Project Rundown Interview with Linear.Finance

Marius Bogdan Dinu • April 16, 2021

Hey guys! Happy to connect today and learn more about the Linear.Finance project! Can you tell us more about the founding of the project and what the problem is that you were addressing?


We founded this project near the middle of 2020 as we recognized the scaling and high gas fee issues that were plaguing the synthetic asset protocols on the Ethereum side. This is why we set out to build out Linear Finance, the first cross-chain decentralized synthetic asset protocol to cost-effectively build and manage synthetic assets.


Could you please give us a rundown of the most important things about Linear.Finance?


Yes, at Linear we hang our hat on having fast and cost-effective transactions throughout our protocol from staking LINA to trading our synthetic liquids to claiming rewards which is unique in the synthetic asset space. We also have a beautiful UI/UX for users to easily navigate and the support staff 24/7 to make sure questions are answered quickly.


Our investable assets will also rapidly increase not only in terms of number but also creativity and breadth, with indices backed by institutional research. Lastly, all of our assets are cross-chain compatible!! Meaning that you can bridge them between ETH and BSC so users can access both DeFI ecosystems.


So going forth into 2021 and beyond, how will your project make an impact in the crypto space, or on the world?


We always believed that Linear’s goal as a synthetic asset exchange is to democratize access to investment assets so we will always be pushing towards this goal in every aspect of our business. As such, for 2021 and beyond, Linear users and investors can expect product proliferation in terms of what we offer on our exchange, off our exchange (in terms of yield farming initiatives) and more infrastructure access such as building new markets on different blockchain platforms and new international communities….So that more users can access synthetic assets and trade what they normally cannot!! This is our contribution to crypto and decentralized finance.


What makes Linear.Finance unique if you compare yourself to your competitors?

  • As mentioned before, conducting transactions on Linear is faster and simply cheaper compared to competitors. By putting work-heavy smart contracts on Binance Smart Chain with high TPS and inexpensive gas fees, Linear users are able to enjoy fast transactions in all aspects of Linear’s protocol (e.g. staking/unstaking, building/burning our stablecoin ℓUSD/Synthetic assets, claiming rewards, trading execution and, oracle price updates) at the fraction of the gas fees on Ethereum. Moreover, users don’t have to deal with issues about L2 “finality” unlike our competitors where users have to wait 7 days to withdraw their tokens from L2. This simply destroys the user experience and incurs opportunity costs.
  • Investable assets we will have on the exchange will be wide in breadth but also creative ranging from your standard spot crypto, commodities, currencies, Digital Indices, and once our DAO is done, we will have access to stocks global markets. AND, at Linear, the prices for our assets are always true and updated to market as we have Band Protocol retrieving prices for us from the exchanges unlike some of our other competitors which have asset prices that are also determined by AMM curves. Keep in mind that we are selective in what we put on the exchange and we will only put up assets/indices which are built well and in many cases are sophisticated in their construction.
  • Lastly, our team has spent an inordinate time on the UI/UX for our protocol so that users can find it easy to use and navigate…I consider this to be very tangible for the users and is the first key issue we addressed. This is further backed by our aftermarket support. Come to our Discord 24/7 and there will be trained staff there to deal with questions or issues. Just another way for Linear to complete the user experience.


Now, could you tell us about your accomplishments so far, and in the history of the Linear.Finance. Please tell us what milestones you are most proud of?


We started Linear in Q2 of last year and officially announced the project in Q3. Some of our biggest accomplishments to date are:


  • Linear raised over +2m USD from core strategic investors such as #Hashed, CMS, NGC, Alameda Research, Genesis Block Ventures and Huobi Global.
  • Upon the public release of our token, we successfully ran a pre-staking program with a 65% staking rate.
  • In terms of our main product launches, we successfully launched our Buildr and Exchange in January 2021 on Binance Smart Chain and are currently live for staking and the trading of synthetic assets. The data stats on our Buildr and Exchange can be found on https://dashboard.linear.finance


We are most proud of the user acceptance of our protocol.


