Interview with Aptos Foundation SVP: Four Ecosystem Dimensions to Build the World's Fastest Dollar Payment Network
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Interview with Aptos Foundation SVP: Four Ecosystem Dimensions to Build the World's Fastest Dollar Payment Network
走进新周期新公链竞争格局下 Aptos 的生态差异化布局，以及在「全球交易引擎」核心愿景下的未来增长策略。
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsAuthor: TechFlow
This year's Korea Blockchain Week was bustling with activity, and Aptos emerged as one of the most prominent projects:
On one hand, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that Avery Ching, CEO of Aptos Labs, has joined its Digital Asset Markets Subcommittee—marking a significant milestone in which Aptos now holds influential voice in shaping U.S. crypto regulation;
On the other hand, Aptos also made substantial progress in South Korea: two major Korean exchanges, Bithumb and Upbit, began supporting deposits and withdrawals for Aptos-based USDT, while Lotte—one of Korea’s top five conglomerates—announced plans by its subsidiaries to expand into blockchain applications on Aptos.
Amid this wave of high-impact news, we sat down at Korea Blockchain Week with Ash Pampati, Senior Vice President of the Aptos Foundation, for an in-depth conversation.
Focus left the deepest impression from this dialogue.
When asked about the current focal points of Aptos' ecosystem development, Ash responded without hesitation:
Aptos’ long-term strategic core is DeFi, and our ultimate goal is to build a global transaction engine. But unlike other blockchains specializing in a single domain, Aptos can simultaneously drive innovation across DeFi, stablecoins, payments, and decentralized storage. We are building fertile ground where innovation can freely grow through robust blockchain infrastructure.
And when discussing the three key priorities for Aptos over the next year, Ash further demonstrated this spirit of focus:
For me, there is only one core objective: becoming the #1 blockchain in terms of application revenue. The success of an ecosystem lies in enabling different types of businesses and founders to generate income, sustain operations, and evolve into unicorns. We will provide comprehensive support centered around this mission.
In this feature, let’s dive into Aptos’ differentiated ecosystem strategy under the new cycle of competitive layer-1 landscapes, and explore its future growth roadmap guided by the vision of becoming a “global transaction engine,” based on insights shared by Ash Pampati.
Four Ecosystem Dimensions to Bring Billions of Users Onchain
TechFlow: It’s great to have this opportunity for an in-depth discussion. Some Chinese-speaking audiences may not be familiar with your background, so first, welcome to introduce yourself—perhaps share some past experiences and your main responsibilities at Aptos.
Ash:
Hello everyone, I’m Ash Pampati, currently serving as Senior Vice President of the Aptos Foundation.
My role primarily focuses on supporting the growth of the Aptos ecosystem, ensuring two critical things happen: first, that outstanding projects don’t just survive on the Aptos network but thrive; second, that investors and the community have a positive experience throughout this process.
My core mission is to make these elements work seamlessly together to build a balanced and vibrant ecosystem.
TechFlow: Looking back over the past year, what major changes has Aptos gone through? Can you share some important milestones?
Ash:
Absolutely. Aptos originated from Meta’s Libra project (later Diem), whose core idea was to support applications with billions of users by building more efficient, permissionless financial transfer channels—whether for Instagram, WhatsApp, or other global platforms. That philosophy and technology remain central to Aptos today.
Over the past year, we’ve focused on two key areas: first, driving on-chain economic growth and strengthening enterprise interest in blockchain. Thanks to our roots at Meta, we’ve built deep trust with many enterprises and financial institutions, allowing us to smoothly deepen those relationships even after going independent; second, we’ve remained committed to ensuring prosperity within the on-chain economy.
Specifically, we’ve achieved several core advancements:
First, native trading activity on Aptos decentralized exchanges continues to grow. Our daily trading volume now exceeds $150 million, placing us among the top 10 blockchains globally.
Second, stablecoin transactions and circulation on Aptos continue to expand. In July alone, our stablecoin transaction volume reached approximately $60 billion—even though we’re still a relatively young chain in terms of stablecoin integration.
