Synthetix Network is a decentralised liquidity provisioning protocol built on the Ethereum blockchain and Optimistic Ethereum, a layer two scaling solution. The platform enables the creation of synthetic assets, known as Synths, which are designed to track the value of real-world assets such as fiat currencies, commodities, crypto-assets, and even debt positions. Synthetix allows users to mint, hold, and trade these Synths, providing exposure to various assets without needing to own them physically.
Synthetix functions through a system where users lock SNX tokens as collateral to mint Synths. Utilising smart contracts and a network of decentralised price oracles, the platform ensures that Synth prices align with the actual market value of their underlying assets. This setup allows for peer-to-contract (P2C) trading, enabling users to trade Synths without needing a counterparty, which results in deep liquidity and reduced trading friction.
Decentralised Derivatives Trading: Synthetix offers liquidity for derivatives like perpetual futures and options, facilitating trading without intermediaries.
Synthetic Asset Creation: Users can create and trade synthetic assets that reflect the value of traditional financial instruments, commodities, and more.
Liquidity Provisioning: By acting as a backend for various DeFi applications, Synthetix supports on-chain financial instruments with deep liquidity.
Staking and Rewards: Users can stake SNX tokens, contributing to liquidity and earning incentives, while managing collateralisation through tools like Mintr.
Synthetix was founded in 2016 by Kain Warwick, originally under the name Havven. In 2018, the project conducted a successful ICO, raising $30 million by selling over 60 million SNX tokens. The rebranding to Synthetix marked a shift to focus on synthetic assets. In 2020, governance transitioned to a decentralised model through the creation of several DAOs to manage the protocol more effectively. As Synthetix evolved, it introduced significant updates, including the launch of Synthetix Perps v2, and expanded its role within the DeFi ecosystem to become one of the leading decentralised platforms.