Zeta Markets, ranking among the top five decentralized derivatives platforms on Solana recently made headlines with its recent announcement of the launch and airdrop of 100 million native tokens, Z. 

But what exactly is Zeta Markets? Let's explore this further.

Operating Mechanisms

At its core, Zeta Markets is a platform facilitating the trading of various assets on the Solana blockchain, renowned for its speed and efficiency in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space. Zeta Markets boasts comprehensive collateral, liquidation, and insurance mechanisms to safeguard user interests and ensure platform stability. 

Currently, the platform accepts USDC as collateral for perpetual trading, with stringent checks in place to prevent adverse outcomes. In cases of liquidation, the liquidator steps in to maintain platform integrity, receiving rewards from the insurance fund.

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Features

Zeta Markets offers a plethora of features to enhance user experience, including:

• Fast Trading: Zeta reportedly enables users to trade their preferred assets at sub-second speeds while maintaining top-notch security. It settles trades up to 30 times faster than Ethereum and other networks. 
• Trade: Users can engage in long/short trading with a maximum leverage of x20, choosing between limit or market orders. The platform accepts deposits in USDC and supports assets such as SOL, BTC, and ETH.
• Portfolio: An interface displaying users' trading orders and pertinent information like profit and stop-loss levels.
• Leaderboard and Z-Score: Recognizing and rewarding active traders on the platform, with Z-Score serving as a points system based on trading volume and participation in the ecosystem.

Development Team and Investor Backing

Zeta Markets is led by a seasoned team including Tristan Frizza (Founder), Imran Mohamad (CMO), and Adrian C. (Business Development Lead). Backed by prominent investment funds like Jump Capital, Wintermute, and Solana Ventures, the platform raised $8.5 million in funding in 2021.

Pioneering the Vote Escrow Model

Zeta's native token, Z, is set to launch the vote escrow model on Solana, akin to Curve's model on Ethereum. The more time CRV tokens remain locked in escrow, the more voting power holders accrue. This system incentivizes long-term stakeholder participation and decision-making to benefit the protocol.