Another metric I care deeply about is whether applications built on Aptos are generating real revenue and establishing sustainable business models. Encouragingly, last month we entered the top 10 across all chains in the dimension of “application revenue.”
TechFlow: You mentioned some successful revenue-generating apps built on Aptos. Could you describe the current state of the Aptos ecosystem? Are there any standout projects worth highlighting?
Ash:
The current Aptos ecosystem resembles a sleeping giant beginning to awaken. We hold a unique belief: the next unicorn will emerge from Web3-native founders. While institutional and corporate attention matters, we need people who live and breathe Web3 every day to help guide development—that’s one of our core criteria when selecting ecosystem projects.
More concretely, the Aptos ecosystem is structured around four key dimensions:
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DeFi
We see DeFi as the foundation of a global transaction engine. By introducing native DEXs, Aptos is consolidating liquidity and making breakthroughs in exchange platform development. For example, Hyperion, incubated in February with Movemaker—our official Chinese-language community organization—became a leading DEX in the Aptos ecosystem by June and successfully completed its token generation event (TGE) in July. This is exactly the kind of ecosystem growth pattern we aim to foster.
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Money Markets & Lending
We partnered with Aave to deploy its first non-EVM chain version—an endorsement reflecting institutional confidence in Aptos, especially given complementary integrations with enterprise-grade technologies like Chainlink. Such collaborations lay the groundwork for institutional capital entering the chain. We’re also seeing strong growth in products like XBTC and BTC Fi, which enhance Bitcoin’s utility in DeFi, particularly in Asian markets.
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Innovation Projects
We’re highly optimistic about Decibel, a native exchange incubated by Aptos Labs. The high-performance blockchain we’re building is essential for bringing billions of users onchain. Whether it’s crypto assets, traditional assets, or innovations like streaming and AI yet to enter Web3, transaction capability is central. We’re building the global transaction engine to power these innovations.
The decentralized storage project Shelby, jointly developed with Jump Crypto, is equally crucial: it might sound dry, but we firmly believe cloud storage can be done better. Shelby offers a no-compromise experience at lower costs than Web2 services like GCP/AWS/Azure, while redefining value exchange between creators and users via Web3 incentive models.
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Breaking Data Bottlenecks
Data has long been a core barrier preventing Web3 from going mainstream. Shelby addresses this pain point with a disruptive storage solution, clearing the path for billion-user applications.
When I look at the Aptos ecosystem, I can confidently say it’s like a sleeping giant. We’re at the beginning of a much larger era, and the innovations we’re driving will power the next phase of Web3 development.
CEO Joining U.S. Crypto Regulation Panel Is a Milestone for the Entire Industry
TechFlow: Recently, DATs have become popular, with many layer-1 tokens announcing related initiatives. Does Aptos have similar plans?
Ash:
Yes, we do have clear plans—and there’s a lot to look forward to.
I can share this: our upcoming DAT will be truly unique. While many projects follow a copycat approach to DATs, we’re focused on building something deeply aligned with Aptos and genuinely differentiated.
This matters because we recognize a large class of investors—especially equity investors—who haven’t yet participated in crypto tokens. Through our DAT program, these investors will gain access to the growth benefits brought by blockchain innovation.
Our ambitions are enormous—we’re building with the vision of bringing a billion users onchain. Through collaborative development with projects like Decibel and Shelby, and startups we’re incubating, Aptos is preparing for mass adoption. The DAT initiative is a key piece of this blueprint, expanding accessibility to breakthrough blockchain innovations while opening new opportunities for investors and users alike.
TechFlow: Recently, Avery Ching, CEO of Aptos Labs, spoke before the U.S. Congress and was appointed to the GMAC Digital Asset Markets Subcommittee under the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). What significance does this hold for Aptos, and what impact do you expect it to have?
Ash:
I believe this is not only a major milestone for Aptos, but for the entire blockchain industry.
