FTX Token
About FTX Token
FTX Token (FTT) is the native utility token of FTX, one of the fastest growing cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. FTT plays a central role in the FTX ecosystem by incentivizing activity, reducing fees, and providing governance rights.
History of FTX Token
FTX Token (FTT) was founded in 2019 by Sam Bankman-Fried, Gary Wang and Nishad Singh. The exchange differentiated itself through innovative trading products like leveraged tokens, tokenized stocks, prediction markets and more. The FTX team conducted an Initial Exchange Offering (IEO) in July 2019, raising $8 million by selling FTT tokens which granted holders a discount on fees.
Utility and Use Cases
As the native token of the FTX ecosystem, FTT has many utilities and use cases. Its primary features include:
- Fee discounts – FTT holders receive reduced trading fees on FTX up to a maximum of 60% based on their holdings. This incentivizes acquiring and holding FTT.
- Collateral – FTT can be used as collateral for leveraged trading on FTX. Using FTT allows users to unlock higher leverage.
- Staking – FTT can be staked to earn daily payouts and rewards. Stakers also receive airdrops of new FTX ecosystem tokens.
- Voting – FTT holders can vote on platform upgrades, new listings, and other governance issues. The amount of votes depends on the amount of FTT held.
- Burning – One third of all fees generated on FTX are used to buy back and burn FTT tokens from the open market. This reduces the circulating supply.
Trading on FTX Exchange
FTX quickly became one of the top exchanges by volume thanks to its innovative offerings. FTT is the most prominently traded token on FTX, benefiting from its central position in the ecosystem. Traders use FTT for:
- Hedging – Since FTT’s value is linked to the FTX platform’s success, it can be used to hedge against losses when holding other digital assets traded on FTX.
- Speculation – Traders aim to profit from buying and selling FTT based on predictions of FTX’s growth and adoption. Major exchange listings and partnerships tend to boost FTT price.
- Arbitrage – Traders exploit price discrepancies by buying FTT on one platform and selling it at a higher price on FTX. The difference covers fees while pocketing profit.
FTT Burn Mechanism
One of FTT’s key features is the FTT burn mechanism. For every trade fee paid to FTX in any token, one third is used to buy back and burn FTT tokens. This applies to fees across spot, margin and futures trading as well as FTX’s innovative products.
This mechanics reduces FTT’s total supply over time. By decreasing the amount in circulation, it aims to counteract inflationary pressure and increase the individual value of each FTT token. A transparent dashboard tracks all FTT burned to date.
FTX Ecosystem and Partnerships
FTX has expanded into an entire ecosystem of products and partnerships. FTT plays a crucial role in expanding utility and driving adoption across the FTX ecosystem:
- FTX OTC – FTT is one of the main trading pairs offered on FTX’s over-the-counter trading desk.
- FTX Pay – FTT can be used as a payment method for online and point-of-sale purchases.
- Project Serum – FTX partnered with this high-speed DEX where FTT is supported.
- Sports Sponsorships – FTX sponsors major sports leagues and teams globally to grow its brand.
- Acquisitions – FTX acquired Blockfolio which offers FTT support to its user base alongside other major tokens.
FTT Compared to Other Exchange Tokens
As a leading exchange token, FTT is often compared to other platform-native assets:
- Binance Coin (BNB) – As Binance is the top exchange by volume, BNB is the most valuable exchange token. However, FTT has greater room for growth as FTX continues rising.
- Huobi Token (HT) – HT benefits from Huobi’s strong presence in Asia but lags FTT in terms of product innovation.
- KuCoin Token (KCS) – KCS has similar fee discount and dividend features but KuCoin still trails FTX in reputation and adoption.
- Crypto.com Coin (CRO) – CRO powers a broad platform beyond an exchange but currently lacks FTX’s trading volumes and margins.
Future Outlook
FTX exhibited incredible growth in its first few years. With rising adoption, new product verticals on the horizon, and expanded mainstream awareness, FTT is poised for an even more prominent future.
Potential developments that could propel FTT higher include:- US Exchange License – If FTX can secure a license to operate in the US, the largest market for retail trading, it could drive significant usage and burn.
- Decentralized Finance – FTX’s Serum integration paves the way for broader DeFi interoperability using FTT.
- FTT Staking – Allowing FTT holders to stake and earn yield similar to other top tokens would enhance incentives.
With its solid position and ambitious team, FTT seems well positioned to continue its ascent as a top exchange token for years to come.