chainwire

Panama City, Republic of Panama, February 18th, 2026, Chainwire

Sai today launched Sai Perps, a perpetuals trading platform built to be as fast and intuitive as a centralized exchange with the transparency and self-custody of onchain settlement. The platform features gasless transactions, removing friction for traders while maintaining full onchain security.

Sai also unveiled Let’s Go Saicho, a one-month onchain trading competition running February 18 through March 19, 2026, with $25,000 in total prizes. The campaign is structured in two phases designed to reward both performance and participation: a PNL competition for profitable traders, followed by a first-come, first-serve “Be Early” phase for traders who engage early and hit a minimum volume threshold.

“Onchain markets shouldn’t require traders to compromise between speed and self-custody,” said Matthias Darblade, a Sai contributor. “Sai Perps is designed for active traders who want a clean, CEX-like experience, while still getting the transparency and settlement guarantees that only onchain infrastructure can provide.”

Why Sai vs. Other Perps DEXs

Sai Perps is built around the premise: trading should be accessible without the usual friction of onchain perps. Compared to existing perpDEXs, Sai stands out in many ways:

• CEX-like UX, onchain settlement: A streamlined trading experience designed to be fast and familiar, with trades settling onchain for transparency and verifiability.
• Infrastructure built for deep, smooth markets: Sai has focused heavily on liquidity, risk systems, and oracle design to support more consistent execution and robust market integrity.
• Accessible to both new and experienced traders: A platform experience optimized for speed and clarity, without sacrificing advanced trading capability.
• Roadmap beyond crypto perps: Sai’s planned expansion includes stocks, commodities, and FX markets, plus user-focused capital efficiency features like Sai Savings (yield on deposits), and cross-chain deposits.

Let’s Go Saicho: $25,000 Trading Competition (Feb 18 – Mar 19, 2026)

Let’s Go Saicho is a one-month competition rewarding trading on Sai across two two-week phases:

• Phase 1 (Feb 18 – Mar 4): PNL Competition | $20,000 prize pool, 50 winners
• Phase 2 (Mar 5 – Mar 19): Be Early (First Come First Serve) | $5,000 prize pool, 50 winners

All markets listed on Sai are eligible in both phases. Traders may go long or short on any listed pair using supported collateral (e.g., USDC and other supported assets such as stNIBI, as available on Sai). For more details on Sai’s Trading Competition, visit here.

About Sai

Sai is a new perpetuals trading platform designed to feel as easy and fast as a centralized exchange, while still settling fully onchain. Sai’s mission is to make advanced trading accessible without sacrificing transparency or self-custody.

Sai is focused on finalizing its core trading infrastructure and user experience, building liquidity and risk systems for smoother execution, and laying groundwork for yield features that help users earn on idle collateral. Next on the roadmap: expanded markets (stocks, commodities, FX), Sai Savings, cross-chain deposits, and smart accounts for gasless trading.

Contact

PR and Media Inquries
[email protected]

George Town, Cayman Islands, February 17th, 2026, Chainwire

Zircuit, a security-first digital asset company backed by YZiLabs, Dragonfly, and Pantera, today announced the launch of Zircuit Finance. Incubated by a team from Quantstamp, Zircuit Finance is a secure platform for institutional-grade strategies, a stablecoin vault designed to generate yield on USDC and USDT, with a stated target range of 8–11% APR, subject to market conditions and variability.

Historically, access to professional asset managers and institutional strategies required significant minimum investments and long lockups. Zircuit Finance removes those barriers with a simplified, cross-chain interface that provides access to institutional-grade yield strategies through a single interface, enabling deposits and withdrawals across multiple chains while supporting diversified exposure.

“The future of DeFi isn’t about chasing the highest yields, it’s about building the most secure foundation for capital to grow,” said Dr. Martin Derka, Co-Founder of Zircuit. “Zircuit’s vault is part of a broader shift to create a more stable, transparent, and trusted on-chain economy where users can move large sums of capital efficiently and safely.”

Zircuit Finance vaults allocate a portion of assets to Monarq Asset Management, which manages regulated institutional-grade arbitrage and delta-neutral strategies. Monarq has a proven track record managing the Monarq Digital Asset Opportunities Fund, and the team includes professionals from Tower Research, LedgerPrime, BlockTower, UBS, and Bank of America.

