Author: TheDeFinvestor

Translation: Gwei Research

Over the past few weeks, I've researched hundreds of roadmaps to find the answer. This article presents the top 40 projects with the most exciting roadmaps.

1. Lido @LidoFinance

Lido is the largest liquid staking protocol.

Two months ago, Lido announced Lido V2, aiming to make Lido more decentralized:

• Staking Router – allows anyone to become a node operator;

• Withdrawals – enables stETH holders to withdraw their ETH.

Expected launch: mid-May

2. Vela @vela_exchange

Vela is an upcoming perpetual DEX launching on Arbitrum.

The next step in its roadmap is the official platform launch, including:

• One-click trading with CEX-like user experience;

• Airdrop for beta testers;

• Support for multiple stablecoins;

• Vela OTC – a product enabling P2P trading of supported tokens;

• Next-generation charting features (will support real-time trade management from charts).

Official launch: expected in May.

3. Rage Trade @rage_trade

Rage Trade is leveraging LayerZero technology to build cross-chain ETH perpetual swaps.

Roadmap:

• GLP v2 – building a GLP-style product on top of GMX Synthetics (once it's finalized);

• Rage Perps V2 (no details yet);

• Multi-chain expansion.

4. Kyber @KyberNetwork

Multi-chain DEX and aggregator.

Roadmap:

• Cross-chain swaps;

• Quickswap V3 integration;

• Automated investment feature for DCA.

5. Synthetix @synthetix_io

A protocol enabling the creation of synthetic assets.

Roadmap:

• Launch Synthetix V3;

• Allow more assets as collateral to borrow sUSD;

• Enable permissionless creation of synthetic assets;

• Upgrade will also feature multi-collateral perpetual markets.

6. Spin @spin_fi

An integrated trading platform on Near.

Roadmap:

• Public sale of $SPIN token.

According to the team, $SPIN will launch in Q2 2023.

Confirmed airdrop for early users, but no snapshot taken yet.

• New strategies (structured products, basis trading).

7. Fantom @FantomFDN

A fast and scalable Layer 1 platform.

Roadmap:

• Fantom Virtual Machine (FVM) – the most important upcoming network upgrade;

FVM will replace the Ethereum Virtual Machine and increase execution speed on Fantom by up to 8x.

• Account abstraction – enables web2 features (e.g., social recovery) for web3 wallets;

• Gas subsidies – allows users to interact with dApps where smart contracts pay gas fees on their behalf;

• Economic abstraction of gas fees – allows payment in tokens other than FTM.

8. Mux @muxprotocol

A leveraged trading aggregator.

The team is focused on improving their dApp, with cross-chain aggregation being the next item on the roadmap.

MUX Protocol is deployed on 5 chains, but the team plans to continue expanding across multiple chains.

9. Ref Finance @finance_ref

Ref Finance is the first AMM on Near.

Roadmap:

• Ref Widgets – will allow projects to easily embed Ref Finance functionality into their own websites;

• Release money market;

• Scheduled swaps – automatic swaps occurring on a recurring basis.

10. zkSync @zksync

The first zkEVM L2 ever.

Roadmap:

• Release Ethereum L3 as proof of concept;

• Further efforts toward gradual decentralization of their zkEVM.

11. MultiversX @MultiversX

A highly scalable sharded L1 blockchain.

Roadmap:

• xFabric – a WordPress-like application but for building dApps;

• Launch xPortal debit card;

• xWorlds – an interoperable metaverse network (launching in Q4);

• xLaunchpad – a new improved version of MultiversX’s launchpad.

12. PancakeSwap @PancakeSwap

Leading DEX on BNB Chain.

Roadmap:

• Liquid Staking integration;

• Continue multi-chain expansion;

• Website overhaul;

• v3 Position Manager – automatically manage LP positions in PancakeSwap V3 with concentrated liquidity.

13. Camelot @CamelotDEX

Most popular native DEX on Arbitrum.

Camelot V2 launched a few days ago, with several improvements coming soon:

• Major UI revamp;

• Support for limit orders;

• Concentrated liquidity efficient farms – built abstracting away complexity.

14. Pendle @pendle_fi

The most user-friendly yield trading protocol.

Roadmap:

• New UX upgrades;

• New integrations and partnerships with other protocols;

• Continue multi-chain expansion;

• Greater focus on user education (explainer videos, new content).

15. TraderJoe @traderjoe_xyz

One of the most popular DEXes on Avalanche & Arbitrum.

Roadmap:

• Add support for limit orders;

• Enable $JOE staking on Arbitrum;

• Autopools – will automatically manage LP positions.

(as Trader Joe AMM features concentrated liquidity)

16. Premia @PremiaFinance

Multi-chain options DEX.

Next on the roadmap is the release of Premia V3, which will enable permissionless creation of new options pools for the first time.

Additionally, the team is working on tokenomics overhaul.

17. Kwenta @Kwenta_io

Decentralized derivatives trading platform on Optimism.

Roadmap:

• Add referral codes;

• DAO infrastructure;

• Staking v2 – introducing new modules such as revenue distribution.

$KWENTA holder and on-chain automated voting.

18. Velodrome @VelodromeFi

Largest native DEX on Optimism.

Velodrome's next major upgrade is the launch of V2, bringing:

• Custom pair support (e.g., UniV3-style token pair implementation);

• Gasless transaction support;

• Native bridging support.

19. Radiant @RDNTCapital

Radiant is building the first omnichain money market on LayerZero.

Roadmap:

• Make cross-chain borrowing seamless;

• Full implementation of LayerZero tech to expand to as many chains as possible.

