Binance Labs announced its investment in Astherus, a multi-asset liquidity hub, on November 28, 2024. The funding will reportedly help Astherus simplify DeFi interactions and provide sustainable profit opportunities for users. 

But what exactly is Astherus, and how does it stand out in the crowded DeFi landscape?

What is Astherus?

Astherus is designed as a multi-asset liquidity hub that focuses on maximizing the real yield of crypto assets. Per reports, the platform provides DeFi users with a range of opportunities to generate high returns through multi-chain yield strategies, while ensuring institutional-grade security. 

According to the Astherus team, the protocol bridges the gap between centralized finance (CeFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi) by offering a CeDeFi-based automated yield pool called AstherusEarn.

Astherus aims to enhance the utility of digital assets, offering innovative solutions like stablecoin yield farming and derivatives trading. The platform’s mission is to simplify access to DeFi strategies while ensuring security and high returns.

The Core Components of Astherus

Astherus operates on a modular layer structure designed to enhance the scalability and flexibility of its ecosystem. These layers include:

• dApp Layer: This layer hosts decentralized applications (dApps) that help users generate yield. Notable dApps like AstherusEX and AstherusEarn provide essential utilities for the platform, enabling users to engage in yield farming and other DeFi strategies.

   

• DeFi Infrastructure Layer: This module aggregates liquidity from multiple asset pools to facilitate the growth of Astherus' ecosystem. It will also support the creation of stablecoin protocols and a derivatives clearinghouse, helping developers build their own dApps on the platform in the future.

   

• AstherusLayer (Layer-1 Blockchain): Astherus is developing its own Layer-1 blockchain, AstherusLayer, which will focus on DeFi. The blockchain will support multi-asset staking and enable the use of BNB as gas fees. 

About AstherusEarn

AstherusEarn is at the heart of the platform’s strategy to provide high yields through CeDeFi (centralized and decentralized finance) solutions. It leverages a combination of CeFi security and DeFi accessibility to maximize returns across multiple assets. With AstherusEarn, users can participate in:

• Stablecoin yield farming

• Derivatives trading

• Earn strategies

By integrating Ceffu, a trusted third-party custodian, AstherusEarn ensures that user assets are secure while they are being utilized to generate returns. Additionally, AstherusEarn includes innovative yield-bearing stablecoins like asUSDF, a stablecoin that provides passive income backed by crypto assets and short futures positions.

Key Features of AstherusEX

Another crucial component of the Astherus ecosystem is AstherusEX, a decentralized exchange that enables profit generation via on-chain derivatives trading. Some of the standout features of AstherusEX include:

• On-chain Derivatives Trading: Users can trade perpetual contracts with high leverage, allowing for sophisticated hedging strategies.

• Liquidity and Risk Management: AstherusEX offers users advanced risk management tools, enabling them to effectively manage their positions.

• Rewards Farming: Active participants in the platform are rewarded with airdrop points, which can be converted into Astherus token ($ASS). This reward mechanism encourages liquidity and continued platform engagement.

Astherus’ Roadmap and Future Growth

Looking ahead, Astherus plans to expand its ecosystem further by developing AstherusLayer, a Layer-1 blockchain designed specifically for DeFi applications. By supporting multi-asset staking and utilizing BNB as gas fees, AstherusLayer will reportedly play a pivotal role in the platform’s future growth.

Binance Labs, known for its strategic investments in over 250 projects globally, sees Astherus as a project with immense potential. According to Nicola W., investment director at Binance Labs:

"Astherus' approach to enhancing asset utility and real yield aligns with Binance Labs’ commitment to backing projects that are building meaningful technology."