Astar releases 2026 product roadmap: focusing on usability, DeFi infrastructure, and ASTR token mechanism upgrades

On January 16, news, Astar officially disclosed its product layer development plan for 2026, marking a shift in the network's strategic focus from long-term foundational development to a productization phase that is practical, sustainable, and highly aligned with ecological value. This plan revolves around usability optimization, DeFi infrastructure, token economics, and governance systems, and forms a collaborative evolution path under the Astar Collective framework, laying a product foundation for the long-term growth of Astar Network.

At the underlying network layer, Astar prioritizes L1 usability, aiming to lower the understanding and operational barriers for users interacting with the chain. By reconstructing core interaction logic, Astar hopes to enable more intuitive participation experiences in staking, governance, and DeFi scenarios, reducing friction between operational intent and actual execution.

As a core entry point, Astar Portal will be redesigned to become the main interface for user-network interaction. The new Portal will integrate complex processes across multiple addresses and networks, provide clearer operational guidance, and centrally host staking, governance, and DeFi functions, positioning itself as a unified hub for the Astar ecosystem. This adjustment is seen as a key step in improving user retention and actual usage frequency on Astar.

On the DeFi front, Astar is focusing on supporting the construction of basic financial infrastructure centered around ASTR, including decentralized trading functionalities. The related goals are not only to enhance on-chain liquidity but also to gradually move away from growth models solely dependent on incentives, building sustainable and repeatable on-chain economic activities, and laying the groundwork for future ecosystem revenue sources.

In terms of tokenomics, Astar will continue to advance Tokenomics 3.0 and optimize dApp staking mechanisms, focusing on reducing inflation and sell pressure, adjusting staking APY expectations, and improving users' understanding and management efficiency of staking logic. dApp staking remains an important tool for coordinating long-term value among developers, users, and the network.

The governance system will evolve in tandem as a supporting layer, through optimizing on-chain governance processes, strengthening collaboration efficiency, and clarifying responsibilities, providing institutional guarantees for product execution and ecosystem expansion. As these modules are gradually integrated, Astar is building an integrated product layer covering entry points, liquidity, incentives, and governance, laying a foundation for ecosystem development in 2026 and beyond.