20. Level @Level__Finance

Most popular perpetual DEX on BNB Chain.

Roadmap:

• Major UI revamp;

• Cross-chain expansion;

• New trading competitions.

21. UniDex @UniDexFinance

Multi-chain meta-aggregator for all things DeFi.

Roadmap:

• Official launch of Unidex App-chain;

Unidex's OP Stack-based app chain testnet went live a few days ago.

• New trading competitions;

• Launch of Unidex Perpetual Aggregator.

The product is expected to launch later this month.

In short, it will allow traders to access liquidity from multiple perpetual DEXes for the same pair via one interface.

Orders will be aggregated across chains and cross-chain.

22. Thena @ThenaFi_

Largest DEX on BNB Chain based on Solidly model.

Roadmap:

• Fiat on/off ramps;

• Cross-chain integrations;

• Perpetual contracts.

23. GMX @GMX_IO

Largest perpetual DEX on Arbitrum.

Roadmap:

• Launch GMX V2 – new version will support permissionless creation of new markets;

It will also offer lower trading fees (0.05% vs. 0.10%) and lower swap fees.

24. Thorchain @THORChain

Thorchain is an open-source decentralized cross-chain protocol.

Roadmap:

• Add support for new chains;

• Launch THORChain lending – enabling borrowing of native BTC;

• New Swaps & Savers integrations.

25. BendDAO @BendDAO

BendDAO is an NFT liquidity protocol supporting instant NFT-backed loans.

Roadmap:

• P2P NFT lending proposal;

• New NFT auction proposal;

• Private lending pool proposal;

• On-chain governance proposal.

26. Cosmos @cosmos

Roadmap:

• Onboard new chains as consumer chains secured by Cosmos Hub via Interchain Security;

• Release a new, more scalable version of Interchain Security;

• Liquid staking module for $ATOM.

27. StakeWise @stakewise_io

Liquid staking protocol on Ethereum and Gnosis Chain.

Roadmap:

• Launch StakeWise V3;

StakeWise V3 will allow anyone to run a node operator for others without needing 32 ETH.

• Major overhaul of $SWISE tokenomics.

28. Redacted Cartel @redactedcartel

Redacted ecosystem is a suite of smart contract products generating revenue for $BTRFLY holders.

Roadmap:

• Launch $DINERO;

$DINERO is an overcollateralized decentralized stablecoin, fully backed by staked ETH.

29. Unstoppable @UnstoppableFi

A new DEX aiming to bring CEX-like experience on-chain.

Roadmap:

• Advanced spot orders;

• New marketing campaigns;

• Margin DEX development.

30. Frax @fraxfinance

Frax issues decentralized stablecoins ($FRAX, $FPI) and builds products to support them.

Roadmap:

• FRAX V3;

$FRAX is currently primarily backed by USDC. FRAX V3 will remove this dependency and make $FRAX a more decentralized and resilient stablecoin.

31. SushiSwap @SushiSwap

Top-tier multi-chain DEX.

Roadmap:

• Launch Vortex Protocol on Sei Network in Q2. Vortex is a decentralized derivatives order book exchange.

• Sushiswap DEX Aggregator – expected to launch in Q2.

• An NFT marketplace.

32. Gains Network @GainsNetwork_io

Gains Network is building gTrade, a perpetual DEX based on Arbitrum & Polygon.

Roadmap:

• Reverts – this will allow gTrade to guarantee all orders are triggered at correct prices.

• Fee restructuring upgrade;

• Continue multi-chain expansion.

33. FetchAI @Fetch_ai

One of the most popular crypto AI projects, building open infrastructure for intelligent, autonomous services.

Roadmap:

• Micro-agent application showcase;

• AI integration within wallet.

34. Stader @staderlabs

Multi-chain liquid staking protocol.

Next on the roadmap is the upcoming launch of ETHx, a liquid staking derivative.

$ETHx beta is already live.

Stader will allow anyone to run a node with only 4 ETH.

Requires $ETH.

35. Gearbox @GearboxProtocol

A composable leverage protocol on Ethereum.

Roadmap:

• Launch GearBox V3, bringing numerous improvements;

• Multiple pools targeting different risk profiles;

• Allow higher-risk, lower-liquidity assets to be added;

• Expand to L2s.

36. Injective @Injective_

Layer 1 specialized for DeFi.

Roadmap shown below.

Although public, there are no details about most items on it.

If I had to speculate, these Orbital Chains refer to allowing developers to build app chains atop Injective.

37. MetisDAO @MetisDAO

An Ethereum L2 project.

Roadmap:

• Achieve sequencer decentralization to make the network more robust;

• Build the first hybrid Rollup;

Hybrid Rollups theoretically offer optimistic rollup scalability and ZK rollup security.

38. Kujira @TeamKujira

Kujira is building a decentralized ecosystem around the $KUJI token.

Roadmap:

• Launch Sonar Wallet – a user-friendly super app for all DeFi;

• Enable margin trading on Kujira’s FIN exchange;

39. Osmosis @osmosiszone

Liquidity hub of the Cosmos ecosystem.

Roadmap:

• Launch concentrated liquidity pools;

• First Osmosis Outposts going live;

• New protocols deploying on Osmosis chain.

40. Arbitrum @arbitrum

Most popular Ethereum L2 by all metrics.

Arbitrum's next upgrade, called Stylus, will allow developers to deploy programs written in the most popular programming languages.

This includes Rust, C, and C++.

The Stylus upgrade will happen in 2023.