Zircuit Finance also integrates Fidelity’s tokenized money market fund, Aave, and Morpho for diversified exposure across both regulated and decentralized venues.

Complementing this institutional framework, Zircuit Finance is partnering with Forteus, an FCA-regulated asset management division of the Numeus Group, which is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, with offices in London and New York. The partnership develops digital asset investment portfolios focused on generating risk adjusted returns on Ethereum and Bitcoin, leveraging Forteus’ investment strategies and institutional risk management capabilities.

Zircuit Finance will also integrate with FalconX as its prime broker and infrastructure provider, enabling institutional-grade execution, custody, and risk management. FalconX, a digital assets prime brokerage, provides a globally recognized institutional platform trusted by leading hedge funds and asset managers. Its infrastructure supports efficient capital deployment and compliance-aligned operations across multiple venues.

The core features of Zircuit Finance include:

• Targeting 8–11% APR on USDC and USDT, with multi-chain deposits and withdrawals. The vault maintains a portion of capital for fast withdrawals (often within 24 hours for smaller requests) while deploying the rest to generate yield. Larger requests may take up to 14 days as capital is being withdrawn from deployed strategies.
• Cross-chain messaging infrastructure provided by LayerZero technology. This architecture enables secure, omnichain access to vaults and partner strategies across multiple chains, all from a single interface.

“As liquidity flows into DeFi at scale, the platforms that will lead are those delivering both performance and safety while bringing institutional-grade strategies accessible on-chain. Our collaboration with Zircuit Finance reflects Monarq’s commitment to powering that next phase of growth, anchored in deep liquidity, disciplined risk, and operational transparency,” said Shiliang Tang, Managing Partner of Monarq Asset Management.

Zircuit Finance is built by cybersecurity veterans who secured more than $200 billion in assets and conducted over 1,100 audits. The team behind Zircuit Finance brings unmatched security expertise to DeFi, with $3 billion in TVL previously staked through the Zircuit Staking program.

Zircuit Finance is now open for deposits. Additional information on depositing USDC and USDT is available at finance.zircuit.com.

ABOUT ZIRCUIT

Zircuit is a security-first digital asset company founded in 2022 by experts from Quantstamp. Zircuit builds secure onchain products designed to help users deploy capital safely and efficiently. Backed by deep cybersecurity expertise, the team has secured over $200 billion in assets and conducted more than 1,100 audits. Zircuit Finance is the company’s institutional-grade platform offering yield on stablecoins and major digital assets.  

Users can visit zircuit.com and follow @Zircuit on X.

Disclosure: Zircuit Finance vaults are not bank accounts or insured deposits. Yields are variable and not guaranteed. Participation may be subject to digital asset risk, including smart contract and market volatility. Users should conduct their own due diligence before investing. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Contact

Head of Communications
Jennifer Zheng
Zircuit
[email protected]

Victoria, Seychelles, February 12th, 2026, Chainwire

BYDFi, a global cryptocurrency trading platform, announced its participation as a sponsor of Solana Accelerate APAC during Consensus Hong Kong 2026. The event was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre alongside the broader Consensus Hong Kong conference.

The combined gathering brought together founders, institutional representatives, policymakers, and blockchain developers, underscoring Hong Kong’s role as a regional hub and an established meeting point for Web3 and blockchain innovation across the Asia-Pacific region.

BYDFi at Solana Accelerate APAC in Hong Kong

Solana Accelerate APAC convened the Solana community and broader crypto ecosystem around the future of internet capital markets and onchain innovation, set against the backdrop of a global financial center known for clear frameworks and active market participation. BYDFi’s participation marked a first, deeper step into Solana-focused programming and community dialogue. Discussions also reflected ongoing market focus on crypto regulation in Hong Kong and crypto licensing in Hong Kong.

During the event, the BYDFi team was on site to meet attendees, share product context, and distribute limited merchandise, including Newcastle United co-branded items as part of BYDFi’s ongoing brand collaboration with the club. The booth saw strong foot traffic throughout the day.

What BYDFi Is Sharing in Hong Kong

BYDFi used the event to share how a CEX + DEX dual-engine approach can support clearer participation across venues and workflows, particularly for users who want both centralized liquidity and onchain discovery in one connected experience. MoonX, BYDFi’s onchain trading engine, supports Solana and is designed to help users track and navigate fast moving onchain markets with a workflow built for speed, signal clarity, and execution efficiency.

