Former Traze CEO’s New Venture Brings Crypto, FX and Commodities into the DeFi Space

Traze’s immediate former CEO, Erkin Kamran, who recently stepped down from his role, is working on a new startup that aims to provide currency, commodity, and crypto trading on a decentralized platform.

Dubbed 0xmarkets, the new platform is a “perpetual decentralized exchange powered by Cartha on Bittensor Network.” It aims to offer liquidity designed to compete with traditional CFD platforms. The project also promises deep liquidity Liquidity The term liquidity refers to the process, speed, and ease of which a given asset or security can be converted into cash. Notably, liquidity surmises a retention in market price, with the most liquid assets representing cash.The most liquid asset of all is cash itself.· In economics, liquidity is defined by how efficiently and quickly an asset can be converted into usable cash without materially affecting its market price. · Nothing is more liquid than cash, while other assets represent The term liquidity refers to the process, speed, and ease of which a given asset or security can be converted into cash. Notably, liquidity surmises a retention in market price, with the most liquid assets representing cash.The most liquid asset of all is cash itself.· In economics, liquidity is defined by how efficiently and quickly an asset can be converted into usable cash without materially affecting its market price. · Nothing is more liquid than cash, while other assets represent Read this Term, dual rewards, and decentralized access to global markets.

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Combining Traditional Finance and Web3

“0xMarkets is an innovative decentralized platform designed to usher in a new era of blockchain-based infrastructure for trading systems, enabling permissionless access to some of the world’s most powerful and liquid financial markets, spanning crypto, currencies, and commodities,” Kamran told Finance Magnates.

“The platform is set to lower traditional barriers such as intermediaries and infrastructure requirements to trading of global currencies, and grants liquidity providers an enhanced incentive framework, including token rewards, enabling anyone in permitted jurisdictions to trade, hedge, or provide liquidity using world-class streamlined tools.”

Kamran announced that he was stepping down as Traze's CEO early this month. He left the role to focus on building the new venture that combines traditional finance and Web3. He joined Traze from the London-based Zeal Group, where he previously served as interim Chief Technology Officer.

The new platform is expected to launch this year. “Going forward, after its initial launch, 0xMarkets will continue to expand the asset classes it can offer traders, including commodities (e.g., silver, oil, agricultural products) and eventually other markets, such as tokenized stocks and bonds,” he said.

Read more: Traze CEO Erkin Kamran Announces Exit to Launch TradFi-Web3 Startup

Under Kamran’s leadership, Traze reportedly secured a license earlier this year to operate in the UAE. The authorization allows the broker to provide brokerage, portfolio management, and advisory services to both retail and institutional investors in the region. The company also holds an operational license in South Africa.

Traze is part of Zeal Group, which also operates the ZFX brand in the United Kingdom and Seychelles. While ZFX’s offshore unit primarily serves retail clients, its UK operations focus on professional and institutional traders.

The Evolving DeFi Space

Over the years, the DeFi space has faced multiple challenges. In mid-2022, the crypto sector endured a sharp downturn as more than $2 trillion in market value was wiped out within months.

The implosion of Terra triggered a chain reaction, with high-profile failures at Celsius, Voyager, and Three Arrows Capital underscoring deep vulnerabilities in the decentralized finance ecosystem.

The crisis highlighted how quickly confidence in digital assets could unravel when built on unstable foundations. Since then, regulators have intensified efforts to bring order to the space, while token projects are adjusting to new compliance demands.