a big one,” Zhao wrote in a post on X. “Trade with privacy.” Zhao’s family office, YZi Labs, is an investor in the project.

The ASTER token’s price rose over 6% in the last 24 hours to around $0.7646. Pre-launch hype from February drove ASTER up nealry 10% in the last 14 days. On Stocktwits, retail sentimenta around the token remained in ‘bearish’ territory but chatter rose to ‘low’ from ‘extremely low’ levels over the past day. 

Rising Perpetual Trading Volumes Boost Competition

The launch of Aster’s mainnet comes amid rising chatter around keeping blockchain data private, as well as a surge of perpetual trading over the weekend, as tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue to escalate. A big beneficiary of that uptick in weekend volumes has been Hyperliquid, with crypto influencers like Maelstrom founder and chief investment officer Arthur Hayes backing the token’s rise.

According to DeFiLlama data, Hyperliquid currently leads perpetual trading with a reported volume of $179.29 billion over the past 30 days. Aster is the second-largest with $67.75 billion in reported volume.

The HYPE token’s price rose around 3% in the last 24 hours to cross $40. On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around the token rose to ‘bullish’ from ‘neutral’ over the past day, while chatter remained at ‘high’ levels.

Privacy Features Aim To Address DeFi Risks

The Aster DEX launched in 2024 after the merger of Astherus and APX Finance. But thus far, the exchange operated on borrowed blockchains including Ethereum (ETH), BNB Chain, Solana (SOL), and Arbitrum (ARB). 

Aster Chain said the network incorporates zero-knowledge verifiable encryption, stealth addresses, and selective disclosure to limit exposure of trading positions. “Transparency between protocols and users is a fundamental feature, but transparency between traders and competitors is a serious vulnerability,” said Aster CEO Leonard. “Aster Chain is designed to treat privacy as a core market requirement and reduce predatory behavior.”

The company says the chain is built to deliver performance comparable to centralized exchanges while preserving the security benefits of decentralized systems.

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