In parallel, BYDFi highlighted reliability foundations that support long term trust in volatile markets, with an emphasis on operational safeguards and service responsiveness. These include over 1:1 Proof of Reserves with periodic public reporting, an 800 BTC Protection Fund, and 24/7 multilingual customer support with timely responses across official channels, including social media.

Why This Matters for BYDFi and the Solana Ecosystem

Solana Accelerate APAC brought ecosystem builders and market infrastructure discussions into the same orbit. BYDFi’s participation centered on two goals: listening closely to Solana-native users and teams, and exploring deeper collaboration opportunities that can strengthen product coverage, user experience, and market access as the crypto market continues to mature.

Michael, Co-Founder and CEO of BYDFi, said: Solana Accelerate APAC creates the right setting for practical conversations between builders, market participants, and policymakers. BYDFi joined to learn, connect, and contribute in a way that holds up over time. Reliability is built through consistent infrastructure, clear safeguards, and responsive support, and BYDFi will continue strengthening all three as engagement across the Solana ecosystem deepens.

About BYDFi

Founded in 2020, BYDFi now serves over 1 million users across 190+ countries and regions. BYDFi is Newcastle United’s Exclusive Official Crypto Exchange Partner. Recognized by Forbes as one of the Best Crypto Exchanges In Canada For 2026, BYDFi offers intuitive, low-fee trading across Spot and Perpetual Contracts to Copy Trading, and Automated Crypto Trading Bots, empowering both new and experienced traders to navigate digital assets with confidence.

BYDFi is dedicated to delivering a world-class crypto trading experience for every user.

BUIDL Your Dream Finance.

• Website: https://www.bydfi.com
• Support email: [email protected]
• Business partnerships: [email protected]
• Media inquiries: [email protected]

Twitter( X ) | LinkedIn | Telegram | YouTube | TikTok | How to Buy on BYDFi

Contact

Senior Marketing Director
Chloe
BYDFi Fintech LTD
[email protected]

Dubai, UAE, February 12th, 2026, Chainwire

Flipster, a global cryptocurrency trading platform, has received in-principle approval from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) under Flipster FZE. The approval is a key milestone in Flipster’s expansion into the Middle East and reinforces its focus on building safe, compliant access to digital assets in regulated markets.

The in-principle approval allows Flipster FZE to progress toward offering regulated virtual asset services under VARA’s framework, with spot trading as the initial offering. It reflects Flipster’s long-term strategy to operate within established regulatory frameworks in key global markets.

“This milestone is a meaningful vote of confidence in our long-term commitment to the region,” said Benjamin Grolimund, General Manager at Flipster FZE. “The Middle East has become a blueprint for how digital assets should be regulated and adopted. VARA’s clear framework enables innovation while prioritizing trust and security — and we’re committed to building trading solutions that meet the highest standards globally.”

Flipster’s regulatory progress is matched by its continued enhancement of its compliance infrastructure. The platform’s partnership with Chainalysis enhances its capabilities in transaction monitoring and risk management — supporting Flipster’s readiness to meet VARA’s regulatory standards and operate with greater accountability and oversight.

Flipster first announced its entry into the Middle East in May 2025, with the appointment of Benjamin Grolimund, a seasoned fintech executive with prior leadership roles at Rain and Bloomberg. The UAE’s regulatory clarity and maturing digital asset ecosystem continue to position it as a strategic base for Flipster’s global growth plans.

About Flipster FZE

Flipster FZE is a regulated digital asset exchange planning to offer spot trading across leading cryptocurrencies. The platform is engineered for dependable execution, transparent pricing, and a streamlined user experience.

With a strong emphasis on compliance and security, Flipster provides users with a trusted venue to access digital asset markets with confidence.

Users can learn more at flipster.io or follow X.

Contact

Flipster
[email protected]

Vaduz, Liechtenstein, February 9th, 2026, Chainwire

xMoney ($XMN) is expanding its partnership with Domino’s, bringing its payment infrastructure to Domino’s Greece following a successful rollout in Cyprus.

The collaboration focuses on acquiring services, enabling Domino’s Greece to accept card payments and digital wallets, including Apple Pay and Google Pay, across both web and mobile ordering platforms.

At the core of the integration is xMoney’s embeddable checkout solution, designed to deliver a seamless payment experience without redirection. Customers complete their orders faster, while all sensitive payment data is securely handled by xMoney’s compliant infrastructure.

