Orion is a decentralized finance (DeFi) platform that strives to provide users with a seamless trading experience by aggregating liquidity from both centralized and decentralized exchanges. This aggregation of liquidity allows Orion to provide real-time asset prices, making it a potentially valuable tool for those interested in the cryptocurrency market. Orion's non-custodial approach aims to empower individuals with financial responsibility on a global scale, as it allows users to maintain control of their assets at all times. Orion supports over 200 digital assets, making it a versatile platform for a wide range of cryptocurrency traders.

Orion operates by aggregating liquidity from various centralized and decentralized exchanges, which allows it to provide users with the most optimal asset prices in real-time. This is achieved through the use of decentralized CEX order books, transmuted AMM price curves, and complex CEX swaps. Orion's virtual order book technology provides a comprehensive view of the most optimal trade routes across both CEX and DEX platforms. Additionally, Orion's cross-chain bridge integration aims to take advantage of prices on other blockchains, providing even more route options. Price feeds on Orion update in milliseconds, thanks to the ample liquidity sources and the capital efficiency of each trade.

Orion seeks to address the issue of segregated liquidity in the cryptocurrency market by providing a single access point to both decentralized and centralized exchange liquidity. This makes Orion a potentially useful tool for individuals looking to trade a wide range of digital assets at the most optimal prices. Furthermore, Orion's use of atomic swaps allows for near-instant token transfers between two parties without the need for a third-party intermediary. This feature could be particularly beneficial for those seeking to maintain control of their assets while trading. Orion's platform is available to traders globally, making it a potentially valuable tool for a wide range of individuals interested in cryptocurrency trading.

Orion was founded in 2018 by Alexey Koloskov, who previously served as the Chief Architect and Creator of the Waves DEX. Prior to his involvement in the cryptocurrency space, Koloskov created software for large banks such as UniCredit and Deutsche Bank. Orion was developed with the goal of addressing the issue of segregated liquidity in the cryptocurrency market, a problem that Koloskov identified during his time in the crypto space. The Orion token was launched in July 2020, marking a milestone in the platform's development.

Orion Protocol addresses the issue of slippage in trading transactions by aggregating liquidity from multiple exchanges. This approach aims to ensure that users can access competitive exchange rates and transaction fees. The system gathers liquidity from various exchanges and consolidates it into a single API that seeks to determine suitable routes for users. Orion Protocol's system is based on order books, which means that when a user places an order, the aggregator immediately begins searching for multiple routes until it finds one that provides competitive trading rates. This reduces the need for users to search for competitive rates themselves, which would require them to find, access, and compare various exchange platforms. Orion Protocol's approach to addressing slippage aims to provide a streamlined and efficient trading experience.

Orion Protocol utilizes its native ORN token within its unique Delegated Proof of Broker (DPoB) consensus mechanism. This mechanism involves a decentralized network of nodes, referred to as "Brokers," to execute transactions across the network. Users who participate in Orion staking may receive non-monetary incentives in the form of ORN tokens. ORN token holders may gain access to certain features within the Orion Protocol crypto ecosystem. This includes the Orion Terminal, which aims to facilitate user access to various aspects of the crypto market from a single, unified trading portal. Therefore, participation in Orion staking may result in non-monetary incentives and access to certain features within the Orion Protocol crypto ecosystem, aiming to offer improvements to their overall user experience.

Orion Protocol is designed with the intention of providing a decentralized gateway to the digital asset market, with a particular emphasis on cross-chain capabilities. One of its features is Orion Bridge, a peer-to-peer atomic swap bridge that is designed to facilitate the trading of native assets across different blockchains. This bridge is integrated into Orion Terminal, which aims to aggregate liquidity across chains and exchanges. Orion Protocol utilizes atomic swap technology, which is intended to allow the immediate exchange of two native assets on different blockchains, without the need for wrapping or minting assets. The operation is atomic, meaning it either occurs completely, with both parties receiving their exchanged assets, or it does not occur at all, with both parties retaining ownership of their existing assets. Orion Bridge is designed with a focus on reducing the potential for certain types of exploits. Additionally, Orion Protocol uses peer-to-peer technology, which is intended to facilitate the direct exchange of an asset between individual parties.

Yes, there are specific requirements and criteria for projects to be listed on the Orion Launchpad. These criteria are designed to ensure the safety, reliability, and characteristics of the projects. One requirement is that all project founders and advisors must go through a private doxxing process, providing necessary identification to the Orion team. Another requirement is that the project must utilize a third-party exchange wallet verified through the founder's identity. Beyond these safety signals, the project must sign a legally binding agreement with Orion, solidifying their commitment to the platform. Projects are evaluated based on project characteristics signals. These include team characteristics, partnerships, whitepaper/roadmap, art characteristics, funding received, and community engagement and support. Each project characteristic parameter is scored individually, and the cumulative score determines the project's overall evaluation. This evaluation is then subject to peer review and discussed internally. The entire team has visibility into this process, with the ability to veto a project before formal approval.

Orion Protocol has made progress in its efforts within the cryptocurrency space. It is currently focusing on gathering crucial data to identify risks associated with deep space flight and re-entry, with the intention of using this knowledge to enhance the design of Orion for future test flights. Orion Protocol is also undergoing a rigorous technical and programmatic review, which seeks to confirm the program's technical, cost, and schedule baseline. This is a step towards Orion Protocol's goal of contributing to the architecture that will facilitate exploration beyond the moon.