Summary
In this conversation, Sehaj, co-founder of Avantis, reflects on the arc of DeFi—from its early experimental phase (1.0), through the token-incentivized wave (2.0), to today's DeFi 3.0, which he describes as a period of financial nihilism. Against that backdrop, he introduces Avantis: a trading platform designed to rekindle energy in the space through zero-fee perpetuals, real-world asset integration, and a community-first approach.
Sehaj explains that Avantis is built for on-chain traders who want yield, macro exposure, and a more engaging experience. To that end, they've developed features like XP Leagues to gamify the platform and make trading more interactive. He also talks about the roadmap ahead—new trading primitives, deeper community involvement, and the long-term vision of creating a thriving, user-owned ecosystem.
Takeaways
— DeFi has moved through three major phases: 1.0 (experimentation), 2.0 (token incentives), and 3.0 (financial nihilism)
— Avantis is built to re-energize DeFi with zero-fee perpetuals and real-world asset trading
— Real-world assets open the door to new kinds of on-chain trading opportunities
— The platform is designed for active, yield-seeking on-chain traders
— Community is central—Avantis grows through engaged users and creative incentives
— XP Leagues introduce gamification that rewards participation and competition
— Avantis is intentionally building for long-term utility, not short-term hype
— Trading volume and participation so far show strong early traction
— Future product primitives are already in development to expand platform capabilities
— Sehaj invites open dialogue and feedback from the community
Chapters
(00:00) The Evolution of DeFi: From 1.0 to 3.0
(04:00) Introducing Avantis: A New Era in DeFi
(08:09) Real World Assets: A Game Changer for Traders
(11:57) Target Audience and Market Strategy for Avantis
(16:05) Building Community and Engagement in DeFi
(19:53) Future Primitives and Innovations at Avantis
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