The expansion was announced in person at a community event hosted at SuiHub Athens – a community space established to support builders and Sui ecosystem partners – bringing together the xMoney and Sui teams, Domino’s representatives, and building on xMoney’s previously announced work with Sui to expand real-world payment access across Europe.

“Domino’s operates in a high-volume, real-time environment where speed and reliability are critical,” said Manos Tsouloufris, CTO of Daufood. “xMoney’s checkout solution supports multiple payment methods in a single, seamless flow, helping us serve customers faster at scale.”

While the current implementation focuses on fiat payments, the two teams are also exploring future possibilities around digital asset payments, where network speed, user experience, and confirmation times make sense for real-world commerce.

The launch in Greece represents the next step in a broader European expansion, reinforcing xMoney’s role as a trusted payments partner for brands that operate at scale and its presence within the Sui ecosystem reflects a growing focus on practical, consumer-facing payment experiences built for everyday use.

“When people order food, they don’t think about payments, and that’s exactly the point,” said Gregorious Siourounis, Co-Founder and CEO of xMoney. “Our role is to make checkout fast, reliable, and invisible, so brands like Domino’s can focus on their customers. Bringing this experience to Greece is a natural next step.”

As xMoney expands across markets and merchant use cases, XMN supports the broader ecosystem by aligning long-term participation and infrastructure growth across the network. Designed to sit alongside xMoney’s licensed payment rails, XMN helps structure how value, incentives, and future on-chain capabilities evolve, without impacting the simplicity of everyday checkout experiences.

Faster checkout. Less friction.

Payments that deliver.

About Domino’s

Founded in 1960, Domino’s Pizza is the largest pizza company in the world, with a significant business in both delivery and carryout pizza. It operates a network of company-owned and independent franchise stores in the United States and more than 90 international markets.

About xMoney

xMoney is revolutionizing the payments landscape with strategic European licenses, delivering a seamless, secure, and forward-thinking ecosystem powered by innovative product design, cutting-edge technology, and unwavering compliance. XMN, xMoney’s newly launched token, is natively integrated into the licensed and regulated payment infrastructure – empowering merchants and consumers with lightning-fast, trustworthy transactions underpinned by full regulatory transparency. Now trading on Kraken, KuCoin, MEXC, Bitvavo, Bluefin and other exchanges, XMN is primed for broader adoption with a robust pipeline of integrations ahead.

Contact details:

Website: www.xmoney.com 

Contact

Head of Marketing
Alex Rus
xMoney
[email protected]

New York, New York, United States, February 3rd, 2026, Chainwire

Superform brings a familiar mobile experience to onchain finance, helping users grow their money while keeping full control of their assets.

Today, Superform, the first user-owned neobank, announced its mobile app launch,marking a key milestone in its efforts to build a user-owned neobank. The app extends the reach of Superform’s SuperVaults: non-custodial onchain vaults that automatically deploy user capital across high-performing DeFi strategies such as stablecoin lending and liquidity provisioning. The launch makes DeFi more accessible by delivering a user experience that feels like seamless internet banking while providing access to powerful DeFi returns. The app allows users to earn more yield on their USD, BTC, and ETH, marking the company’s official expansion into the U.S. market.

The app is designed for users who want a simpler way to grow their money without the stress of managing wallets, understanding protocols or navigating multiple chains. Users can create an account, onramp with fiat, and start earning in minutes. Beyond earning, users can swap, send, and manage their money across chains, all while maintaining full custody and control of their assets. 

Deposits are routed through SuperVaults, Superform’s automated savings products that deploys capital across high-performing DeFi strategies such as stablecoin lending and liquidity provisioning. The experience is built to feel familiar to anyone who has used a fintech app while delivering yields that consistently outperform traditional benchmarks. SuperVaults have generated average returns of 8.4% APY, compared to just 4.3% for T-Bills.

“You should not need to be technical to earn more onchain,” said Vikram Arun, Co-Founder and CEO of Superform. “The mobile app is the next step in our mission to make crypto-native strategies feel like standard financial products. It offers a true set and forget experience where users can deposit once and earn automatically without needing to manage or monitor anything.”

While DeFi has matured significantly, consumers still lack a complete financial alternative to traditional banks. Traditional savings options provide near-zero returns after inflation, while crypto-native yield remains fragmented across multiple tools and protocols. Users are forced to choose between the simplicity of custodial platforms that control their assets, or the complexity of self-custody solutions that require technical expertise.