Avery’s involvement is critically important for the sector as a whole. His direct engagement with Congress provides valuable guidance on how blockchain can thrive within the U.S. regulatory landscape. His appointment to the CFTC-affiliated GMAC subcommittee will further help ensure blockchain has a clear and solid developmental pathway. I believe Avery possesses unique qualifications and will fulfill this responsibility with exceptional dedication.
Avery is an engineer at heart, focused on solving technical challenges with elegance and precision. His vision is to enable the global economy to run on blockchain infrastructure. This focus drives us to continuously improve—even though Aptos is already among the fastest blockchains, we remain committed to making it even better.
In the end, Avery’s appointment is not just a win for Aptos, but a victory for the entire U.S. crypto space. It will help advance discussions around blockchain technology and its role in the global economy.
TechFlow: Since Avery became CEO of Aptos Labs, how has his leadership influenced the company's direction? Under his leadership, what kinds of innovations or changes can we expect?
Ash:
Avery has a distinctive leadership style. Some people excel at taking things from 0 to 1, others at scaling. Avery is more of a "from 1 to 100" leader.
As CEO, Avery’s philosophy is: technology must never be compromised. We believe the next wave of adoption will be driven by superior technology—that’s why we refine our tech every single day.
Avery is also accelerating our ecosystem development. In his first month as CEO, he drove a tenfold expansion in ecosystem scale. I believe he’s laying the foundation for massive growth. He immerses himself in the ecosystem, working closely with founders and builders. Combining this hands-on approach with our institutional DNA gives Aptos a unique advantage as we move into the next stage of growth.
Aptos’ Long-Term Strategic Core Is DeFi
TechFlow: As you've shared, do you think RWA, stablecoins, and Decibel will push DeFi to new heights and make it more popular than ever before?
Ash:
I agree completely.
First, stablecoins: since day one, we’ve prioritized stability. Our original intent was to enable each dollar to flow efficiently and securely within applications serving billions of users. We’ve recently integrated the three major stablecoins—USDT, USDC, and USDe—as well as PayPal USD via LayerZero. Compared to Ethereum or Solana, we’re a younger chain, yet we’ve rapidly onboarded multiple major stablecoins. Just take USDT: Aptos is now the second-largest native deployment chain for USDT, behind only Tron.
What does this mean? Stablecoins naturally gravitate toward the best technology stacks for wider adoption. For us, this isn’t just a pivotal moment for Aptos—it’s a moment when technology should finally be seen and appreciated in Web3. One of our most important missions right now is bringing a billion users onchain.
Second, I believe inclusive DeFi is vital—for instance, enabling my father or your relatives to participate easily. This inclusivity is less tied to market cycles and offers a more reliable way to bring capital into a global, permissionless economy where funds can generate value. Rain or shine, we believe inclusive DeFi is the key to mass user onboarding.
Next comes applying this mechanism to trading—which is precisely why Decibel is so compelling. Decibel is a trading platform deployed on Aptos. It goes beyond high-risk perpetual contracts, emphasizing features that generate yield, use yield as collateral, and create more efficient capital flows.
When I jokingly say “DeFi is a bit boring,” it’s only because we’ve used that term for ten years. We’d rather build a “global transaction engine”—it may not be catchy, but its significance is profound.
TechFlow: Let me add a practical observation: for transparency, whenever we withdraw stablecoins from exchanges like Bybit, we notice that fees on the Aptos chain are often the lowest, making it a preferred choice for many users.
Ash:
Haha, smart users choose smart ways. And I believe more users become smarter every day.
TechFlow: For Chinese-speaking communities, sometimes there’s uncertainty about Aptos’ current ecosystem priorities. Is Aptos currently focusing more on DeFi, gaming, or the trending RWA space? Could you clarify the current development focus?
Ash:
Aptos’ long-term strategic core is DeFi, and our ultimate goal is to build a global transaction engine. I recently published an article outlining potential products that can be built on Aptos, including structured financial products, delta-neutral vaults, and the evolution from DEXs to perpetual trading. Integrating Web3 liquidity consumes 80% of our focus, and we strictly select and support teams aligned with this principle.
