Organization Name – Tranchess
Category –
Banking & DeFi
Tranchess is a decentralized protocol launched in mid‑2021 that innovatively combines liquid staking with structured tranche investing to cater to varying risk appetites within a single ecosystem. I…ts origin dates back to early 2020, when the founders conceptualized it as an on‑chain equivalent of traditional tranche-based investment funds. The platform first debuted on Binance Smart Chain (BSC), with its BTC-tracking fund and associated tokens launching in June 2021, marking the official start of Tranchess. Shortly after, additional funds targeting ETH and BNB were introduced, enabling users to access liquid staking exposure and yield farming through native derivative tokens such as bQUEEN, qETH, and nQUEEN+. Tranchess employs a four-token architecture: main fund tokens (QUEEN) that track their underlying assets’ price movements plus staking rewards; BISHOP tokens, which represent conservative fixed-yield exposure by lending to leveraged participants; ROOK tokens, which provide a leveraged, non-liquidation position on the main funds; and CHESS, the governance token earned by staking QUEEN, BISHOP, or ROOK. Beyond farming yield, CHESS holders can lock their tokens to mint veCHESS, granting them voting power over emission schedules, fee rebates, and fund allocation across underlying pools. Weekly CHESS emissions began on June 24, 2021, at a rate starting at 300 k tokens, increasing incrementally, and vesting over about four years.
Emissions are dynamically allocated between BTC, ETH, and BNB pools proportionate to TVL and governed weightings.
Tranchess has expanded cross-chain via partnerships with Multichain and AnyCall to enable CHESS/veCHESS transfers between BNB Chain and Ethereum. On Nov 25, 2021, the qETH liquid staking fund launched on Ethereum, unlocking new utility for CHESS via Balancer and bribing mechanisms like Hiddenhand and auraBAL integration.
The core protocol supports instant creation and redemption of QUEEN tokens and added instant AMM swaps for BISHOP, ROOK, and BUSD conversions on its V2 upgrade. Security transparency is a priority: Tranchess has undergone multiple audits by PeckShield and CertiK and runs bug bounty programs. Governance via TranchessDAO was established in late 2022, allowing community oversight on CHESS emission splits, fund strategy, treasury growth, and transparency improvements.
Multichain expansion has been a primary focus; since late 2021, instant swaps, liquid staking for ETH, and extensive cross-chain bridges have been implemented.
The Tranchess BNB fund launched in early 2022, surpassing 230 k BNB in deposits within weeks, backed by the launch of validator nodes on BNB Chain to secure user yield through delegation and protocol rewards.
By mid‑2023, Tranchess had TVL over $40 million and market cap north of $17 million, signaling adoption across both conservative and risk-seeking investors.
Its tournament-style incentive program, “Trooper of the Month,” rewards community contributors and strengthens user engagement
The protocol continues rolling out features: integration with Chainlink oracles for stable pricing, UI redesigns, deeper AMM liquidity options, and expanded fund tracking. Notably, Tranchess has forged partnerships with Balancer, RockX, Multichain, Venus, Chainlink, and others, amplifying interoperability and user yield.
CHESS tokenomics emphasize community alignment: out of the 300 million supply, 50 % is earmarked for community rewards, 15 % for investors, 20 % to the team, 10 % for ecosystem, and 5 % reserved.
The platform’s emission design encourages users to stake and lock CHESS, while veCHESS unlocks fee rebates and governance weight. Ongoing focus remains on expanding liquid staking pools, adding new asset-backed funds, enhancing cross-chain utility, and evolving community-led governance, positioning Tranchess not just as a yield aggregator but as a modular finance hub tailored to different investor profiles. Its audited smart contracts, tranche flexibility, no-liquidation leveraged exposure, and dynamic DAO control set Tranchess apart in decentralized finance. As DeFi matures, Tranchess aims to broaden its product offerings, increase chain coverage and asset types, and strengthen its position as a sophisticated risk-return management platform. Read More