Full-stack layer-1 protocol Radix is launching a participation-based rewards program alongside a major Hyperlane integration that opens the network to multichain liquidity.
For years, decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystems have chased growth with a familiar playbook: launch a massive airdrop, attract a flood of capital and watch as engagement spikes. The problem is that this growth is often fleeting. The moment the incentives dry up, this “mercenary capital” moves on, leaving behind inflated metrics and little lasting value.
This cycle of farming and exiting has become one of the industry’s most persistent challenges. As the market matures, a new model for sustainable growth is needed — one that rewards genuine participation over speculation.
This is the principle at the heart of Radix, a full-stack layer-1 protocol that is combining a new incentive model with a major infrastructure upgrade to build a DeFi ecosystem with lasting utility.
A new playbook for ecosystem rewards
Radix’s new chapter revolves around the Radix Rewards campaign, a 1 billion XRD (XRD) incentive program designed to be the antithesis of a traditional airdrop. Instead of rewarding users for simply depositing funds, the system is built to measure and reward real DeFi participation across the ecosystem’s established protocols.
The program uses a sophisticated three-tier architecture that converts onchain activities like trading, lending and providing liquidity into Activity Points. These points are then ranked weekly, and participants earn Season Points based on their relative performance rather than absolute volume.
Source: RadixThis, combined with advanced anti-gaming mechanisms like bot filtering, ensures that the rewards are distributed to genuine users who are actively contributing to the ecosystem’s health.
Opening the gates to the multichain world
The new incentive model’s launch is strategically timed to coincide with the opening of Radix’s new multichain gateway. Through a new integration with the interoperability protocol Hyperlane, Radix will soon be connected to over 150 other blockchains.
This integration will create a frictionless gateway for users and liquidity from across the Web3 landscape to enter the Radix ecosystem for the first time. The timing is clear: just as the 1 billion XRD in incentives create a compelling reason to explore Radix, the Hyperlane bridge provides the seamless multichain access to do so.
The powerful combination is designed to create a flywheel effect, attracting new capital and immediately deploying it into the network’s established and reward-eligible DeFi applications like Ociswap and Root Finance.
Source: RadixThe Radix team sees it as a pivotal moment for the industry. “We’re at a historic inflection point for DeFi,” explains Adam Simmons, chief strategy officer at the Radix Foundation, pointing to recent regulatory shifts and stablecoin growth as creating ideal conditions for large-scale adoption.
A founder’s vision, a community’s mission
This milestone for Radix has been galvanized by a profound event. In late July 2025, the project’s founder, Dan Hughes, unexpectedly passed away. Hughes, the brilliant architect behind Radix’s core technology, was a revered figure in the industry, with tributes pouring in from major figures like Charles Hoskinson.
Rather than derailing progress, his passing has united the Radix community around the hashtag #DoItForDan, a movement dedicated to executing his decade-long vision. The Hyperlane integration and Radix Rewards campaign, both projects Hughes was deeply involved in planning, are now seen as a way to honor his legacy through continued innovation.
By aligning a sustainable incentive model, a massive expansion of connectivity and a community united by a powerful mission, Radix aims to write a new playbook for how to build a lasting DeFi ecosystem.
Learn more about Radix
Disclaimer. Cointelegraph does not endorse any content or product on this page. While we aim at providing you with all important information that we could obtain in this sponsored article, readers should do their own research before taking any actions related to the company and carry full responsibility for their decisions, nor can this article be considered as investment advice.
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Beyond the airdrop: A new model to end DeFi’s ‘mercenary capital’ era
For years, decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystems have chased growth with a familiar playbook: launch a massive airdrop, attract a flood of capital and watch as engagement spikes. The problem is that this growth is often fleeting. The moment the incentives dry up, this “mercenary capital” moves on, leaving behind inflated metrics and little lasting value.
This cycle of farming and exiting has become one of the industry’s most persistent challenges. As the market matures, a new model for sustainable growth is needed — one that rewards genuine participation over speculation.
This is the principle at the heart of Radix, a full-stack layer-1 protocol that is combining a new incentive model with a major infrastructure upgrade to build a DeFi ecosystem with lasting utility.
A new playbook for ecosystem rewards
Radix’s new chapter revolves around the Radix Rewards campaign, a 1 billion XRD (XRD) incentive program designed to be the antithesis of a traditional airdrop. Instead of rewarding users for simply depositing funds, the system is built to measure and reward real DeFi participation across the ecosystem’s established protocols.
The program uses a sophisticated three-tier architecture that converts onchain activities like trading, lending and providing liquidity into Activity Points. These points are then ranked weekly, and participants earn Season Points based on their relative performance rather than absolute volume.
Opening the gates to the multichain world
The new incentive model’s launch is strategically timed to coincide with the opening of Radix’s new multichain gateway. Through a new integration with the interoperability protocol Hyperlane, Radix will soon be connected to over 150 other blockchains.
This integration will create a frictionless gateway for users and liquidity from across the Web3 landscape to enter the Radix ecosystem for the first time. The timing is clear: just as the 1 billion XRD in incentives create a compelling reason to explore Radix, the Hyperlane bridge provides the seamless multichain access to do so.
The powerful combination is designed to create a flywheel effect, attracting new capital and immediately deploying it into the network’s established and reward-eligible DeFi applications like Ociswap and Root Finance.
A founder’s vision, a community’s mission
This milestone for Radix has been galvanized by a profound event. In late July 2025, the project’s founder, Dan Hughes, unexpectedly passed away. Hughes, the brilliant architect behind Radix’s core technology, was a revered figure in the industry, with tributes pouring in from major figures like Charles Hoskinson.
Rather than derailing progress, his passing has united the Radix community around the hashtag #DoItForDan, a movement dedicated to executing his decade-long vision. The Hyperlane integration and Radix Rewards campaign, both projects Hughes was deeply involved in planning, are now seen as a way to honor his legacy through continued innovation.
By aligning a sustainable incentive model, a massive expansion of connectivity and a community united by a powerful mission, Radix aims to write a new playbook for how to build a lasting DeFi ecosystem.
Learn more about Radix
Disclaimer. Cointelegraph does not endorse any content or product on this page. While we aim at providing you with all important information that we could obtain in this sponsored article, readers should do their own research before taking any actions related to the company and carry full responsibility for their decisions, nor can this article be considered as investment advice.