Written by: 1912212.eth, Foresight News
On May 15, the cryptocurrency data platform CoinMarketCap (CMC) launched its new feature - CMC Launch. Its first project is Aster (AST). As a data platform, this is a major move in recent times, so what is the meaning and thinking behind it? What are the highlights of Aster to become the first project launched on Launch?
CoinMarketCaps newly launched Launch is similar to the task platform Galxe Galaxy, which selects some high-quality projects and provides them with a display platform. Users can directly click on the link on the CMC official website to participate in task activities (such as following Twitter accounts, trading interactions, etc.) to earn points and receive project confirmation airdrops later.
It is worth noting that CoinMarketCap officially reminds that its task activities are operated by a third party. It is not responsible for any tasks or rewards and has no control over them.
Since its establishment in 2013, CoinMarketCap has become one of the mainstream data platforms in the cryptocurrency field, with tens of millions of monthly active users and page views exceeding 800 million. However, with the rapid development of the crypto market and increasingly fierce competition in the industry, the functional boundaries of data platforms are being redefined.
The number of crypto projects has exploded, with thousands of new tokens added in 2024 alone. New projects face huge traffic and user acquisition challenges in order to stand out in a crowded market. At the same time, competitors such as Pump.fun, PancakeSwaps SpringBoard, and Raydiums LaunchLab are also providing exposure opportunities for early projects through Launchpool or similar mechanisms. After Binance Alpha continued to attract market attention, the demand for exposure from project parties increased sharply. CoinMarketCap launched CMC Launch, which is not only a response to market demand, but also an important step in its pursuit of differentiation in the competition.
In addition, as the crypto market matures, investors and users are paying more and more attention to early projects (Pre-TGE, before the token generation event). Early projects have attracted a large number of users seeking the next big thing due to their high potential and high risk. CoinMarketCap provides a high-visibility display platform for high-quality early projects through CMC Launch, while providing users with opportunities to participate in airdrops, interactive tasks, etc. to enhance community stickiness.
In the past, many project owners had some tricks in airdrops, such as not issuing what should be issued, giving less than promised, and suddenly changing the rules to eliminate many users, or even refusing to issue airdrops for various reasons. As a platform, CoinMarketCap is using its own brand as a guarantee to endorse the airdrop rules. In the long run, it is undoubtedly a new attempt at win-win cooperation for CoinMarketCap itself, high-quality project owners, and retail investors.
The transformation of data platforms into ecosystem builders is not unique to CoinMarketCap. In 2024, Arkham Intelligence launched its own perpetual contract exchange, showing the trend of data platforms expanding their business boundaries. CoinMarketCap, backed by Binances resource support, has natural advantages in brand, traffic, and technology. The launch of CMC Launch conforms to the industrys trend of developing into a comprehensive platform. As an independently operated platform, it can also increase its revenue and profits.
Aster ($AST) is a decentralized perpetual contract exchange formed by the merger of Astherus and APX Finance, with investment from YZi Labs (an independent branch of Binance).
Aster is positioned as the next generation perpetual contract DEX, aiming to provide a seamless trading experience for all users from novices to professional traders. The project runs on BNB Chain and Arbitrum. Asters core technical highlights include:
Dual-mode trading interface: Simple Mode supports one-click trading and provides up to 1001x leverage, suitable for novices; Pro Mode provides advanced tools for experienced traders, such as in-depth charts and complex order types.
Non-custodial transactions: Aster does not require KYC (Know Your Customer) verification.
Aster has integrated robust liquidity pools and yield products through collaboration with partners such as PancakeSwap, supporting the minting and holding of assets such as ALP, USDF, and LP tokens.
Aster has shown strong appeal in the market. According to official data from CoinMarketCap, Aster currently has a total trading volume of $360 billion, $13.6 million in open contracts, and its total locked value (TVL) has risen to $312.44 million.
According to its official website, participants currently need to follow the project’s Twitter, follow its CMC community, and enter the Aster airdrop interface to interact and earn points.
Users can also accumulate points to increase future $AST airdrop allocations in the following ways:
Au Points: Obtained by minting and holding ALP, USDF or eligible LP tokens, suitable for investors who prefer low risk.
RH points: obtained by trading perpetual contracts in professional mode. 3 times the AU points bonus can be obtained when the trading volume exceeds 300,000 US dollars. It is suitable for high-frequency traders. (https://www.asterdex.com/en/stage1/campaign)