  • General headline stats are as follows:
  • Total TVL Locked of ~150m USD
  • Total LINA Staked: 1.11bn LINA (88% LINA stakers, 12% Foundation)
  • As of today, we have ~24K LINA holders
  • Current exchange has a total of 11 spot crypto pair, 2 crypto indices, 2 commodities, 2 currencies
  • Total exchange volume ranges from ~8M — 80M USD per day depending upon market conditions.
  • LINA stakers are earning a combined APY of ~90% broken down into LINA staking rewards and LUSD from exchange fees.
  • From a community standpoint, we have established vibrant communities in Europe, North America, China, Korea, Vietnam, Russia and Turkey and have over 10K users spread out over our social media channels such as Telegram, Discord, Twitter, and WeChat.


Now, give us a quick rundown of the future of the project. For example, what new things are you seeking to bring to life and what will it mean for Linear.Finance?


We expect a number of exciting developments for Linear over the next few months.


  • Build partnerships with other deFi protocols within BSC in order to increase the use cases of LUSD. We have a number of partners within the lending/borrowing and stableswap protocol space. One team we plan on integrating with, BeltFi are an open non-anonymous team with a proven track record with Orbit Chain and Klayswap. As we add Linear’s liquid assets to Belt’s stableswap, they are given more utility as they are pegged to the real asset AND liquid assets users will be getting solid yields through Belt’s yield optimizing algos, especially as more strategies are added. In addition, we will look to become the provider of cross-asset swaps for other protocols as being able to quickly build synthetic assets is quite powerful, particularly in currencies other than USD.
  • LinearDAO is being developed and flushed out. A Linear Council will soon be established which will consist of influential Linear community members who will be responsible for broader wide protocol decisions such as our P-Ratio (500%), Liquidation Ratio, fee splits, and others and then another mechanism to vote on which assets to list on our exchange in which each LINA staker can have a direct vote. We will then have offerings which you won’t be able to find on other synthetic asset protocols or even CEX’s!
  • Multi Collateral Staking. We are working on allowing users to stake other popular ERC-20 tokens into our Buildr app and collateralize these to build LUSD to be further used in trading on our exchange or other yield farming initiatives around the BSC or ETH ecosystems.
  • Linear on Polkadot. Given that we are a cross-chain compatible synthetic asset protocol, we have started development of Linear DOT through one of our core partners Moonbeam. With Moonbeam, we are able to efficiently deploy on DOT with our existing code base. Testnets versions are being worked on and previews of these will be available for public testing soon.

Tell us about your team. Who’re the people behind the screens?


For myself, I actually come from a traditional finance background but started my journey in crypto as an FPGA miner. I was heavily involved in the community building mining bitstreams. But over the last 1.5 years, I have been investing in DeFi coins and using DeFi dapps as I see the true value and how revolutionary it is in terms of being able to disintermediate financial markets and it’s middlemen. My finance career started in Silicon Valley doing M&A for enterprise/mobile software companies, went to business school and then spent the last +13 years doing collateralized debt and structured products for bulge bracket banks in Asia.


My co-founder Drey, has a background that includes both banking in trade finance and on the trading floor doing FX and rates. He led the product side of one of the largest Security Token Offering companies in Asia called Liquefy and led multiple tokenization projects with one of the largest real estate families in Asia, hedge funds and semi-government bodies.


His vision ever since his transition from banking to blockchain/crypto has been to disrupt the traditional banking system and offer permissionless financial asset access for the mass public. Now he leads the product development at Linear and brings to the table a wealth of financial experience and creating institutional-ready products with interoperability on blockchains such as Ethereum, Quorum, and NEO, focusing on high throughput, security, and scalability.


Which partnerships have Linear.Finance engaged in so far, and which ones are the most impactful?

Our partners play such important roles for Linear that without them, we certainly would have a hard time functioning properly. Band Protocol is one of our key partners which helps provide constant and accurate updated price feeds to our exchange so that users can trade.


In addition, our first index provider Xangle has been extremely helpful in setting up our crypto large cap indices. These indices are constructed well and weightings are backed by their research team who spend countless hours to determine the right tokens to include and requisite weightings. Please check them out at https://xangle.io/


If people would like to follow you on your social media pages, visit your website or read your important documents like your white paper, what are the links they need to visit? Please list them below.


