Building on the previous post outlining the structure of the Astar Collective and its contributors, this post explains where Astar operates and how each network serves a distinct purpose within the ecosystem.
Astar refers to the broader ecosystem and collective. Astar Network is its Layer 1 foundation.
While Astar Network provides governance, security, and economic alignment for the ecosystem, the Astar Collective builds and operates products across multiple networks. This multi-chain model enables Astar to pursue adoption where users already exist, while maintaining ASTR as the common economic and governance token across all activities.
Astar Network: The Foundation
Astar Network serves as the anchor of the Astar Collective. It is a Polkadot parachain that supports EVM smart contract deployment, providing developers with full Ethereum tooling compatibility.
Core Functions on Astar Network
The following functions remain anchored to Astar Network:
- Governance: Onchain decision-making, council operations, and proposal execution
- ASTR as native token: Gas fees, staking, and ecosystem-wide economic coordination
- Treasury management: DAO treasury and asset allocation overseen by the Astar Finance Committee, Main Council, and ASTR holders
- dApp Staking: The mechanism that aligns users and builders with ecosystem incentives, enabling token holders to support projects and earn rewards
Astar Network is where governance participants vote, where ASTR economic activity is coordinated, and where decisions affecting the broader ecosystem are ratified.
DeFi on Astar Network
Astar Network supports a native DeFi environment. For example, Comet Swap operates as a DEX AMM on Astar L1, supporting Astar Network usability and DeFi ecosystem development.
Multi-Chain Operations
Beyond Astar Network, the Astar Collective operates across several ecosystems. Each environment serves a specific purpose aligned with product development, user acquisition, or partnership objectives.
Polkadot Ecosystem
Astar Network is a parachain within the Polkadot ecosystem, benefiting from shared security through Polkadot’s relay chain and native cross-chain interoperability via XCM.
ASTR is listed and actively used across several Polkadot parachains for DeFi operations and opportunities:
Hydration
Hydration is the leading DeFi hub in the Polkadot ecosystem, holding the highest TVL among parachains. ASTR is listed on Hydration, enabling holders to access DEX and AMM functionality, lending and borrowing, and cross-chain settlement via XCM.
Bifrost
Bifrost is the largest liquid staking protocol on Polkadot. ASTR is supported on Bifrost, enabling vASTR liquid staking, allowing holders to earn staking rewards while maintaining liquidity. vASTR can be used across DeFi protocols and minted directly on Astar Network, Soneium, and multiple EVM chains.
Polkadot Asset Hub
Polkadot Asset Hub is a system parachain that consolidates asset management, staking, governance, and smart contract functionality into a unified access point for the Polkadot ecosystem.
The Astar Collective is evaluating Asset Hub for new business and DeFi opportunities as the ecosystem evolves. With full EVM compatibility now available on Asset Hub, developers can deploy Solidity-based applications directly on Polkadot infrastructure. This creates potential pathways for ASTR integration into broader Polkadot DeFi and asset management use cases.
Soneium
Soneium is Sony’s Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain, built on Optimism’s OP Stack and aiming to empower individuals and communities to collaborate, create, and fill the world with emotion together.
ASTR on Soneium
ASTR is the most integrated ecosystem token on Soneium by TVL and adoption, excluding ETH and stablecoins. This position was achieved through the Astar Contribution Score (ACS) campaign, which distributed 100 million ASTR to participants engaging with DeFi and web3 applications on Soneium.
Over 450 million ASTR are now bridged to Soneium, with ASTR integrated across DeFi, gaming, and creative ecosystem applications.
Astar’s Role in Soneium
Astar operates on Soneium for entertainment and consumer applications, supporting Sony’s vision of bridging web2 users into web3. ASTR serves as one of the main ecosystem assets across DeFi integrations and application-level utility.
Cross-Chain Interoperability
ASTR was the first token to implement SuperchainERC20 with Chainlink CCIP integration, enabling native cross-chain movement between Astar Network and Soneium without wrapped tokens or fragmented liquidity. This architecture supports potential expansion across Optimism Superchain networks, including Base.
Ethereum
Ethereum serves as the primary environment for Astar Stack user acquisition and broad DeFi accessibility.
Astar Stack products target Ethereum for user base access, liquidity depth, and compatibility with major DeFi protocols including Morpho vaults. Ethereum enables Astar Stack to reach users who may not yet be familiar with Astar Network directly, serving as an onboarding pathway into the broader Astar ecosystem.
Base (Under Exploration)
Base is Coinbase’s Ethereum Layer 2, built on the OP Stack. Base holds over $11 billion in TVL and provides direct access to Coinbase’s 110+ million verified users.
Considering Astar Stack is still in development, Base is one of the targets the Astar Collective needs to explore and confirm opportunities.
Why Multi-Chain?
The multi-chain approach reflects Astar’s product-led strategy.
Astar builds products that generate onchain usage. Usage happens where users are. Limiting activity to a single chain would constrain product reach and user acquisition.
The multi-chain model allows Astar to:
- Deploy products where adoption is most likely, entertainment on Soneium, DeFi across Hydration and Bifrost on Polkadot, yield strategies on Ethereum;
- Access liquidity and infrastructure optimized for specific use cases;
- Maintain ASTR as the coordinating economic layer, regardless of which network hosts the activity, value creation routes back to ASTR through governance, treasury operations, and economic mechanisms.
This model does not dilute the role of Astar Network. Governance, economic routing, dApp Staking, and long-term ecosystem decisions remain anchored to Astar Network and ASTR. Multi-chain operations extend Astar’s reach while preserving the integrity of its core systems.
For ASTR holders who want unified access across these networks, the Startale App serves as a superwallet supporting ASTR management across different networks.
Closing
Astar is the collective. Astar Network is the foundation.
Products and operations extend across:
- Astar Network: Governance, ASTR native functions, dApp Staking, EVM smart contracts, DeFi (Comet Swap)
- Polkadot ecosystem: Hydration (DEX, AMM, lending/borrowing), Bifrost (liquid staking, vASTR), Asset Hub (exploration)
- Soneium: Entertainment, consumer applications, Sony partnership, ASTR as the largest ecosystem token by TVL
- Ethereum: Astar Stack user acquisition, DeFi integrations, yield strategies
- Base: Potential Astar Stack deployment leveraging Coinbase distribution
Core governance, treasury, and ASTR-based economic coordination remain on Astar Network. Multi-chain operations enable the Astar Collective to pursue global user acquisition while maintaining a unified governance and economic framework.
This post is intended to clarify how the Astar Collective operates across multiple networks.
If you have questions about specific network integrations, product deployment strategies, or how ASTR functions across these ecosystems, please share them in the comments below.
Gaius_sama 
Astar Foundation & Community Council