ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands — May 18, 2026
Executive Summary
AFX has officially launched its sovereign Layer 1 Mainnet designed specifically for decentralized derivatives trading and perpetual decentralized exchanges. The launch introduces the company’s dedicated “Sovereign Trading Layer,” an execution-focused blockchain environment engineered to support high-frequency on-chain trading with institutional-grade speed, liquidity, and operational efficiency.
At launch, the protocol supports perpetual markets across both digital and macro assets, including BTC, ETH, Gold (XAU), and Crude Oil (CL), with leverage of up to 40x. According to the company, the network architecture is designed to deliver 100ms median latency, throughput exceeding 100,000 transactions per second, and a Zero Gas execution model intended to eliminate network fee friction for traders. Bitcoin Ethereum
Announcement Overview
AFX stated that its Mainnet launch marks the operational debut of a sovereign Layer 1 blockchain purpose-built for decentralized perpetual futures trading. The protocol has been developed to provide a dedicated execution environment separate from the congestion and latency constraints associated with general-purpose blockchain infrastructure.
The launch also introduces the company’s institutional-focused Pro-Trader Suite, featuring a capital-efficiency framework, native FIX protocol support, and a trading infrastructure designed for quantitative firms and professional market participants. In addition, AFX stated that the protocol launched without venture capital funding, private token rounds, or unlock schedules, alongside a community-first economic model centered on a 100% Revenue Pass-through structure.
Key Announcement Details
- Announcement Type: Sovereign Layer 1 Mainnet Launch
- Company: AFX
- Primary Focus: Decentralized derivatives and perpetual DEX infrastructure
- Mainnet Status: Officially live
- Core Infrastructure: Sovereign Layer 1 blockchain
- Consensus Design: DAG-based consensus architecture
- Framework: ABCI modular architecture
- Execution Model: Zero Gas execution environment
- Median Latency: 100ms
- Network Capacity: Over 100,000 transactions per second
- Trading Infrastructure: Dedicated high-frequency order flow mempool
- MEV Protection: Protocol-level MEV resistance
- Launch Markets: BTC, ETH, Gold (XAU), Crude Oil (CL)
- Maximum Leverage: Up to 40x
- Trading Suite: Pro-Trader Suite
- Margin Requirement: 1.25% maintenance margin
- Institutional Features: Native FIX protocol support
- Target Participants: Quantitative firms and professional traders
- Economic Model: Community-first structure
- Funding Structure: No venture capital or private rounds
- Revenue Structure: 100% Revenue Pass-through model
- Trading Access: https://app.afx.xyz/trade
- Headquarters Mentioned: Road Town, British Virgin Islands
Mainnet Launch and Sovereign Trading Infrastructure
AFX announced that its sovereign Layer 1 Mainnet is now operational, establishing what the company describes as a dedicated execution environment for decentralized derivatives trading.
According to the company, the protocol was engineered specifically for perpetual decentralized exchanges and high-frequency trading activity, with infrastructure intended to separate trade execution from the congestion commonly associated with shared blockchain networks.
The company stated that the launch of the Mainnet represents the introduction of its “Sovereign Trading Layer,” which combines non-custodial decentralized trading infrastructure with execution performance typically associated with centralized trading venues.
AFX noted that the Layer 1 infrastructure was purpose-built to support demanding trading environments while maintaining on-chain transparency and decentralized settlement mechanisms.
Important operational components introduced with the launch include:
- Dedicated execution environment for perpetual trading
- Custom-built sovereign Layer 1 blockchain
- Non-custodial trading infrastructure
- Institutional-grade execution framework
- Integrated perpetual decentralized exchange environment
- High-frequency order flow optimization
The company stated that the Mainnet is now live and accessible through its trading application.
Supported Trading Markets at Launch
AFX stated that the Mainnet launch includes immediate support for a range of perpetual trading markets spanning both digital assets and traditional macro instruments.
The initial market suite includes:
- Bitcoin (BTC) perpetual markets
- Ethereum (ETH) perpetual markets
- Gold (XAU) perpetual markets
- Crude Oil (CL) perpetual markets
According to the company, these markets are available with leverage of up to 40x, which AFX stated is intended to support enhanced capital efficiency for market participants from launch.
The company described the supported assets as a combination of digital and macro market exposure designed to broaden participation opportunities within the decentralized derivatives environment.
AFX stated that the launch configuration enables traders to access:
- Digital asset exposure
- Commodity-linked perpetual markets
- Macro asset trading
- Leveraged perpetual products
- Cross-market trading infrastructure
The company indicated that these markets form part of the protocol’s broader perpetual trading ecosystem introduced with the Mainnet launch.
Custom Execution Layer and Network Architecture
AFX stated that the architectural foundation of the protocol differs from decentralized trading platforms operating on shared blockchain infrastructure.
According to the company, the Mainnet operates on a custom-built execution layer utilizing:
- DAG-based consensus
- ABCI modular architecture
- Dedicated execution framework
- Specialized trading mempool infrastructure
AFX stated that the architecture was designed to decouple execution from consensus, enabling a trading-focused operational environment optimized specifically for perpetual trading activity.
