Ike Goes Live on Mainnet – Unlocking Liquid Staking on Aleph Zero

November 21, 2024 – London, United Kingdom

Ike is proud to announce the official launch of its LST (liquid staking token) – sA0 – on Aleph Zero.

This milestone provides the Aleph Zero community with a new way to engage with the network by offering staking flexibility without compromising on rewards.

What is sA0

SA0 is Ike’s native LST, designed to enhance the staking experience on Aleph Zero.

With sA0, users can stake their AZERO tokens to support network security and earn rewards, all while keeping their assets liquid.

This means they can use sA0 tokens across Aleph Zero’s ecosystem, unlocking new opportunities for participation and growth.

Meaning, sA0 empowers users to ‘stake and use’ at the same time.

SA0 benefits

Liquidity meets rewards – Users receive sA0 tokens in exchange for their staked AZERO, enabling them to stay liquid while continuing to earn rewards.
Smooth integration – SA0 seamlessly integrates with Aleph Zero’s growing DeFi ecosystem, creating more utility and value for stakers.
Stronger network security – By encouraging greater participation in staking, sA0 supports the overall security and resilience of the Aleph Zero network.

Building toward progressive decentralization

The launch of sA0 is a significant step in Ike’s roadmap toward progressive decentralization.

Ensuring most of the slots are open for permissionless entry when governance live, Ike launched with seven initial validators, including Deutsche Telekom and STC Bahrain.

As part of this journey, Ike will soon introduce community-driven governance features, including permissionless validator registration, initially scaling to have 30 slots with a fully transparent on-chain bonding process.

This will enable a dynamic and competitive validator ecosystem, with the community playing a central role in decision-making.

Stephen Novenstern, founder at Ike, said,

“The mainnet launch of sA0 marks an exciting moment for both Ike and the Aleph Zero community.

“SA0 offers a powerful tool for staking while maintaining liquidity, and it’s just the beginning of our commitment to building a decentralized, community-driven ecosystem.

“From the inception of the Ike project, we wanted to build an LSP (liquid staking protocol) that wouldn’t just unlock staked liquidity – we wanted to put the Ike DAO in control of what percentage each validator gets, and for it to be permissionless to get on the [validator registry] list.”

What’s next

With sA0 now live, Ike invites the Aleph Zero community to explore the benefits of liquid staking.

In the coming months, Ike will focus on expanding the utility of sA0 within the ecosystem and rolling out governance features that further empower the community to shape its future.

Users can see more in the Ike docs here.

About Ike

Ike is the home of the sA0 LSP smart contracts live on Aleph Zero WASM.

Together with the community, validators and other builders in the ecosystem, they are fundamentally reshaping the network, delivering liquidity at the base layer, composable rewards, increasing participation and ultimately enhancing network security.

Drawing inspiration from the Japanese art of Ikebana, Ike is committed to fostering a harmonious and resilient ecosystem.

By providing users with flexibility and liquidity in their staking journey, Ike empowers the Aleph Zero community to unlock the full potential of their assets while contributing to the network’s growth and stability.

Users can stay updated on the latest developments and engage with other like-minded individuals by joining the Ike Discord community and following on X.