Decentralized cryptocurrency exchange Aster (ASTER) has announced its comprehensive roadmap for the first half of 2026. According to the company's statement, the new Layer-1 (L1) mainnet, called Aster Chain, will go live in the first quarter of 2026. This will be followed by ASTER staking, on-chain governance, and smart monitoring tools in the second quarter of 2026. The Aster team also claimed to have completed key milestones throughout 2025, including the completion of the Astherus and ApolloX merger, the launch of the TGE, the launch of the mobile app, multiple CEX listings, and the launch of new products such as Hedge Mode, Trade & Earn, and a buyback program. The team stated that it will move to a new growth model in 2026, which it describes as “three engines feeding each other”: infrastructure, token usage, and community-ecosystem development. Related News: The Key to Bitcoin Lies in Michael Saylor's Hands: Here's What JPMorgan Says Is Needed to Prevent Disaster December 2025 will be a busy month for Aster. In the first days of the month, Shield Mode, which provides privacy for high-leverage trades, and TWAP strategy orders, which aim to reduce slippage through algorithmic price averaging, will be launched. In mid-December, the real-world assets (RWA) upgrade will be launched, strengthening equity futures products with broader asset support and deeper liquidity. At the end of the month, Aster Chain's testnet will be available to the community, allowing for broad testing of the new L1 infrastructure before its public release. In addition to the mainnet launch in the first quarter of 2026, Aster Code, a toolkit that will enable developers to develop applications on Aster more quickly and easily, will be introduced. Furthermore, by offering fiat on-ramp and off-ramp services through third-party providers, users will be able to more easily enter and exit the ecosystem with fiat currencies. In the second quarter of the year, the focus will shift to the token economy. A staking mechanism will be implemented for ASTER holders, allowing users to lock their tokens and earn returns. *This is not investment advice. Continue Reading: Most Talked-About Altcoin of Recent Months Reveals Its Plans for 2026 – Major Updates Are Coming
