Part 11/14:
Aster’s rapid user growth (over 2 million users and a peak TVL of approximately $2 billion) reflects substantial marketing and network effects, driven by Binance’s support (via CZ’s public endorsements). Its appeal lies in the ability to trade stocks and derivatives continuously, an attractive feature in the 24/7 crypto ecosystem. However, such innovation comes with heightened systemic risks—smart contract exploits, cross-chain bridges vulnerabilities, and potential regulatory scrutiny.