Table of Contents
At the start of 2026, Astar defined a clear system direction.
The Astar 2026 roadmap introduced the Astar Stack and demonstrates how products relate to ASTR. The ASTR value capture framework defined how onchain activity flows back to the token.
Q1 2026 focused on implementing the foundation of this direction.
The quarter established the economic model for ASTR, restructured participation through dApp Staking, and clarified how the Astar Collective operates.
Tokenomics 3.0 and ASTR Value Capture
Tokenomics 3.0 introduced an improved issuance model for ASTR.
Emission decay and a lower inflation ceiling define a bounded supply trajectory. ASTR issuance follows a predictable decreasing path over time, enabling participants to evaluate long-term distribution and supply dynamics.
The ASTR value capture framework defined how value flows from onchain activity back to the token. Product usage, staking participation, and ecosystem activity form the basis of ASTR’s economic role.
In January, Astar published a retrospective of the Burndrop PoC conducted in late 2025. The PoC tested mechanisms for returning value to ASTR through burn-based dynamics.
Burndrop remains a developing component of Astar's economic system, with progress tied to evolving conditions.
dApp Staking Revamp and Ecosystem Participation
The dApp Staking revamp introduced a fixed structure for ecosystem participation.
The number of supported projects is capped at 16, distributed across two active tiers: 6 slots in Tier 2 and 10 slots in Tier 3. Reward allocation is tied directly to this structure, concentrating emissions across a defined set of projects.
For builders, participation depends on securing and maintaining a position within these tiers. For ASTR holders, staking decisions determine how capital is allocated across a smaller set of projects.
“The 16: Licensed To Build” campaign builds on this structure by highlighting the projects in dApp Staking Cycle 007. It connects staking decisions to identifiable teams and products operating within the Astar ecosystem.
The Astar Collective and Governance Structure
Astar clarified its structure as a collective through a series of forum posts covering contributors, ecosystems, and governance.
These posts define how Astar Network, the Astar Foundation, Startale Group, and governance bodies coordinate product development, ecosystem activity, and economic decisions.
Governance participants can evaluate proposals against a known set of decision-making bodies with defined roles. For builders and ecosystem contributors, it affirms which entities own which parts of the system and where input is relevant.
The Astar Collective is a coordinated system where different contributors operate under shared economic and governance rules.
Astar Stack and Product Direction
Astar Stack is Astar's product execution stack. It brings together the products being developed under Astar Collective direction to generate onchain financial activity and connect that activity to ASTR.
Astar Fi is the first product being developed within Astar Stack. It is an onchain personal finance hub that brings saving, earning, investing, and spending into a unified self-custodial product.
Astar Fi moves further into development in Q2, building on the economic model and participation structure established this quarter.
Astar Portal and User Interaction Layer
Updates to the Astar Portal improved how users interact with Astar Network and manage their ASTR.
The Portal now supports a dual environment structure. Astar Network operates across two account types, EVM and Native, which previously required separate management. The rebuilt Portal brings both into a single interface, allowing users to view and manage assets across environments, connect the relevant wallet for each, and move between staking and ecosystem activity without switching tools.
The staking page was redesigned for clarity. Core actions such as staking and project discovery are now easier to access within a single flow.
The Portal acts as the primary interface for interacting with staking, governance, and ecosystem activity, making participation more direct and consistent.
From System Definition to Execution
Q1 2026 sets a consistent foundation across Astar’s core components.
The economic model is live. Participation through dApp Staking is structured around a defined set of projects. The Astar Collective has published how it coordinates decisions and responsibilities. The Astar Portal was rebuilt to make staking, project discovery, and ecosystem navigation meaningfully more accessible for ASTR holders. Products being built within the Astar Stack now have a defined foundation for execution.
"The 16: Licensed To Build" campaign connects staking decisions to active teams and products. As Astar Fi and other Stack products go live, that foundation becomes the surface users interact with directly.
Q1 establishes the infrastructure. Q2 is where it becomes visible.