Executive Summary
FORWARDS is revolutionizing the $3 trillion crypto market by eliminating its most restrictive limitation: the requirement for trades to execute and settle simultaneously. By decoupling trade execution from settlement, FORWARDS unlocks transformative possibilities that redefine capital efficiency, liquidity, and security across DeFi.
Secure Trading
Bitcoin can be traded while remaining in cold storage
Unlocked Assets
Trade staked tokens, vesting rewards, and LP positions
Advanced Trading
Access institutional-grade financial capabilities
The Current DeFi Trading Landscape
Limitations of Atomic Settlement
- Capital Inefficiency: Users and market makers must provide 100% of the required assets upfront
- Liquidity Provider Challenges: Impermanent loss risk, inefficient rebalancing, unsustainable incentives
- Limited Trading Capabilities: Complex order types, cross-chain exchanges, staked assets
- Real-World Impact: The unstaking dilemma with locked assets
Introducing FORWARDS
The Asynchronous Settlement Model
Trade Execution
Parties agree to trade terms recorded on-chain
Settlement Period
Predefined time window before asset exchange
Final Settlement
Assets exchanged according to agreed terms
How FORWARDS Works
Order Placement
Specify trade details and settlement timeframe
Escrow
Provide small escrow amount based on reputation
Trade Confirmation
Immediate confirmation with future settlement
Unlocking Previously Inaccessible Asset Classes
Staked Assets
Trade staked tokens without unstaking
Vested Tokens
Monetize future token distributions
Locked Tokens
Trade assets in farming incentives
Cold Storage
Trade while keeping assets secure
Advanced Trading Strategies
Shorting with Fixed Funding
- Predictable costs
- No variable funding rates
- Locked-in costs
Future Revenue Trading
- Protocol fees
- Staking rewards
- Block rewards
Technical Architecture
Execution Engine
Immediate trade agreement confirmation
Settlement Layer
Deferred settlement management
Risk Management
Escrow and reputation tracking
Governance Framework
Community protocol control
The FWD Token
Token Utility
- Order Management
- Governance Rights
- Fee Revenue Distribution
Order Allowance Based on Staking
| FWD Staked | Order Allowance |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0 |
| 100 | 10 |
| 1,000 | 15 |
| 10,000 | 20 |
Real-World Use Cases
Case 1: Trading While Maintaining Staking Yields
A delegator with $1 million in tokens can trade while maintaining staking rewards
Case 2: Forward-Selling Future Revenue
Developers can monetize future protocol fees immediately
Future of DeFi with Asynchronous Settlement
Institutional Adoption
Familiar settlement model bridging DeFi and traditional finance
Retail Accessibility
Reduced capital requirements and simplified operations
Capital Efficiency
Up to 90% reduction in liquidity requirements
Conclusion: The Next Evolution of DeFi
- Enhances capital efficiency
- Enables sophisticated trading strategies
- Creates markets for untradable assets
- Simplifies cross-chain operations
- Provides familiar institutional model