Beyond DeFi, we’re also strategically investing in the domain of capital movement, which includes two pillars: stablecoins and payment systems. For us, stablecoins aren’t just trading tools—they hold immense real-world potential, such as cross-border remittances and microloans, areas where traditional finance falls short. We view this as a core component of our future and are actively supporting this ecosystem. The payments space is where Aptos showcases its distinct advantages, offering superior infrastructure and payment rails.
Additionally, we’re collaborating with projects like Shelby to explore decentralized storage solutions, enabling both enterprise and consumer applications to be built entirely on distributed systems. In the next 6–12 months, we’re especially excited to see developers build decentralized versions of YouTube or AI machine learning models on this foundation.
What makes Aptos unique is its versatility: unlike other chains specialized in a single area, we can simultaneously excel in DeFi, stablecoins, payments, and decentralized storage.
From a user experience standpoint, we believe the future of Web3 products will resemble “Web 2.5,” where users won’t even realize they’re interacting with blockchain. Achieving this requires delivering seamless experiences comparable to traditional social platforms. That demands an extremely fast blockchain with zero friction—any delay, even for a minute, will cause users to abandon the app. This commitment to speed, cost-efficiency, and abstraction makes Aptos an ideal platform for startups.
A prime example is KGeN. Originally a gaming distribution platform, it pivoted to provide human validation services for AI models. Using Aptos blockchain, it scaled at extremely low cost and has become the largest non-DeFi profitable protocol in Web3, with annual recurring revenue projected to exceed $40 million.
These success stories validate the unique value of the Aptos ecosystem: we are building fertile ground for innovation through solid blockchain infrastructure.
TechFlow: Aptos collaborated with OKX to incubate several new projects. Do you expect this model to continue? Will Aptos partner with more institutions in the future to launch additional projects?
Ash:
I believe so, and here’s the key insight:
If the foundation takes a clear, hands-on stance on where and what to build, this path becomes viable.
One major external question about Aptos relates directly to yours: What is Aptos focusing on? Where should I build? Is what I’m doing on Ethereum feasible on Aptos?
We will clearly articulate our positions. Specifically:
We’ll define priority sectors and specific use cases worth pursuing, and we’re ready to offer support and funding.
We’ll advance these efforts alongside partners who are equally invested in these use cases and in growing the Aptos network—whether venture firms or other collaborators.
We also offer bottom-up, localized regional support, ensuring builders anywhere can access on-the-ground teams, mentors, and funding channels—whether from Aptos or third parties. For example, our collaboration with MoveMaker—I see them as a close partner—represents us in Hong Kong and is deeply embedded in this core Web3 ecosystem.
This model is precisely what excites us: beyond Hyperion, we now have Goblin Finance, aiming to build delta-neutral vaults, and AllScale, focused on payments. These three projects were incubated within about six months of starting our partnership with MoveMaker, and all show tremendous growth potential. This is the kind of model we want to scale up and replicate widely.
TechFlow: Regarding the currently hot topics of RWA and AI, does Aptos have targeted plans?
Ash:
Sure. Starting with RWA: Aptos is already among the top three to four blockchains in this space—a remarkable achievement for a relatively new chain, and a strong testament to institutional trust in our technology and the security of the Move language.
However, one critical piece is still missing: the actual usage of RWA in user-facing DeFi applications. The concept of RWA is too broad—it could refer to stocks, stablecoins, divisible real estate, or any valuable asset. Each type of asset serves different purposes in decentralized trading. For example, some RWAs are better suited as collateral for lending, while others can be used in perpetual contracts. The ways assets can be utilized are vast.
For us, the next focus is unlocking and innovating real-world asset usage within the decentralized ecosystem. We’ve already proven ourselves in market trust and RWA-related TVL. Now, we aim to lead in advancing practical use cases for RWA.