Superform addresses this by building infrastructure that consolidates and simplifies. SuperVaults offer users exposure to curated opportunities through a single, scalable product, eliminating the need to stitch together tools or analyze protocols. With features like boosted APYs, Superform Points, and tiered rewards, the platform combines the performance of DeFi with the usability of traditional financial apps. The mobile app builds on traction from Superform’s desktop platform, which currently manages over $180 million in user deposits across 1000+ vaults, with strategies spanning more than 70 protocols. 

This launch marks the first in a series of major product rollouts and upgrades coming to the Superform ecosystem through the end of the year. For updates, users can visit superform.xyz or follow @superformxyz on X.

About Superform

Superform is the first user owned neo-bank to effortlessly grow your crypto portfolio. Superform helps users maximize returns on their crypto by providing access to over 800 earning opportunities with $10B in TVL across 50 protocols. Superform’s SuperVaults product offers single-transaction deposits into multi-protocol, yield bearing vaults. These “set and forget” opportunities are focused on earning users stablecoin yields. SuperVaults have been audited by yAudit and multiple independent security researchers from Spearbit.

Since launching in Q2 2024, Superform has delivered secure and optimized yield to over 180,000 depositors. Currently, users are earning an average APY of over 8.4%. Backed by $11M in funding from leading investors including VanEck Ventures, Polychain Capital, Circle Ventures, BlockTower Capital, Maven11 Capital, CMT Digital, and Arthur Hayes, Superform Labs is simplifying the path to onchain wealth.

Contact

PR Manager
Aarya Shah
[email protected]

Zug, Switzerland, January 29th, 2026, Chainwire

Status, one of Ethereum’s longest-running open-source projects, has re-entered the spotlight with USS Status, a satirical sci-fi cartoon that turns crypto’s chaotic past into comedy, along with the launch of a unified privacy super-app and gasless L2 network.

An Old Giant Awakens

Status, the open-source privacy super-app, has launched an overhauled unified app, a gasless L2 network, and a new identity personified in an irreverent and satirical web cartoon.

One of the oldest established projects in the Ethereum ecosystem, Status has weathered the industry’s volatility while continuing to quietly build an open-source platform that combines a secure crypto wallet, privacy messenger, and web browser within a single application.

Founded in 2017, Status has lived through ICO mania, regulatory whiplash, centralised exchange collapses, memecoin cycles, and repeated attempts to rebuild the internet with better primitives.

Now they’re back with a mission to make privacy accessible to everyone.

Crypto’s First Cartoon Series?

To celebrate the renewal of its app and the upcoming rollout of Status Network, the project is launching USS Status – an animated web series that follows a crew of meme misfits navigating a chaotic galaxy plagued by surveillance, centralisation, and bad governance. 

The satirical sci-fi series pokes fun at the colourful history of the crypto space, featuring allusions to characters, tokens, and projects that will be immediately familiar to crypto-native viewers.

Episode 1 sees the return of an infamous crypto figure, although USS Status insists that any likelihood is strictly coincidental.

The show is available on X, YouTube, and TikTok, with the Status team hinting that more episodes are on their way soon: https://youtu.be/478Bjdcswo0

“Over the past decade, crypto has traded its sense of fun and freedom for market hype and profit-first narratives,” said Volodymy Hulchenko, Status App Lead.

“USS Status is our way of laughing at the chaos while reminding people that it’s still possible to build tools that defend privacy, free speech, and digital freedom – without losing the cypherpunk spirit that started it all.”

Those interested in following the USS Status journey can join the project’s X Community:

https://x.com/i/communities/1998042195463479359

The Platform Behind the Punchline

The USS Status fictional spaceship runs on the Ethereum blockchain (for now), and uses the same tech built into the Status privacy super-app that’s available today.

Status allows users to chat, transact, and browse privately – all in one place, and they’ve just launched a new unified app for mobile and desktop.

They’re not the only team building a super-app, but their focus is to provide unrivaled privacy using Logos’ peer-to-peer messaging technology (prev. Whisper) and decentralised smart contracts.

The app features anonymous profiles, a built-in multi-chain crypto wallet with swaps, end-to-end encrypted messaging, censorship-resistant Community spaces, and a privacy-preserving web browser.

