Clearmatics Launches Decentralized Futures Products for Diverse Time Series Data
Clearmatics is launching a new class of decentralized futures products called forecast markets. Key points include:
- Forecast markets consist of dated futures contracts that can track any public time series data, such as crypto indexes and inflation.
- The product will be supported by the upcoming layer-1 blockchain Autonity and the Autonomous Futures Protocol (AFP).
- A "Forecastathon" event will invite participation from quants and engineers to develop prototype products on Autonity.
- Forecast contracts differ from prediction markets; they provide symmetrical payoffs based on underlying factors, allowing for ongoing liquidity.
- Forecast markets aim to complement prediction markets rather than compete with them.
- The crypto derivatives market remains focused on perpetual futures, but on-chain, dated futures could address real-world risks more effectively.
- The AFP enables permissionless listing of products across multiple trading venues, enhancing capital efficiency.
- This structure addresses fragmentation issues in decentralized derivatives markets.
CEO Robert Sams emphasized the potential for these instruments to reduce portfolio volatility by enabling hedging against various risk factors.