Website: https://linear.finance/


Thank you so much for your time! Do you have anything to add before we finish?


Thank you so much for this opportunity to share Linear with your readers. I encourage those who are interested to come join us on our Discord channel so that we can further share our knowledge on Linear, synthetic asset trading, and answer any questions. We look forward to having you with our Linear family on our road forward!


Disclaimer: This article is not intended to be a source of investment, financial, technical, tax, or legal advice. All of this content is for informational purposes only. Readers should do their own research. The Capital is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by reliance on any information mentioned in this article.



Disclaimer: This is not trading or investment advice. The above article is for entertainment and education purposes only. None of the content on Crypto Folds is investment advice nor is it a replacement for advice from a certified financial planner. Please do your own research before purchasing or investing into any cryptocurrency.  
By Press Release April 17, 2025
The launch of Echo Exchange introduces not just a new trading venue but a broader architecture for digital asset management. The project combines yield generation, community governance, and structured custody into a unified ecosystem.  As part of this infrastructure, Echo brings forward a solution designed to address one of the industry’s most persistent challenges: asset security in uncertain jurisdictions. Echo is backed by its legal designation as a Virtual Asset Service Provider under the Isle of Man’s regulatory regime. The ecosystem integrates a Protected Cell Company (PCC) structure called Echo Elite. This is an optional but pivotal component for users seeking structured digital asset custody tied to enforceable legal protections. What Echo Is Announcing As of May 2025, the Echo Exchange will be live. This launch will include: EchoX, a centralized exchange focused on accessibility and onboarding Echo’s real-yield model, distributing platform fees to token holders in USDC The initial release of Echo Elite, a PCC-based framework for asset custody The public sale of the ECHO Token, the ecosystem’s native governance and yield-bearing asset While many exchanges emphasize front-end interfaces or token incentives, the Echo’s strategy is different. The announcement centers on the full-stack design of its ecosystem - particularly how legal infrastructure underpins user protections. Introducing Echo Elite: Structured Custody Echo Elite is Echo’s most compliance-centric module. It introduces Protected Cell structures, a mechanism traditionally used in finance to isolate client assets legally and operationally. Within the Echo ecosystem, user accounts can opt into a custody model that offers greater legal clarity and jurisdictional insulation. PCCs enable the separation of Echo’s own operating capital from user funds. This becomes increasingly important as tokenized asset classes enter the platform’s offerings in later phases. This also applies to real-world asset (RWA) representations like stocks or real estate. The approach reflects a broader theme: Echo’s attempt to bridge blockchain functionality with traditional financial safeguards. Real Yield and Exchange Fee Sharing Security is only one part of Echo’s user-facing model. The ECHO Token acts as the backbone of a real-yield mechanism, wherein: 50% of all trading fees from both EchoX and Echo Pro are distributed daily to token holders in USDC. 10% of platform revenue on a daily basis will be used for buying and burning ECHO tokens. The strategy aims to gradually decrease circulating supply. This model will be non-inflationary. There will be no staking rewards of synthetics or emission of tokens. Yield will be linked straight to the platform's actual usage. This feature will make the yield more predictable and sustainable than most incentive designs in the digital asset ecosystem. Participation is simple: users activate yield by transferring tokens into a dedicated savings account inside their Echo dashboard. Funds remain liquid and accessible. The Token Structure Echo’s tokenomics are deliberately conservative. Key figures include: Total supply: 1 billion ECHO Burn target: 500 million (deflation ends at this point) Public sale allocation: 2% Community Foundation: 30% (non-transferable and permanently locked) Team allocation: 20% (long vesting schedule) Liquidity allocation: 15% Remaining tokens divided across marketing, seed investors, and gamified whitelist initiatives Importantly, the Community Foundation - which holds the largest share - operates under a binding legal obligation to never sell its tokens. Rather, it only exists on yield, which gets invested in governance-sanctioned ecologics like education, collaborations, and product development. The design intends to discourage speculation as a first point. Also, it aims to encourage long-term alignment between