Quicknode

May 28, 2025 — 4 min read

We’re excited to spotlight CVEX, a team of seasoned operators redefining how derivatives function in DeFi through fully decentralized clearing infrastructure. With decades of combined experience across high-frequency trading, blockchain architecture, and financial markets, the CVEX leadership team is introducing a new category in DeFi called Smart Clearing. Through the Quicknode Rollup Accelerator, CVEX has sharpened its messaging, focused on high-impact builder engagement, and doubled down on becoming the foundational infrastructure layer for the next generation of DeFi markets.

Q & A with CVEX 👇

Who are you, and what’s the mission behind CVEX?

CVEX is a dedicated team of professionals who have been developing our solution for over 18 months (as of January 2025) to address a fundamental challenge in the crypto space. Our leadership includes:

• James Davies (CEO): With over 25 years in derivatives infrastructure and trading, James was an architect of the first commercial High-Frequency Trading (HFT) software, built the largest trading platform in commodities, and has had multiple successful exits.

• Ivan Ivashchenko (CTO): A Rust Smart Contract OG, Ivan is the ex-Chief Architect at Bitfury, where he designed the Exonum blockchain, the first proof-of-stake blockchain.

• Mathias Nielsen (CSO, CMO): A B2C marketing expert and award-winning tech entrepreneur with deep blockchain expertise, Mathias has a track record of multiple startups, three successful exits, and one company IPO. Our wider team brings experience from leading financial and crypto institutions such as Binance, BGC Partners, Bitfury, Radix DLT, Cantor Fitzgerald, Deutsche Börse/Eurex, Trayport, and BNP Paribas.

What drew you to Quicknode’s Rollup Accelerator, and how has it shaped your journey so far?

First and foremost, we were drawn to the accelerator by the caliber of the program itself and the experts invited to share their invaluable experience.

What’s been the highlight of your experience in the accelerator over the past few weeks?

The PR workshop, in many aspects, was eye-opening and helped us realize some pivotal insights that we can take into the marketing of our chain.

What key milestones have you hit during the program, and what lessons have stuck with you?

As for what’s really stuck with us from being in the accelerator, a few things definitely come to mind. There's been a big emphasis on focusing on quality over quantity in pretty much everything we do. So, whether we're thinking about the builders we want to attract or really nailing that product-market fit, it's about making sure it’s good, not just plentiful.

Plus, it’s been super insightful to really dig into how other successful projects have made their mark. There’s a ton to learn from their journeys – what they did right, their game plans, and even the hurdles they overcame. It’s like getting a masterclass in what works.

What’s next for CVEX, and how do you plan to make waves in Web3?CVEX is positioned to be a transformative force in Web3 by:

• Pioneering Decentralized Clearing: We are the first to bring a comprehensive, decentralized derivatives clearing protocol – "Smart Clearing" – to DeFi. This isn't just an incremental improvement; it's a new category.

• Unleashing Unprecedented Capital Efficiency: Our VaR-based margining will free up significant locked capital across the DeFi ecosystem (potentially 55-99%+ reductions), allowing for more trading, deeper liquidity, and new strategy deployment that is currently unfeasible.

• Powering the Next Generation of DeFi Markets:

  • We will enable the DeFi options market to finally overcome its limitations by addressing the core need for market maker capital efficiency.

  • We will make trading altcoin derivatives far more accessible and cost-effective.

  • Critically, CVEX will provide the necessary infrastructure for Real-World Asset (RWA) tokenization to flourish by offering efficient and affordable hedging for these assets.

• Enhancing the Entire DeFi Ecosystem: We aim to partner with existing Perpetual DEXs, allowing them to offer their users our cross-margining benefits, thereby increasing their trading volumes and capital efficiency.

• Establishing the Standard: We believe our approach to trustless, on-chain clearing is unique and far ahead of anything else in DeFi. As stated in our documentation, "In Defi nothing comes remotely close."

Fostering a Builder-Centric Ecosystem: Our multi-layered architecture (Protocol, Platforms, Front-Ends) is designed to empower a community of builders to create a diverse range of financial products and services on top of CVEX. By solving the critical issue of capital efficiency, CVEX aims to not only capture a significant share of the rapidly expanding multi-trillion dollar derivatives market but also to be a foundational layer for the future growth and maturation of the entire DeFi and tokenized asset economy.

Check them out at cvex.xyz and follow along on X: @cvex_xyz