The app is available at: status.app

As innovators in the privacy space since 2017, Status is also taking things one step further with the launch of Status Network, the world’s first natively gasless L2 blockchain.

Built on the zkEVM Linea stack, Status Network removes the need for gas with a reputation-based Karma system funded by native yield, unlocking gasless private accounts.

Will the combination of gasless zkEVM infrastructure and a privacy super-app create a new standard for privacy? We’ll have to wait and see until their mainnet launch in Q1.

In the meantime, pre-deposit vaults for staking on Status Network are now open: https://hub.status.network/

About Status Network

Status Network is the first Ethereum L2 with gas-free transactions at scale. Funded by native yield and app fees, it redistributes 100% of net revenues to its community, powering sustainable liquidity incentives, a public funding pool, and SNT buy-backs. Built on the Linea zkEVM stack, it enables frictionless onboarding for games, social apps, and DeFi while remaining fully aligned with Ethereum security and values.

Users can follow Status for updates: https://x.com/StatusL2

Contact

Public Relations
Laura Guzik
Status Network
[email protected]

Paris, France, January 26th, 2026, Chainwire

The Tezos protocol has been successfully upgraded, following an on-chain governance process with broad participation from bakers (validators) and community members. 

Developed by Nomadic Labs, Trilitech, and Functori, Tallinn is the 20th protocol upgrade, marking 20 evolutions of the Tezos blockchain, proposed, adopted, and seamlessly activated by the protocol itself.

“Adapting to market demand 20 times over 7 years without network disruptions, and in a fully decentralized way, is undeniable proof of Tezos’ reliability and future-proof design,” said Yann Régis-Gianas, Head of Engineering at Nomadic Labs. ”

The Tallinn upgrade shortens Tezos Layer-1 block time to 6 seconds, reducing latency and speeding up finality on the network’s censorship-resistant settlement layer. This pairs naturally with Etherlink, Tezos’ EVM-compatible Layer-2, which already confirms transactions in under 50 milliseconds, now backed by Layer-1 finality in two blocks, or 12 seconds.

Tallinn also enables all bakers (network validators) to attest to every block, instead of a subset of bakers, which brings stronger security and more predictable staking rewards. This is achieved through the use of BLS cryptographic signatures, which aggregate hundreds of signatures into just one per block. By lightening the load on nodes, it also opens the door to further block time reductions.

Finally, Tallinn introduces an ‘Address Indexing Registry’ that can improve storage efficiency by up to 100x for apps using the Michelson runtime. It is done by eliminating redundant address data, and apps adopting this feature will benefit from lower costs and higher potential throughput. 

“Based on inputs from Tezos builders, our development team is excited to be able to offer such drastic improvements for enterprise-scale apps, large NFT ledgers, and other setups storing many addresses,” said Yann Régis-Gianas, Head of Engineering at Nomadic Labs. 

Since launching in 2018, the Tezos blockchain has continued to evolve seamlessly through protocol upgrades, with each activation introducing a series of features designed to improve the overall experience of using and building on the network. Tallinn is another forkless step forward in making Tezos faster, more secure, and optimized for enterprise use, with no compromise on decentralization, and further proof of the network’s ability to quickly adapt to user needs and ensure longevity through continuous innovation and optimization. 

About Tezos

Tezos is an open-source and energy-efficient blockchain designed to empower institutions, developers, and businesses and facilitate value transfer in a digital environment. It is designed for the scalable deployment of decentralized applications. As one of the first Proof of Stake blockchains, Tezos is globally supported and valued for its strong governance, long-term upgradability, and smart contract capabilities. For more information about Tezos, visit http://www.tezos.com. 

Contact

Head of PR
Eoin McGinley
Trilitech
[email protected]

Singapore, Singapore, January 20th, 2026, Chainwire

Pendle, The world’s largest crypto yield trading platform, has announced an upgrade to its native token, introducing sPENDLE. The update is intended to unlock deeper liquidity, diversify revenue streams, and strengthen Pendle’s position within the onchain yield and rates segment. Supported by recent performance metrics from Pendle and Boros, the upgrade underscores the platform’s long term goals in decentralized finance (DeFi) and broadens related markets.

