Injective (INJ) is the native token of Injective Protocol, a Layer-1 blockchain specifically built for decentralized finance (DeFi) applications with ultra-high speed, near-zero fees, and exceptional scalability. Built using the Cosmos SDK and Tendermint Core Proof-of-Stake consensus, Injective enables seamless cross-chain interoperability via IBC and Wormhole, connecting effortlessly with networks like Ethereum, Solana, and more. The platform provides full on-chain infrastructure for a decentralized exchange (DEX) with a real order book, derivatives trading, prediction markets, and lending protocols—allowing anyone to create and trade new financial markets permissionlessly.As the primary utility and governance token, INJ serves multiple critical roles:Governance: INJ holders can vote on protocol upgrades, market parameters, and ecosystem development through a fully decentralized DAO.
Staking & Security: Used to stake and secure the PoS network, earning passive rewards for validators and delegators.
Collateral & Utility: Acts as backing collateral for derivatives trading, pays transaction fees, and incentivizes developers.
Deflationary Mechanism: The standout feature—60% of all dApp fees (e.g., from the DEX) are collected weekly, auctioned off to buy back INJ from the market, and then permanently burned, progressively reducing total supply and creating built-in scarcity.
The initial total supply of INJ was 100 million tokens, distributed across community incentives, the team, and investors like Pantera Capital and Mark Cuban. As of December 2025, Injective continues to expand with innovations such as perpetual futures on real-world assets (RWAs) like OpenAI or SpaceX stocks, and even proposals for staked INJ ETFs in the U.S.—solidifying its position as one of the most advanced DeFi ecosystems in Web3.Beneath the unmatched brilliance of its on-chain order book, INJ quietly plays the role of a treasure guardian that burns its own gold week after week—just to make what remains infinitely more precious; the ultimate recipe for DeFi adventurers who crave eternal scarcity