As for AI, I see it from two angles. First, how AI can act as an accelerator, helping founders build faster and smarter onchain. At Aptos Labs, we’re focused on a project called Giomi—a unique full-stack suite for developers, featuring built-in infrastructure, RPC, indexing, and intuitive UIs that simplify building and deploying any DApp. AI is accelerating development pace and enabling smarter applications across DeFi, SocialFi, and beyond.
The second angle is how users interact with data powered by AI. Currently, users submit data to centralized companies, which then return aggregated responses. But I believe users will increasingly want control over the data they input into these engines. Blockchain applications in this space are just beginning. We’re actively seeking teams with strong perspectives and innovative capabilities in this area, inviting them to join and supporting their growth.
TechFlow: So, Aptos is building infrastructure for AI, which will benefit projects wanting to leverage your data or build on your platform. You’re also engaging with traditional institutions and companies to help them integrate AI into their own systems, correct?
Ash:
Yes. Aptos’ strength lies in our deep Web2 roots. We maintain close ties with major tech hubs and financial institutions, giving us a unique edge.
Any builder coming to us benefits from our network. We proactively facilitate cross-domain collaboration, connecting them with potential partners and stakeholders from both traditional industries and emerging Web3 spaces. Our goal is to make it easier for developers to bridge Web2 and Web3 ecosystems, accelerating their project timelines.
Asian Communities Are Highly Sophisticated—Localization Is Key
TechFlow: We’re having this conversation onsite at KBW in Korea. How do you view the Asian market, and what differentiated strategies do you employ across regions?
Ash:
When it comes to Asia, we don’t treat it as a monolith. Asia is a diverse region with rich and varied cultures and sentiments, and we recognize this clearly. In markets like Greater China, Japan, and Korea, a common trait is the high sophistication and professionalism of their communities. I’d even argue that Asian crypto communities often surpass many Western counterparts in depth of knowledge and technical understanding. They don’t just follow trends—they analyze layer-1s like professional analysts, evaluating fundamentals and scrutinizing project teams. We deeply respect this and actively collaborate with these communities, listening to their feedback and quickly incorporating their insights into our products and ecosystem.
In Korea, we’re thrilled to partner with leading institutions like Upbit and Bithumb, as reflected in our recent USDT announcements. Such collaborations allow us to better reach local users, enabling them to trade using the “fastest dollar in the world” directly within their everyday lives. This kind of localized, direct connection is crucial for building trust and conveying Aptos’ value in a market-relevant way.
We place great importance on Aptos’ presence and investment in Asia, and we prioritize deep integration with local culture and markets. Our strategy in Korea is to provide support directly within the market. We want the community to know they can always reach members of the foundation. Whether it’s partnership discussions, technical support, or day-to-day interactions, we commit to being accessible and highly responsive. Our core goal is to build trust within local communities, cultivate long-term relationships, and make them feel supported and understood.
Japan is also drawing significant attention, thanks to its increasingly favorable crypto regulations. We believe these new policies will unlock vast opportunities in Japan—not just in trading, but also in innovation and development. Japan’s attitude toward crypto shares many similarities with Greater China and Korea, so we’re excited about the potential for growth and innovation there. Our goal isn’t just to enter the Japanese market, but to actively shape its policy environment—just as we’re doing in the U.S. We aim to support the evolution of Japan’s regulatory framework and help nurture a healthy crypto ecosystem in the region.
TechFlow: This morning you also announced a partnership with Korea’s Lotte Group. Could you elaborate?
Ash:
The collaboration with Lotte is a significant step for us. Our goal is to deeply integrate into local culture—understanding the products people use daily, how they interact with technology, and how they derive value from their everyday experiences.
By partnering with established companies like Lotte, we can embed our infrastructure into platforms that people already trust and use. This not only strengthens our presence in the region but also ensures we provide critical backend technological support to these key players.
TechFlow: Your collaboration with Japan’s World Expo this year should be very exciting. What strategic considerations led to this partnership, how effective has it been so far, and do you have similar plans ahead?
Ash:
We’re deeply honored to be part of this collaboration. The strategic thinking stems from our recognition of the World Expo’s significance—especially its cultural resonance within Asian communities. For many in the region, attending the Expo feels almost like a pilgrimage.
