AFX, a sovereign Layer-1 blockchain built specifically for perpetual trading, recorded over $1.3 billion in cumulative perpetual volume within its first month of mainnet launch. The project's ALP liquidity vault also pulled in more than $21 million in deposits during the same period, according to details shared by Head of Growth Ken C. in an interview with BeInCrypto.
Why a dedicated chain matters
Most perpetual DEXs run on top of existing blockchains, inheriting their congestion and fee spikes. AFX operates its own chain, giving it full control over the order book, matching engine, settlement, and risk management. The result: transaction finalization times around 100 milliseconds. The exchange also uses a dedicated fair-ordering mempool designed to reduce front-running and sandwich attacks — a persistent headache on public chains.
The top 10 perpetual DEXs collectively did $6.7 trillion in volume during 2025. AFX is trying to carve out a slice of that market with a purpose-built infrastructure.
Self-funded and community-driven
AFX uses a self-funded token model centered on community participation rather than venture capital. That's a deliberate choice — the team wants to avoid the misaligned incentives that come with VC-backed tokens. The project offers perpetual futures across crypto, stocks, and commodities, giving traders a single venue for multiple asset classes.
AI agents are next
AFX is developing native APIs and SDKs to support AI agent trading. The idea is to let automated strategies interact directly with the chain's order book without going through a third-party interface. The project plans to run an AI agent trading competition during the second season of its points programme, which should give developers a reason to build on the platform.
Ken C. said the team sees AI-driven trading as a natural fit for a chain that prioritizes speed and low latency. The competition is expected to launch later this year, though no exact date has been set.
