Injective has introduced perpetual futures markets for private equity, opening direct exposure to fast-growing companies such as OpenAI, SpaceX, and Anthropic. The blockchain network announced Wednesday that retail traders can now speculate on valuations traditionally reserved for venture funds and private equity giants.
The launch signals a radical shift in how investors approach high-profile private markets. Until now, access to shares in major pre-IPO firms was confined to institutions and select accredited investors. By putting these futures on-chain, Injective is betting on a surge of demand from global traders eager to gain exposure to high-growth startups before public listings.
How Injective’s Futures Let Traders Bet on OpenAI and SpaceX
Unlike traditional derivatives, perpetual futures do not expire. Traders can hold positions indefinitely. The first contracts highlight access to OpenAI, SpaceX, Anthropic, and Perplexity, four of the most closely watched private companies in tech. Injective said the contracts reflect estimated valuations of private firms, giving exposure without actual share ownership.
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Other names slated for inclusion include xAI, Revolut, Monzo, Airtable, and Notion. These startups are valued in the tens of billions. According to Injective, data and AI startups alone raised more than $100 billion in 2024.
The project builds on Injective’s August partnership with Republic, a New York-based investment platform. Republic has explored tokenized instruments called “Mirror Tokens.” The alliance aims to bridge retail capital and private equity flows.
$2.3B Weekly Trading Shows Private Market Demand
Injective reported $1 billion worth of real-world asset futures traded on its chain in the past 30 days. According to DeFiLlama, Injective’s perpetual futures processed $2.30 billion in trading over the last 7 days. Daily activity exceeded $803 million, showing strong demand for real-world asset exposure. Industry observers note that if adoption continues, the model could spread to other sectors such as fintech and biotech.
Still, risks remain. Valuations of private firms are opaque. This raises concerns over fair pricing and volatility.
Market participants warn that without transparent benchmarks, contracts could swing wildly. The U.S. SEC has also pointed to the challenges of valuing pre-IPO equity, underscoring regulatory sensitivities.
Even so, Injective’s expansion signals the next phase of tokenized assets. It makes private equity investable for anyone with a crypto wallet. Analysts say the next few months, as firms such as xAI and Revolut are added, will show if the experiment gains lasting traction or remains a niche play.
On the day, Injective (INJ) rose 5.2% to trade at $12.58. The recent peak was $52.6 on March 14, 2024.
Source: https://beincrypto.com/injective-will-now-let-traders-bet-on-openai-with-leverage/