Record 2025 Performance and Protocol Dominance

In 2025, Pendle achieved major milestones across key network and financial metrics, illustrating both robust usage and sustained market capture in yield trading:

• Average Total Value Locked (TVL): ~$5.7B up 76% YoY, with a peak TVL of ~$13.4B. This reflects strong liquidity engagement across yield markets, placing Pendle immediately within the likes of other major DeFi protocols such as Uniswap, Aave and Hyperliquid.
• Total fees accrued: ~$44.6M up +134% YoY, with holders’ revenue reaching ~$34.9M.
• Monthly notional trading volume: ~$54B (90-day trailing average) with frequent daily nine-figure volume, a testament to Pendle’s fixed yield demand.

The data reflects Pendle’s position as a notable venue for tokenized yield and funding rates trading, with reported realized fees and liquidity depth exceeding those of several comparable platforms within the fixed income space.

Pendle’s New Token Enhancements

The upgraded Pendle token introduces a comprehensive solution to for simplicity and fair distribution across its ecosystem:

• Protocol revenue will be used for PENDLE token buybacks, and distributed to active sPENDLE holders
• Improved liquidity model by enabling sPENDLE a simple 14-day withdrawal period (or instant redemption for a 5% fee). 
• sPENDLE also transforms as composable, and fungible token that can be integrated with any dApp, eliminating the trade-off between participation and liquidity regardless of time horizon
• The previous manual voting system will be upgraded to an algorithmic emission model, targeting to cut PENDLE emissions by 20-30% while delivering significantly better allocation efficiency
• vePENDLE locks will be paused on January 29th, and any existing vePENDLE holders by then will receive a special multiplier to their virtual sPENDLE balance based on their remaining lock duration (up to 4x). Rewards will be distributed based on this virtual sPENDLE balance, allowing PENDLE holders to gain outsized rewards during this transition period with vePENDLE

“This upgrade is a structural improvement as we scale both Pendle and Boros” said TN Lee, Co-Founder and CEO of Pendle. “Our goal has always been to bring the efficiency and scale of traditional fixed income markets into DeFi. With this upgrade, Pendle becomes a more robust, sustainable, and institution ready yield infrastructure.”

Boros: New Frontier in Onchain Rates Trading

Additional catalyst for Pendle’s upgraded token architecture is Boros, a first-of-its-kind onchain venue that tokenizes perpetual funding rates, transforming an untradable yield stream into a tradable instrument. Boros metrics highlight rapid organic adoption and material growth potential:

• Key Metrics: 4-months after its launch Boros achieved ~$6.9B in open interest ~$91M and $6.8M in deposits by year-end 2025.
• Boros has generated ~$301K in fees while operating in a nascent market establishing early product-market fit for rate derivatives on-chain.
• Perpetual markets with ~$63B in open interest represent a significant growth potential where Boros currently holds early share, expecting to unlock up to 10x OI penetration with corresponding ~15% incremental protocol fee growth.
• Boros has also listed NVDAUSDC-Hyperliquid, allowing users to speculate and trade the funding rate of HIP-3 NVIDIA perp market, heralding the listing of more exotic assets as well as other equity perps like S&P500, NASDAQ, AMZN, TSLA and more.

By addressing one of the largest untapped yield sources in DeFi which is funding rates exposure, Boros further strengthens Pendle’s growth vector, helping diversify revenue beyond TVL and traditional yield fees.

Strategic Vision: From DeFi Yield to Global Fixed Income Infrastructure

Pendle’s token upgrade is intended to support the protocol’s infrastructure for scaling the yield layer of decentralized finance (DeFi) in relation to both centralized and traditional financial markets. Fixed income remains one of the largest segments in global finance, and Pendle has developed a range of tools—from principal and yield tokens to funding rate derivatives—aimed at facilitating access to this area. The protocol continues to broaden its integrations, including leverage strategies, AI applications, collateralized PT usage, and cross-chain liquidity mechanisms.

About Pendle

Pendle is the world’s largest crypto yield trading platform empowering the tokenization and trading of yield-bearing assets. Pendle unlocks sophisticated yield strategies for retail and institutional participants alike redefining the future of onchain fixed income.

Contact

Growth
[email protected]

Dubai, UAE, January 16th, 2026, Chainwire

NEXT INNOVATIONS TECHNOLOGY L.L.C. (NEXST), a next-generation Web3 entertainment platform, announced a strategic partnership with KISS OF LIFE, the winner of the 2025 Asia Artist Awards “Best Musician Group.” The group will join NEXST VR LIVE as the platform’s second official collaboration artist.

