• Astar Network is a multi-chain dApp hub on Polkadot. The platform offers users various features which include dApps staking, L2 solutions, and X-VM (Cross Virtual Machine) which is compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).

  • ASTR is the utility and governance token of Astar, used for the following use cases:

    • Transaction Fees: Users will require ASTR tokens to pay for gas fees and execute smart contracts.

    • Governance: Enables ASTR token holders to nominate council members and participate in voting on the network.

    • Network Staking: Users can stake ASTR to become a validator or delegate to participate in the network consensus, and in return are rewarded with ASTR.

    • dApp Staking: Instead of staking to participate in the network consensus, users can delegate their ASTR tokens to projects building on the Astar network to receive ASTR.

    • Layer 2 Implementations: ASTR tokens will be used to maintain layer 2 application status. When developers deploy dApps on layer 2, they need to deposit ASTR on the Astar Network layer 1.

  • Astar consists of the following major components working in conjunction:

    • Polkadot: Polkadot facilitates cross-chain communication and interoperability by connecting multiple blockchains into one unified network. Astar is the Polkadot ecosystem version of Shiden Network (SDN) in the Kusama ecosystem.

    • Parachains: Parachains are independent blockchains (Shards) that are able to connect to Polkadot.

    • Crowdloans: It is a method for projects to fundraise for a parachain slot on the Polkadot network. Users temporarily lock their DOT in exchange for a reward from the project team, often in the form of the project's native tokens.

    • Slot Auctions: For projects to operate as a parachain on Polkadot, they would have to win a slot in the parachain auction. Astar won the third slot auction via a crowdloan, thus securing a Polkadot parachain for 96 weeks.

  • The project raised ~10MM DOT tokens from over ~27K contributors in the Astar crowdloan for the Polkadot parachain slot auction.

  • As at February 28th 2022, the total token supply of ASTR is 7,000,000,000, and the circulating supply upon listing will be 1,570,000,000 (~22.43% of the total token supply).

  • Learn more about the token distribution of ASTR here.