The company stated that the infrastructure includes a dedicated mempool intended exclusively for high-frequency order flow processing. In addition, AFX noted that the protocol incorporates protocol-level MEV resistance mechanisms.
AFX reported the following network performance metrics for the Mainnet environment:
- 100ms median latency
- Capacity exceeding 100,000 transactions per second
- Dedicated high-frequency trading execution environment
- Protocol-level MEV resistance
- Execution optimization for perpetual markets
According to the company, the infrastructure was developed to address latency and throughput limitations associated with legacy decentralized trading systems operating on shared-purpose blockchain networks.
AFX stated that the execution-focused architecture forms a central component of the protocol’s operational model for decentralized derivatives trading.
Zero Gas Execution Model
AFX stated that the Mainnet launch introduces a Zero Gas execution model for traders using the protocol.
According to the company, the model removes network gas fees associated with trade execution and is intended to reduce transactional friction within the trading environment.
The company stated that the Zero Gas structure allows market participation and trading outcomes to be determined by trading discipline and market activity rather than network fee conditions.
AFX identified the following characteristics of the execution model:
- Removal of gas fee execution costs
- Reduced transactional friction
- Trading-focused operational framework
- Execution environment optimized for market activity
- Network structure centered on trading efficiency
The company stated that the Zero Gas model forms part of its broader infrastructure strategy focused on execution optimization and high-frequency trading support.
Launch of the Pro-Trader Suite
AFX announced that the Mainnet launch simultaneously introduces its institutional-focused Pro-Trader Suite, which the company described as an infrastructure engine designed for professional and quantitative market participants.
According to the company, the suite includes a Hyper-Efficiency Margin Engine requiring a maintenance margin of only 1.25%.
AFX stated that the margin framework is designed to provide enhanced capital efficiency for traders operating within perpetual markets.
Key components of the Pro-Trader Suite include:
- Hyper-Efficiency Margin Engine
- 1.25% maintenance margin requirement
- Real-time re-utilization of unrealized profits
- Institutional trading infrastructure
- Professional execution-focused environment
- Capital-efficiency optimization
AFX also stated that the protocol includes support for real-time re-utilization of unrealized profits within the trading system.
According to the company, these operational capabilities are intended to support professional trading workflows and institutional-grade market participation within decentralized derivatives markets.
Native FIX Protocol Integration
AFX stated that the protocol includes native support for the FIX protocol, which the company described as a first for decentralized derivatives exchanges.
According to the company, the FIX integration is intended to provide Tier-1 quantitative firms and professional trading entities with direct access to decentralized liquidity infrastructure without extensive operational modifications.
AFX stated that the native FIX protocol framework supports:
- Algorithmic trading integration
- Institutional connectivity
- Direct decentralized liquidity access
- Plug-and-play infrastructure compatibility
- Reduced integration complexity
- Quantitative trading workflows
The company noted that the implementation is intended to bridge traditional institutional trading infrastructure with decentralized on-chain trading systems.
AFX stated that the FIX protocol support enables firms already operating within algorithmic trading environments to interact with decentralized derivatives infrastructure using familiar institutional connectivity standards.
Community-First Economic Structure
AFX stated that the protocol launched under what it described as a community-first economic model.
According to the company, the Mainnet was introduced without:
- Venture capital participation
- Private funding rounds
- Predatory unlock schedules
AFX stated that this structure was implemented to preserve network sovereignty and align protocol development with participant activity rather than external funding structures.
The company also announced a 100% Revenue Pass-through model, under which network-generated value is directed back to ecosystem contributors and traders.
AFX stated that the economic structure is intended to support:
- Community-driven participation
- Participant-focused network evolution
- Ecosystem contribution incentives
- Revenue distribution mechanisms
- Protocol sovereignty objectives
According to the company, the economic framework forms part of its broader decentralized finance operating model centered on participant alignment and network-level contribution.
Trading Environment and Platform Availability
AFX stated that the Mainnet is now live and available to traders seeking decentralized perpetual trading infrastructure with institutional-style execution characteristics.
The company described the platform as a dedicated environment for users seeking:
- Perpetual decentralized exchange transparency
- High-frequency trading execution
- On-chain market infrastructure
- Institutional-style trading performance
- Sovereign Layer 1 trading architecture
AFX stated that traders can access the live trading environment through the protocol’s trading application.
The company indicated that the launch represents the operational availability of its sovereign decentralized derivatives infrastructure for public market participation.
About AFX
AFX is a sovereign Layer 1 blockchain purpose-built for decentralized derivatives trading and perpetual decentralized exchange infrastructure.
According to the company, AFX combines centralized exchange-style execution performance with blockchain-based non-custodial settlement and decentralized infrastructure.
The company stated that the protocol is designed to provide:
- Sub-100ms finality
- Institutional liquidity infrastructure
- Professional-grade perpetual trading environment
- High-performance execution capabilities
- Capital-efficiency-focused trading systems
- On-chain decentralized derivatives infrastructure
AFX stated that its platform is focused on delivering a high-performance perpetual trading environment optimized for professional and institutional market participants operating within decentralized finance ecosystems.
Media Contact
For additional information, visit afx.xyz.
Source Attribution
Source: Company announcement
