Founders Fund-backed N1 to acquire 01 Exchange ahead of N1 2.0 launch

Founders Fund-backed Layer 1 blockchain N1 has agreed to acquire decentralized derivatives platform 01 Exchange, bringing one of the largest applications built on its network under direct ownership as it prepares for the rollout of its next-generation blockchain infrastructure.

The transaction is expected to close within the next six months and will be structured entirely in equity and tokens, according to the company. Operational integration will begin immediately.

Originally incubated within the N1 ecosystem, 01 Exchange has processed more than $3 billion in trading volume and attracted over 25,000 users.

Under the agreement, the exchange's application layer, trading product, market structure expertise, and user community will become part of N1's broader network strategy.

Acquisition supports vertically integrated network strategy

The acquisition reflects N1's strategy of bringing key components of its ecosystem under one network rather than relying primarily on independent third-party applications to drive activity.

According to the company, integrating infrastructure, liquidity, and its flagship trading application is intended to better align product development, distribution, and network economics while reducing fragmentation across the ecosystem.

“01 Exchange has already shown what is possible on N1, and bringing it into the network lets us move faster, deepen liquidity, and deliver a more integrated trading experience”, said Dima Romanov, CEO and co-founder of N1. “With N1 2.0, our next version, we’re expanding that foundation across RFQ markets, vaults, equities, mobile, and other on-chain financial products. We believe vertically integrated networks will define the next generation of exchanges, and N1 is being built to lead that shift.”

The company said the acquisition is part of a broader effort to strengthen its position as competition intensifies among blockchain networks seeking to attract developers, users, and liquidity.

N1 2.0 to expand on-chain financial products

The acquisition comes ahead of the planned launch of N1 2.0, the next major version of the blockchain network.

According to the company, the upgrade will introduce deeper liquidity, request-for-quote (RFQ) markets, vaults, equities and additional on-chain financial products.

N1 also plans to expand access to its ecosystem through native mobile applications for both iOS and Android, allowing users to access its trading infrastructure through dedicated mobile platforms.

The company said these additions are intended to broaden the range of financial services available on the network while supporting increased user participation.

Existing users will not need to migrate assets

N1 said existing 01 Exchange users will not be required to migrate their assets as part of the integration.

The exchange will continue operating under the N1 brand, with the upgraded version expected to be deployed without requiring users to move funds or accounts.

The company also said points earned before the N1 launch will continue to be recognized.

Founded as a Layer 1 blockchain focused on scalability and low-latency performance, N1 said its network is designed to support next-generation crypto applications through horizontal scalability, sub-millisecond latency and high throughput.