Aster, a multi‐chain on‐chain DEX with both spot and perpetual futures, is transitioning to a network-first model with its own Layer 1 blockchain, Aster Chain.
According to the Aster team’s X post on February 12, they will launch Aster Chain’s mainnet in March. It continued with, “Privacy is good. Aster is good,” which means the Aster mainnet will handle high-volume trading with enhanced privacy and faster execution.
Aster is being built for high-speed, private derivatives trading. For optimized speed and privacy, the chain employs zero-knowledge proofs, which enable traders to conceal position sizes and profit-and-loss information while maintaining on-chain verifiability of trades. Aster also seeks to provide a more centralized exchange experience by using a system similar to an order book and sub-second finality for high-frequency trading.
Aster’s 2026 Roadmap
As the Aster Chain mainnet launch is already affirmed in Aster’s 2026 roadmap, the testnet was first opened for whitelisted members in December 2025 and was opened to the public on January 5.
According to the roadmap, the Layer 1 chain is mentioned to arrive in the first quarter of 2026, and the mainnet launch is scheduled for mid- to end-March 2026. Also, the roadmap includes integrated fiat on- and off-ramps, where users will be able to switch between traditional money and crypto directly.
Aster then intends to introduce staking and on-chain governance for the ASTER token in the second quarter, allowing users to directly participate in upcoming developments. Also, to introduce Aster Smart Money, where users can share their data or follow other top trading strategies.
ASTER Price Update
ASTER is today’s second top gainer among the first 100 cryptos by market cap, as per CoinMarketCap data. The announcement coincided with the token surge of more than 14% and is trading at $0.7489, with 24-hour trading volume having increased by over 13%. Also, over the past month, ASTER has gained 7%, highlighting the confidence even amid a broader crypto market downtrend.
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