In fact, some members of our founding team, particularly those from China, shared personal stories: they took train rides as children just to visit the Expo. That speaks volumes about its cultural weight. This emotional significance resonates strongly with us.
Strategically, this partnership aims to drive real-world adoption of blockchain technology. Aptos has always believed blockchain will serve as an “invisible infrastructure” underpinning real-world use cases. Though we’re still early, the results so far are encouraging. We’ve already seen over 500,000 new accounts created, generating more than 4.5 million transactions cumulatively. This is a strong signal of real-world adoption—showing that ordinary users, not just crypto enthusiasts, are joining the ecosystem.
This Expo partnership is just the beginning. We see it as part of a broader strategy to drive adoption across different markets. We’re already exploring similar enterprise-level collaborations in other Asian markets. Going forward, we’ll continue partnering with large corporations to bridge blockchain technology with real-world applications. The outlook is highly promising, and we look forward to expanding these efforts into other regions.
Become the #1 Blockchain in Application Revenue
TechFlow: If you could only focus on three most important things in the coming year, which would they be?
Ash:
For me, there is only one core priority: becoming the #1 blockchain in application revenue.
The essence of a successful ecosystem is enabling diverse businesses and founders to generate income, sustain operations, and grow into unicorns. To achieve this, we’re focusing on several key areas:
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Centralizing liquidity on Aptos: by consolidating liquidity and launching projects like Decibel, we’re accelerating DeFi growth.
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Leveraging Shelby’s role in data: Shelby will help us overcome data bottlenecks, enabling entirely new types of products and services to be built onchain.
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Native token issuance: we want to see new types of tokens natively issued and actively traded on Aptos.
These initiatives are crucial for helping founders build sustainable, profitable businesses on Aptos.
TechFlow: Many people often compare Aptos with Sui, especially in terms of competition. How do you view this rivalry? How does Aptos position itself relative to projects like Sui?
Ash:
I don’t focus much on competing with Sui. Instead, I focus on competing with ourselves.
What I mean is, by various metrics, Aptos has made tremendous progress in on-chain fundamentals. We consistently rank in the top 10 for TVL, daily trading volume, RWA, and stablecoin transaction volume. We’re focused on improving these metrics because they’re key drivers of adoption.
Regarding fundraising, my philosophy is simple: if a team believes our technology uniquely enables them to build great products and they need to expand across chains, I won’t stand in their way. I want builders to have the ability to grow and scale, not be confined to a single ecosystem.
The key difference between Aptos and Sui lies in our philosophy. Our CEO Avery previously led blockchain engineering at Meta, overseeing production-grade blockchain development. The technology we use today comes directly from that work—this is why projects like Polygon and StarkNet adopted similar approaches. Our success in parallel consensus and parallel execution further proves that the market values elegant, composable technology—the reason many choose Aptos as their foundational layer-1.
TechFlow: How do you view the importance of token price and Aptos’ long-term vision? We’ve discussed the importance of community and ecosystem many times. Could you share your thoughts on the role of token price within this ecosystem?
Ash:
I believe the token itself is a product. For a Layer 1 blockchain, the token is crucial—it’s like crude oil underground, powering our vehicles. We firmly believe in this.
Second, I think the market hasn’t yet fully grasped the magnitude of our impact—but we believe it soon will.
Third, we’re strong believers in long-termism. I have a strong feeling that many projects dominating headlines today may not exist in a few years, but we will.
My view might be a bit “spicy”: I believe token price matters, but ultimately everything comes down to the team behind the project and what they truly care about. Many projects focus solely on token speculation without building anything meaningful—that backfires, harming both themselves and their communities, and hinders the entire industry’s progress.
We’re focused on long-term growth, building sustainable systems, and achieving responsible regulatory progress. Our goal is to drive widespread adoption and innovation in blockchain. We’re confident Aptos will continue to play a significant role in the industry’s future—because I believe teams with long-term vision will ultimately emerge as the biggest winners.
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