NEXST VR LIVE is the immersive VR concert service within the NEXST ecosystem, supported by the $NXT token. Through this collaboration with KISS OF LIFE, NEXST continues its mission to bring large-scale global fandoms on-chain by embedding digital ownership, decentralized access, and immersive technology into entertainment experiences.

Building a Gateway From Web2 Fandoms to Web3

NEXST is an AI-, VR-, and blockchain-powered entertainment platform designed to bridge mainstream Web2 audiences into Web3 in a natural and accessible way. Rather than requiring prior crypto knowledge, NEXST leverages globally recognized artists and immersive VR content as an intuitive entry point into the decentralized ecosystem.

In July 2025, NEXST VR LIVE announced Korean girl group UNIS as its first collaboration artist, with VR content currently in production. The partnership with KISS OF LIFE is the perfect spark that kicks off the next stage of evolution at NEXST. 

By centering highly interactive entertainment experiences, NEXST introduces Web3-native value propositions such as digital asset ownership and cryptocurrency-based purchases of VR content—while maintaining a seamless user experience for fans new to Web3.

At its core, NEXST delivers deeply interactive experiences with built-in Web3 value: digital asset ownership, crypto-powered VR content purchases all in a smooth, beginner-friendly package.

KISS OF LIFE: A Global Artist Leading the Next Wave of Immersive VR Lives

KISS OF LIFE is an award-winning K-POP group with approximately 9 million followers across global social platforms, known for its distinctive artistry, high-energy performances, and strong influence on global youth culture. Following their successful Japanese debut in November with a new album, they wrapped up a sold-out Japan tour in December. With each milestone, KISS OF LIFE continues to expand their international influence and solidify their place on the global stage.

Through this partnership, KISS OF LIFE’s expressive performance style and dynamic stage presence will be fully integrated into the immersive environments of NEXST VR LIVE. Moving beyond traditional “watch-only” concert formats, fans will be able to step inside the music world itself—sharing a virtual space with the artists and engaging in a next-generation VR live experience that redefines how live music is consumed in digital environments.

Shaping the Future of Entertainment With NEXST

NEXST blends AI, VR, and Web3 to rebuild entertainment at its core: making music, live shows, and fan communities more immersive and rewarding than ever.

NEXST is expanding collaborations with more global and K-pop artists as well as premium IP to create a new paradigm where fans can discover artists, connect directly with them, and co-create shared experiences. Meanwhile, the company aims to build a sustainably scalable entertainment ecosystem that evolves alongside its global community.

For information on the NEXST token ($NXT), upcoming TGE, and the latest updates, users can visit NEXST’s official channels.

Website: https://www.nexst.io

X (Twitter): https://x.com/NEXST_AI

Discord: https://discord.gg/nexst

Medium: https://medium.com/@sns.nexst

About NEXST

NEXST is an AI-driven entertainment infrastructure that transforms the full spectrum of fan experiences into on-chain, verifiable value. By blending proven Web2 models with VR, AI, gaming, and RWA ticketing, NEXST is building a new paradigm of fan continuity—a unified digital economy for global engagement.

About KISS OF LIFE



KISS OF LIFE is a multinational girl group made up of Julie (JULIE), Natty (NATTY), Belle (BELLE), and Haneul (HANEUL).The group’s name embodies their mission: to breathe new life into the world through fresh music and ignite excitement for living.

Since debuting in 2023, KISS OF LIFE has captivated K-POP fans around the world powerful choreography that far exceeds rookie expectations, alongside original and highly creative content. Beginning in Korea in October 2024, the group embarked on their world tour, “KISS OF LIFE 1ST WORLD TOUR [KISS ROAD],” traveling across North America, Europe, and Asia. Following their successful Japanese debut in November with a new album, they wrapped up a sold-out Japan tour in December. With each milestone, KISS OF LIFE continues to expand their international influence and solidify their place on the global stage.

「KISS OF LIFE」Official Channels

KISS OF LIFE OFFICIAL X :https://x.com/KISSOFLIFE_S2

KISS OF LIFE OFFICIAL Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/kissoflife_s2

KISS OF LIFE OFFICIAL YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@KISSOFLIFE_official

KISS OF LIFE OFFICIAL TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@kissoflife_official

Contact

PR
Yumiko Skurr
NEXT INNOVATIONS TECHNOLOGY L.L.C
[email protected]