Stargate Finance (STG) operates as an omnichain-native asset bridge built to address the blockchain trilemma, which posits that a network cannot be decentralized, secure, and fast at the same time. By streamlining cross-chain DeFi interactions, it enables users to swap and transfer assets across various blockchains, layer-2 solutions, and decentralized applications (dApps) with near-instant speed.

Participants can also shift funds between liquidity pools on different DeFi protocols and dApps. The protocol facilitates transfers across eight specific chains: Ethereum, Avalanche, Polygon, Metis, BNB Chain, Arbitrum, Optimism, and Fantom.

The platform provides additional revenue-generating opportunities, allowing users to supply liquidity, stake assets, and engage in token farming. Through staking, users gain the ability to participate in the governance of the Stargate Finance Exchange.

LayerZero Labs, an omnichain protocol aiming to facilitate interoperability among major crypto networks, developed Stargate Finance. The platform debuted in March 2022 as the initial cross-chain bridge application. On that same day, prominent crypto developer 0xMaki became part of the LayerZero team.

While many earlier cross-chain bridges rely on fractured liquidity, which demands distinct pools for tokens crossing the bridge, Stargate eliminates this need through a lock+mint and burn+redeem system. This process burns tokens at the source and mints new ones on the destination chain, ensuring unified liquidity and instant guaranteed finality. Furthermore, Stargate addresses the bridging trilemma by employing an advanced cross-chain bridge mechanism alongside a balancing tool known as the delta algorithm.

$STG serves as the primary utility and governance token for Stargate Finance, enabling users to provide liquidity, engage in protocol governance, or stake their holdings. When users stake $STG, they obtain $veSTG, which is the platform’s voting escrow token. The system employs a time-weighted reward structure, meaning that stakers who lock their tokens for extended durations earn a greater amount of $veSTG.

The total supply of $STG is capped at 1 billion tokens. As of March 2023, the circulating supply stands at approximately 168 million tokens.

You can purchase Stargate Finance (STG) on close to 50 centralized and decentralized exchanges. Major platforms listing the token include Binance, Coinbase, KuCoin, and Kraken. Additionally, it is accessible via decentralized exchanges such as Uniswap and PancakeSwap.