platform success and the fate of the token holders. A Platform Built for Traders Echo’s design consists of two interfaces: EchoX, a consumer-friendly exchange, focuses on simplicity, pair trading using stablecoins, and seamless execution. It addresses first-time users and inexperienced traders not interested in complicated trading schemes. Echo Pro, launching in Phase 2 (Q3 2025), provides advanced features for trading: charting tools, stop-loss, leverage, and API connectivity for institutional and power users. Both sites, in spite of their varying user interfaces and user bases, share a common Scala-based matching platform. This tech is optimized for concurrency, throughput, and speed. They also share backend infrastructure written in Go, with front-end deployment via Next.js for a responsive and consistent user experience. The Technology Behind the Custody Security isn’t limited to user-facing features. Echo’s wallet architecture employs: Multi-Party Computation (MPC): for distributing key control among several parties Tiered wallet models: hot, warm, and cold storage Hardware wallet compatibility Biometric access and passkey authentication AML/KYC procedures are managed by Amazon Cognito, which simplifies user identity verification. The goal is to maintain high compliance standards without degrading onboarding speed. In fact, the latter is a known bottleneck in exchanges that rely on manual reviews. Together, these systems support Echo’s goal of creating an ecosystem where users can interact securely without compromising on usability. Governance and Jurisdiction Governance within Echo relies on both ownership of the tokens and clear jurisdictions. Token holders are able to: Voting on how funds are spent in the Community Foundation. Develop and rank new product features. Approve partnerships and listings of tokens through a formal proposal procedure. But what distinguishes Echo from other projects is that it relies on legal entities to enforce these institutions. It doesn't utilize symbolic DAOs for governance or soft consensus. Rather, decisions, particularly those regarding funding of the ecosystem, are carried out by a foundation. This entity possesses a well-defined charter and binding fiduciary responsibilities. The approach emphasizes establishing trust with those who are not willing to engage with DAO-based systems that lack enforceability. Echo’s Roadmap Rollout for Echo is phased deliberately to maintain product stability: Phase 1 (May 2025): During this phase, there will be the EchoX launch, the ECHO token ICO, and the soft launch of Echo Elite. Phase 2 (Q3, 2025): Following this, there will be efforts to accomplish the full Echo Pro launch. We must include mention of trading bot implementation, community governance platform, and IEO launch. Phase 3 (2026): Derivatives trading, social trading, inclusion of real-world assets, tokenized mutual products, and securities Phase 4 (2027): Full RWA brokerage capabilities, integrated neobank products, and payment rails. All the phases leverage the preceding one by adding platform sophistication. Bottom Line Echo’s product lineup combines high-frequency trading, user real yield, and solutions that take jurisdictions into account. Echo sees itself as a platform where economic incentives and legal architecture converge. With its rollout, Echo joins a small group of initiatives that are geared towards developing new tools for trading. The team is focused on reconsidering the function of regulation and structure in crypto asset custodianship. The project’s official website is a good source of information to learn more about Echo and its growing ecosystem. You can follow the team on the social media pages if you wish to follow Echo’s development: X (Twitter) | Telegram | Discord .
By Press Release April 15, 2025
Echo , a groundbreaking centralized cryptocurrency exchange, has announced that it will officially launch globally on May 15, 2025. The much-expected event is set to be a pivotal occasion for digital asset trading as Echo aims to establish a new industry standard. The community-centric platform promises a seamless user experience, institutional-grade security, and an ecosystem-driven approach.  On the same date of the launch, Echo will conduct a public sale of its native ECHO token, with 2% of the total token supply available exclusively through the platform. The proceeds should boost the project’s development following successful early funding rounds that already secured $2.5 million in support from strategic investors. Echo stands out from other centralized crypto exchanges through its ecosystem-focused model. More precisely, it is designed to thrive on users' participation, who, in turn, benefit directly from the platform's growth and activity. The exchange proposes a transparent and intuitive environment for retail and professional traders to navigate safely and efficiently. Sam Dorrer, Chief Executive Officer at Echo, commented on Echo’s community-driven approach: "Our mission