ZIGChain, a new Layer 1 blockchain purpose-built for DeFi and RWA tokenization, officially launched its mainnet beta today (June 25).
With institutional-grade architecture and compliance-driven tooling, ZIGChain enters the increasingly competitive Layer 1 space with a differentiated focus on programmable investment infrastructure.
The chain’s launch follows a series of strategic announcements, including the debut of Zamanat, the first Shariah-compliant RWA platform, and the formation of a $25 million DeFAI Innovation Fund, designed to support AI-powered decentralized finance.
“This mainnet beta launch represents a shift from vision to foundation,” said ZIGChain Co-Founder and CEO, Bart Bordallo. We’ve built a high-performance, interoperable architecture that can handle the complex requirements of DeFi, RWA tokenization, and automated investment protocols at scale.”
Building on the Success of Zignaly
ZIGChain inherits its user base and market insights from Zignaly, the social investment platform that connects over 600,000 users with more than 150 professional fund managers.
Operating under regulatory licenses in Europe and the UAE, Zignaly has carved a niche by democratizing access to managed investment products—an ethos ZIGChain intends to replicate on-chain.
The $100 million ZIGChain Ecosystem Fund—backed by DWF Labs, UDHC Finance, and Disrupt.com—signals strong institutional support. Funds will go toward supporting early-stage developers building natively on the protocol, including AI-driven applications and compliant DeFi tooling.
“We aim to equip developers with the tools they need to start building programmable protocols designed to align with applicable law that bridge traditional assets with blockchain technology,” said Abdul Rafay Gadit, Co-Founder of ZIGChain.
A Focus on Real-World Assets and Ethical Finance
ZIGChain’s launch reflects a broader industry trend: integrating RWAs into decentralized protocols to unlock tangible value. According to a recent Boston Consulting Group and Addx report, the RWA tokenization market could reach $16.1 trillion by 2030, as institutional capital increasingly seeks on-chain exposure to yield-generating traditional assets. Another report from McKinsey, published last year, predict $2 trillion by 2030.
Zamanat, ZIGChain’s RWA tokenization platform, is structured to meet Islamic finance principles. The platform aims to address a significant gap in compliant digital finance for Muslim-majority markets. The platform is part of a growing movement aligning ethical finance with blockchain infrastructure, an area that has gained traction particularly in the Gulf and Southeast Asian regions.
Ecosystem Readiness: Applications and Developer Tools
At launch, ZIGChain brings a growing suite of applications primed for deployment:
- Oroswap: An AI-powered conversational decentralized exchange (DEX)
- Valdora Finance: A native liquid staking protocol
- Permapod: A lending platform accepting RWAs as collateral
- Nawa Finance: A DeFi aggregator aligned with Shariah compliance
These projects are early indicators of ZIGChain’s value proposition: programmable finance with real-world anchoring and inclusive design.
ZIGChain’s infrastructure rollout includes native staking tools, validator onboarding, and cross-chain bridges for $ZIG token migration. The phased deployment model aims to maintain network stability and security while scaling capacity in line with application growth.
Entering a Crowded Layer 1 Arena
ZIGChain’s debut comes amid fierce competition in the Layer 1 blockchain space. Ethereum remains dominant in TVL (Total Value Locked), but newer chains like Solana, Sui, and Aptos have gained market share by emphasizing speed, cost-efficiency, and modular design.
However, ZIGChain’s bet on institutional-ready, compliance-first infrastructure may resonate with fund managers, RWA platforms, and jurisdictions looking for regulated DeFi environments. The network’s emphasis on AI-first development and religious finance compliance further separates it from generalized smart contract platforms.
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Image Credits: ZIGChain
