Traders Can Now Bet on Anything—from Bitcoin to Inflation or Global Temperature
Clearmatics, a pioneer in blockchain-based finance, has announced the launch of a new class of DeFi derivatives called forecast markets. These instruments will allow users to speculate or hedge against any public time series data, including crypto indexes, inflation rates, GDP, even global temperatures—all powered by the soon-to-launch Autonity blockchain and the Autonomous Futures Protocol (AFP).
“If the market cares enough about it, you can now trade it,” said Clearmatics CEO Robert Sams.
Unlike prediction markets, which offer binary payouts based on outcomes, forecast markets function like traditional futures—offering symmetric payoff profiles and continuous trading of data-based trends. This makes them powerful tools for tracking and managing ongoing risks.
Autonity and AFP: A New Foundation for DeFi Derivatives
The Autonity blockchain, launching soon, is Ethereum-compatible and designed to support permissionless creation of dated futures contracts. These contracts are tradable across any non-custodial DeFi venue thanks to AFP, which separates exchange from clearing—a technical evolution in decentralized infrastructure.
This means developers can now create their own futures markets on anything from blockchain activity metrics to environmental data, fostering a new wave of decentralized financial innovation.
Not Prediction Markets—But a Parallel Ecosystem
While often compared to platforms like Polymarket, forecast markets serve a different role.
- Prediction markets are one-off, outcome-driven, and disappear after the result.
- Forecast markets are continuous and build liquidity over time around long-term trends.
“Forecast and prediction markets are complementary,” said Sams. “Forecast markets are for persistent risks, while prediction markets are more for narrative events.”
Forecastathon: A Call to Builders
To mark the launch, Clearmatics is hosting a “Forecastathon”, inviting quants, DeFi engineers, and data scientists to prototype innovative financial products using the Autonity chain. It’s a chance to push the boundaries of decentralized finance by creating markets on any dataset the community values.
A New Era of DeFi Utility
With forecast markets, DeFi moves beyond just trading assets—it becomes a tool to manage uncertainty around macroeconomics, climate, and global systems. By merging transparency with programmable finance, Clearmatics’ new platform could reshape how data and markets intersect.
Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Cryptocurrency trading involves risk and may result in financial loss.