What is Avantis (AVNT)?

The Decentralised Finance (DeFi) ecosystem continues its mission to democratise the complex and often inaccessible products of the Traditional Finance (TradFi) world. Standing at the forefront of this transformation is Avantis (AVNT). Avantis is a cutting-edge trading protocol focused on Real-World Assets (RWAs) and derivatives markets (perpetuals), bringing institutional-grade products into a decentralised structure.

So, what exactly sets Avantis apart from other DeFi derivatives exchanges? Simply put, Avantis is a platform built on the Base blockchain, allowing users to trade both crypto assets and RWAs—including FX (forex), commodities, indices, and equities—with high leverage (up to 500x) in a transparent and permissionless environment. Backed by industry giants like Pantera Capital and Coinbase, the project’s seriousness and immense potential are immediately evident.

Core Concepts and Features Defining Avantis

Avantis’s core offerings position it uniquely within the DeFi derivatives market. These features appeal to both seasoned traders and new users seeking exposure to RWAs.

1. RWA Perpetuals (Real-World Asset Perpetual Contracts)

Avantis has established itself as the largest RWA perpetual contracts DEX in DeFi. This means that users can trade derivative contracts based not only on Bitcoin or Ethereum but also on the price movements of commodities like gold and oil, or indices like the S&P 500, all in a decentralised manner. Providing on-chain access to these traditionally complex and intermediary-heavy assets is one of Avantis’s most potent innovations.

2. Zero-Fee Perpetuals (ZFP)

One of Avantis’s most groundbreaking features is its Zero-Fee Perpetuals (ZFP) model. This is a first-of-its-kind primitive in the sector, meaning that traders only pay a trading fee if they profit.

Traditional Model: Most exchanges charge a fixed fee (maker/taker fee) on every transaction, regardless of the outcome.
Avantis ZFP Model: In this structure, losing trades incur no fees. This approach maximises capital efficiency and dramatically reduces costs, especially for high-leverage and high-frequency traders. This is a genuinely trader-centric approach that is changing the competitive landscape of the market.

3. High Leverage and Institutional-Grade Products

The protocol offers users the ability to trade with leverage of up to 500x. Such high leverage is rare even in traditional derivatives markets. Avantis combines this institutional-level leverage and liquidity with the low-cost, high-speed transaction environment provided by the Base blockchain, making it an attractive platform for professional traders. Drawing on the founding team’s background in finance and quant trading, the protocol aims to deliver a “finstitutional-grade” experience.

Technical Infrastructure and Ecosystem: Powered by Base

At the heart of Avantis’s technical architecture is the Base blockchain. Developed by Coinbase, Base is a Layer 2 scaling solution for Ethereum.

Why Base? Base offers low transaction fees and rapid transaction finality, making it an ideal environment for high-frequency trading platforms like Avantis. This allows users to manage their liquidation risk more effectively and react instantly to price volatility.
Transparency and Permissionlessness: As a DEX (Decentralised Exchange), Avantis ensures that all transactions are verifiably on-chain. Unlike traditional centralised exchanges (CEXs), this reduces the risk of manipulation and offers complete transparency. Users can access the platform without the need for Know Your Customer (KYC) identity verification processes.

The AVNT Token and its Tokenomic Structure

The AVNT token is the native crypto asset of the Avantis ecosystem and plays a vital role in the protocol’s core functions. Its total supply is capped at 1 billion tokens.

1. Governance

AVNT is a governance token. Token holders possess voting rights on crucial decisions regarding the protocol’s future. This includes determining fee structures, adding new collateral types, or technical upgrades, ensuring the community has a voice in the protocol’s direction. This decentralised governance structure makes Avantis a truly community-driven project.

2. Staking and Network Security

Users contribute to the protocol’s security and liquidity by staking (locking up) their AVNT tokens. In return, they earn rewards. These rewards are often generated from trading fees or protocol revenue, allowing token holders to directly benefit from the platform’s success. This mechanism incentivises the long-term holding of AVNT.

3. Liquidity Provision and Rewards

The protocol supports liquidity providers (LPs) and active ecosystem contributors with AVNT rewards. Ensuring sufficient liquidity is critically important, particularly in high-leverage trading, to minimise slippage and establish a healthy market environment. AVNT rewards encourage LPs to continue fulfilling this essential role.

Avantis’s Founders and Background

A project’s credibility is closely linked to the experience of its founding team. Avantis was established in 2023 by two prominent figures in the finance and DeFi world: Harsehaj Singh (CEO) and Raymond Dong (COO).

Harsehaj Singh: As CEO, he previously led investments at Pantera Capital, one of the sector’s largest venture capital funds. This background provides him with a deep understanding of DeFi and risk management.
Raymond Dong: As COO, he combines experience from hedge funds and consulting roles at Lazard and McKinsey. This diverse expertise strengthens Avantis’s capability to both understand institutional financial products and develop crypto-native offerings.

The broader team comprises engineers and designers with experience at companies like Binance and major fintech firms across India, the U.S., and Europe. This professional pedigree is the core reason Avantis is able to deliver products of institutional quality.

Why Avantis is Important for the Future of DeFi

Avantis is more than just a trading platform; it represents DeFi’s step towards institutional maturity.

Bridging Traditional Finance: By bringing RWAs and traditional financial products (indices, FX) on-chain, Avantis solidifies the bridge between TradFi and DeFi. This carries the potential to onboard billions of dollars of traditional assets onto the blockchain.
Efficiency and Fairness: The ZFP model introduces an innovative solution to the fee problem in DeFi. By only charging fees on profitable trades, it creates a fairer and more capital-efficient trading environment for all market participants.
Volume and Growth: Achieving over $20 billion in cumulative trading volume and $15 million in run-rate revenues since the beginning of 2024 demonstrates the protocol’s rapid market adoption. These figures cement Avantis’s position as one of the largest DEXs on the Base network.

How to Acquire Avantis (AVNT)

The AVNT token is traded on a variety of decentralised and centralised platforms for users looking to participate in the ecosystem.

Decentralised Exchanges (DEXs): Major DEXs, particularly the liquidity hubs on the Base network such as Aerodrome, are key locations for AVNT trading.
Centralised Exchanges (CEXs): Upon launch, AVNT has been or is in the process of being listed on large global CEXs, including Binance (Alpha), Bybit, KuCoin, and Kraken.

The purchasing process generally involves: signing up for a chosen exchange, depositing fiat currency (GBP, USD, etc.) or cryptocurrency, and then placing a buy order using the AVNT/USDC or AVNT/ETH trading pair.

Conclusion and Assessment

Avantis (AVNT) is not simply introducing higher leverage or new assets to the DeFi derivatives market; it is fundamentally reshaping the market’s underlying economic structure with innovative models like ZFP. With its institutional background, solid foundation on a Layer 2 network like Base, and leading position in the Real-World Assets (RWA) space, Avantis is a project that merits close attention as it is poised to fill the gap between cryptocurrency and traditional finance. Its ability to offer a professional-grade experience while maintaining the transparency and permissionless access of decentralisation positions it as a significant player in the future of DeFi.