is to create a cryptocurrency exchange that truly prioritizes its users. Echo is designed to be more than just a trading platform—it’s a dynamic ecosystem that fosters long-term engagement and participation." Built for Traders by Traders The rapidly evolving digital asset landscape may seem daunting to newcomers. That’s why Echo provides easy navigation features, deep liquidity, and high-speed trade execution to simplify crypto trading for its growing community. Echo does not set entry barriers and accommodates traders of all skills and experience. Beginners can start on EchoX, the platform’s user-friendly centralized exchange. Thanks to the platform's intuitive interface, they can enjoy a smooth initiation to crypto trading. Meanwhile, institutional and seasoned investors can access Echo Pro and its advanced trading tools. The platform's modular design provides real-time analytics, market insights, and strategies to help traders make better-informed decisions. Lastly, Echo charges minimal fees of only 0.1% per transaction, ensuring all casual or high-frequency traders benefit from a competitive fee structure. The ECHO Token The ECHO token is a foundational element of Echo's unique ecosystem. It is designed as a real-yield token on Ethereum and features robust tokenomics, including a fixed total supply of 1 billion tokens. The platform employs a deflationary mechanism for the ECHO token, allocating 10% of the daily revenue from both EchoX and Echo Pro to repurchasing tokens on the open market. It then “burns” the repurchased tokens from circulation to enhance scarcity and potentially ECHO’s value in the long term. ECHO token holders enjoy fee discounts, premium trading tools, and early access to new services. Moreover, they get governance rights. Therefore, they can participate in platform decision-making, such as fund allocation for the Echo Foundation. The latter will be a pool dedicated to funding growth, strategic partnerships, and other governance initiatives. Echo has allocated 2% of the total ECHO token supply for the public sale taking place on May 15, 2025. This controlled release should create scarcity and support upward price momentum while meeting public demand without diluting the token’s overall value. Revenue and Yield Generation Echo Exchange stays true to its community-focused mission by returning some trading fees to ECHO token holders. The platform distributes 50% of the fees generated from EchoX and Echo Pro as stablecoin (USDC) yields. This feature is a fundamental part of the Echo ecosystem, aligning fee generation with user rewards and ensuring the Echo community grows and thrives together with the platform. Security and Compliance Echo employs the industry’s highest security standards, including multi-layered encryption, biometric authentication, robust KYC/AML checks, and institutional-grade wallet infrastructure. These features guarantee maximum protection for Echo users and their assets. Echo operates as a designated business for convertible virtual currency under the Regulatory Framework of the Isle of Man Financial Services Authority. This status enables the platform to provide tax advantages to its EchoElite Traders under the Isle of Man PCC Structure, which means 0% capital gains tax and 0% corporate tax for crypto investments. EchoElite Traders get to keep more of their gains, accelerating the ability to compound their portfolio. The Echo Roadmap The Echo Exchange is set to follow a 3-phase development path plus a series of future integrations: Phase 1 The Launch of EchoX for basic trading and Echo Elite, with the latter providing asset custody under The Isle of Man’s PCC (Protected Cell Companies) structure. The ECHO token public sale takes place on May 15, 2025, simultaneously with the Echo exchange launch. Echo will also launch the Echo Journal to start building helpful content for its community. Phase 2 The introduction of Echo Pro for advanced trading with cutting-edge tools, such as enhanced liquidity and professional-grade functionalities. This phase will also see the expansion of yield generation models, the integration of trading bots, and additional digital asset services. Phase 3 Echo will expand into Real World Assets (RWAs) trading, leveraging tokenization to unlock traditional asset classes. At this stage, the platform will reach full integration of advanced protocols (e.g., peer-to-contract) to enhance collateralized borrowing and lending capabilities. Other planned features and integrations include: Neobank Rails will enable seamless fiat-to-token conversions with integrated banking services. Fractionalized Assets & Multi-Class Asset Choices, such as tokenizing commodities, stocks, and real estate. Collateralized and decentralized lending and borrowing capabilities through the platform’s peer-to-contract protocol. Offshore & Digitized Trust Structures will expand custody solutions via the Echo Elite framework. An Integrated Launchpad supports onboarding promising new projects to further diversify