Linear Finance’s Latest AMA: Smartcon, Perp Dex, and Community Q&A Highlights
On October 24, 2024, Linear Finance hosted an engaging AMA on Twitter Spaces, with George, the Business Development Manager, and Jason, the Product Lead, as speakers. They discussed Linear’s upcoming appearance at Smartcon, the anticipated launch of Linear’s Perpetual Decentralized Exchange (Perp Dex), and answered questions from the community. Here’s an in-depth look at what was shared.
Spotlight on Smartcon 2024: A Major Milestone for Linear
Opening the AMA, George emphasized the significance of Linear’s sponsorship and booth at Smartcon 2024 — a flagship blockchain event. As one of the industry’s largest conferences, Smartcon provides a platform for Linear to connect directly with users, showcase the latest innovations, and foster new partnerships.
Jason expanded on this opportunity, explaining how Smartcon offers a chance to make Linear feel “real” to both longtime supporters and new community members. Beyond community engagement, Smartcon also allows Linear to boost brand visibility and network with blockchain developers, investors, and institutions. The event serves as the ideal platform to unveil Linear’s tech advancements, including the Perp Dex, in a way that’s interactive and accessible.
Additionally, Jason highlighted Linear’s strong relationship with Chainlink, whose Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) plays a key role in Linear’s ecosystem. Smartcon enables Linear to reinforce this partnership while exploring further collaboration opportunities with Chainlink’s extensive network.
Introducing the Perpetual Decentralized Exchange (Perp Dex)
A major focus of the AMA was the Perp Dex, Linear’s soon-to-be-launched platform for trading perpetual contracts. Jason began with a primer on Perp Dexes, explaining that they allow users to trade perpetual contracts — essentially bets on future asset prices — without an expiration date. Unlike traditional exchanges, Linear’s Perp Dex is fully decentralized, operating through blockchain smart contracts to remove intermediaries.
For traders, the main allure of Perp Dexes is the option to use leverage, meaning they can control larger positions with minimal upfront capital. However, Jason reminded users of the risks associated with leverage, advising anyone new to perpetual trading to start with a demo account.
Jason elaborated on the reasons behind launching the Perp Dex, pointing out the immense popularity of perpetual trading. For instance, while Linear’s LINA token sees $4–6 million in daily spot trading volume, the perpetual trading volume for LINA alone exceeds $65 million — highlighting strong demand. Moreover, perpetual trading aligns well with Linear’s history of synthetic asset trading, where users can speculate on asset prices without actually owning the underlying assets.
Finally, Jason noted that a successful Perp Dex could secure Linear’s financial future and ensure sustainable development, benefiting both investors and token holders.
Community Q&A: Insights on Staking, Ecosystem Development, and More
The AMA concluded with an interactive Q&A session, where Jason answered questions from the community:
Yield-Generating Opportunities for Synthetic Assets
A community member asked if Linear offers staking for synthetic assets. Jason clarified that while Linear doesn’t offer direct staking for synthetic assets, users can stake LINA tokens on the Builder dApp. Staked LINA generates LUSD, Linear’s synthetic stablecoin, which can be traded for other assets. Stakers currently enjoy an APY of around 12.5%.
Holding LINA Tokens in a Bear Market
Jason addressed the question of why holding LINA is beneficial, especially in a bear market. Although he avoided giving financial advice, he noted that staked LINA offers an attractive APY, discounted fees on the Linear Marketplace, and governance privileges within the DAO. These benefits, along with potential future applications on the Perp Dex, highlight the advantages of holding LINA long-term.
Incorporating User Feedback from Smartcon
Responding to a question on how feedback from Smartcon will influence development, Jason shared that the Linear team will capture real-time feedback from visitors at their booth, especially regarding the Perp Dex’s user interface and trading features. Consistent themes in feedback will directly inform the V1 release, ensuring a user-centric design.
Optimizing Transaction Fees and Speed Amid Ethereum Congestion
Jason explained that while Linear initially launched on Ethereum, they very quickly migrated to Binance Smart Chain to enhance speed and reduce fees. Looking ahead, Linear aims to provide multi-chain options for new releases, ensuring scalability without compromising on accessibility.
Top Priorities and Roadmap Focus
With Smartcon just days away, Linear’s current focus is on preparing for the event while continuing development on the Marketplace upgrades and the Perp Dex, slated for a mid-November launch. Linear’s roadmap is available on Twitter and Medium, providing a detailed view of upcoming milestones.
Additional Questions from the Live Spaces Listeners
Several other questions gave the community a deeper understanding of Linear’s operational model and vision:
Capital Raising and Development Strategy
Jason explained that Linear follows a fee-based model, where a small fee is charged on each transaction across its dApps. These fees cover ongoing operational costs and fund future developments, ensuring the project’s sustainability.
Potential for a Linear Wallet
Linear currently has no plans to develop a proprietary wallet. Instead, the platform integrates with popular wallets like MetaMask, simplifying access for users familiar with existing wallet providers.
Ambassador Program and DAO Development
Jason shared that while Linear does not have an ambassador program, they plan to redevelop the DAO with support from a third-party. This initiative aims to strengthen community involvement and governance.
Mission and Vision for Linear Finance
When asked about Linear’s mission, Jason emphasized the team’s commitment to building an all-encompassing DeFi ecosystem that meets diverse user needs. “We are builders at heart,” he remarked, underscoring Linear’s focus on innovation and user empowerment.
Navigating the Linear Ecosystem
To support users in navigating Linear’s dApps, the team is developing a unified document system that will provide comprehensive guides for each product, simplifying the onboarding process and enhancing user experience.
Looking Ahead: Linear’s Road to Smartcon and Beyond
With the successful completion of this AMA, Linear Finance has underscored its commitment to transparency, community engagement, and innovation. From the upcoming Perp Dex launch to the networking opportunities at Smartcon, Linear is poised for growth and eager to connect with both existing and new users. As the project continues to evolve, the team remains dedicated to building a user-centered DeFi ecosystem.
Stay tuned for more updates by following Linear Finance on Twitter and Medium, and be sure to catch the team at Smartcon for a first-hand look at what’s next!
