In a bold move to redefine Nigeria’s peer-to-peer (P2P) trading market, Asset Chain, a Nigerian blockchain infrastructure startup, has launched a zero-fee, permissionless Layer-1 blockchain aimed at enabling Nigerians to trade digital and real-world assets directly—without banks, middlemen, or even gas fees.
The platform’s core offering is a decentralized exchange (DEX) that supports instant trades between USDT (a dollar-backed stablecoin) and cNGN (a Naira-backed stablecoin). The DEX eliminates the need for trust between users through smart contracts that automate matching and settlements. Users incur no transaction fees, with the cost of trading entirely sponsored by Asset Chain.
“Traders can buy USDT with cNGN without talking to anyone, and they pay no gas fees. Settlement is instant,” said Ugochukwu Aronu, Asset Chain’s co-founder and CEO.
A Fix for Nigeria’s Shadow P2P Market
With Nigeria’s crypto market recording significant transaction volumes, much of which occurs via informal and unregulated P2P platforms, Asset Chain’s solution directly addresses the risks of fraud and lack of transparency. By removing third parties and automating trades with auditable smart contracts, the platform introduces security into a typically high-risk market.
The launch comes after years of development and rigorous testing, including a testnet phase. The Layer-1 blockchain claims to handle tens of thousands of transactions per second and has already onboarded hundreds of early users, aiming for rapid growth and nationwide adoption.
“Our mission is to capture and retain value within Africa. Billions of dollars go to foreign blockchains—Ethereum, Solana, Base—without Nigeria getting a share. That has to change,” Aronu said.
Real-World Asset Tokenization in View
Beyond digital currencies, Asset Chain plans to enable fractional ownership of real-world assets—from real estate to agriculture and government bonds. Through its sister company Assetbase, the platform aims to tokenize physical assets while enforcing identity verification, insurance backing, and regulatory compliance.
A notable partnership with Risevest will enable Nigerians at home and abroad to invest in tokenized assets with competitive annual yields, democratizing access to traditionally exclusive asset classes.
While the platform is currently invite-only, it promises a user experience similar to popular P2P platforms—but with enhanced security, transparency, and zero fees.