and strengthen the Echo ecosystem. About Echo Echo operates as a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) for custody and exchange under the Regulatory Framework of the Isle of Man Financial Services Authority. The platform aims to reshape the crypto trading landscape through a user-driven digital asset ecosystem. Echo’s long-term goal is to establish itself as a leader in digital asset management at the intersection of traditional finance and the emerging blockchain-based economy. Echo aims to deliver a community-first trading experience that includes traders of all levels. The platform seeks to empower its members through a robust fee-sharing model, advanced financial tools, daily rewards for token holders, and maximum security for their assets. The ECHO token public sale will occur on May 15, 2025, exclusively on Echo's official platform. The organizers urge interested participants to register in advance via the Echo’s website . Since the sale follows the “first-come, first-served” rule, early registration allows investors to purchase ECHO tokens before they sell out. Those who miss out may have to resort to secondary markets, where prices will vary. For ongoing updates and community engagement, follow Echo on X (formerly Twitter) , Discord , and Telegram .
By Press Release April 10, 2025
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By Press Release April 10, 2025
AW8 , one of the leading online casinos in Singapore, proudly announces the launch of AW8 Pro — its most significant platform upgrade to date. This milestone marks a new era of gaming excellence, offering an expanded game library, enhanced rewards, and a seamless user experience. Since its founding in 2019, AW8 has rapidly grown to over 300,000 active players by 2025, solidifying its position as a leader in the online gaming industry. Exceed 1,000 New Games  AW8 Pro has a comprehensive suite of new features that will delight loyal AW8 players and new users. The upgrade includes over 1,000 new games, expanding the already rich selection of slots and live casino games at AW8. Moreover, it includes games from trending and high-quality providers, thus enhancing the overall gaming experience. Enhance Game’s RTP Another essential upgrade is the enhanced game RTP (Return to Player) rates, now as high as 99.8%. This improvement offers players significantly better winning odds while reinforcing AW8’s commitment to transparency, fairness, and a secure gaming environment for all users. Increase Daily Rebate In addition, AW8 Pro introduces an upgraded daily rebate system, offering players up to 3% rebate automatically credited to their accounts. This enhanced feature is designed to reward players consistently, regardless of the game outcome. By putting value back into the hands of its users, AW8 reinforces its player-first approach—ensuring that every bet, win or lose, contributes to even greater long-term rewards. Upgrade VIP Program AW8 is renowned for its extensive care and appreciation of loyal users. It is an integral part of the latest AW8 Pro update through an enhanced VIP Program. More precisely, the VIP Program has been extended to include 12 levels with numerous incremental perks for those climbing the VIP ladder. For instance, the platform rewards players with an exclusive VIP Upgrade Bonus of up to SGD 5,888. Furthermore, AW8 has lowered the thresholds to enable easier access to VIP benefits. New UI/UX An improved UI/UX gives AW8 a sleek, modern design for smoother gameplay that is designed to elevate the overall user experience. The AW8 Pro upgrade also delivers faster, more intuitive navigation that will help new users find their way across the platform without any hassle. Additionally, the enhanced transaction system offers faster, more secure deposits and withdrawals, ensuring a streamlined and hassle-free gaming experience from start to finish. Overall, the AW8 Pro upgrade provides an enhanced user experience with more rewards and entertainment for new and seasoned AW8 users. The platform now ensures smoother gameplay across all devices. Users can easily switch between desktop and mobile without missing any fun. The upgrade also makes it easier for loyal members to progress and earn, thanks to the lower thresholds in the VIP program. About AW8 AW8 is a modern, all-inclusive online gaming and betting center based in Singapore. The platform has a rapidly growing user base that is attracted by the casino's player-centric approach, large selection of games, and enticing VIP program. AW8 Pro is the casino's most recent and significant update, aiming to set a new standard in the online gaming industry. The upgrades reflect the platform's inclusive mission by catering to seasoned players and newcomers. The update has improved all aspects of the AW8 casino, building towards a uniquely rewarding gaming experience. AW8 Pro is now live for anyone ready to experience the future of online casinos in Singapore.
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