Katana CEX Earn Programs: Update on KAT and TGE timeline
CEX Earn programs are coming to Katana. Today, Katana Foundation is sharing a major distribution and liquidity milestone for the network, along with an updated Token Generation Event (TGE) timeline so KAT’s launch is aligned with these new distribution rails.
Katana is entering a new phase, and it starts right here.
TL;DR
Katana’s native yield is being integrated into major CEX Earn programs, which allows eligible users to earn Katana-powered returns directly from their exchange accounts and wallets.
These integrations will drive hundreds of millions of dollars in Productive TVL in the coming weeks.
As a result, TGE is now targeted to occur on or before the end of March 2026. This timing aligns with the rollout of these major distribution and liquidity rails. We will announce the exact activation date and time in advance.
Later this week the Katana Foundation will execute an upgrade to amend the hardcoded auto-transferability trigger from the KAT smart contract. KAT will NOT automatically become unlocked on February 20, 2026.
KAT and vKAT earned by you will remain unchanged. No action is required. Ongoing deposits and participation will continue to accrue rewards as expected.
Katana is entering its next phase of distribution: exchange‑ and wallet‑native Earn programs that broaden access to Katana‑native yield. Aligning TGE with this rollout will support deeper liquidity and more onchain activity at launch.
Introducing Katana Earn Through CEX Earn Programs
Multiple leading centralized exchanges are actively integrating Katana Earn products that will allow eligible users to tap into Katana-native vault strategies directly from their exchange and wallet interfaces. These programs are expected to materially expand Katana’s distribution and bring new capital onchain through familiar, exchange-native experiences. Given the rigorous diligence conducted by centralized exchanges, this also reflects alignment with the operational, security, and compliance standards of major global platforms.
Phase 2 of Katana’s Liquidity Ecosystem
Phase 1 of Katana’s liquidity ecosystem focused on crypto native funds and institutions that are critical to bootstrapping phases of new chains and are willing to take more risk for higher yields.
With Phase 2, Katana is expanding into crypto-native earn programs with broader distribution. Building on previous wallet campaigns with OkX and Jumper, Katana will add an additional large wallet distributor in the coming weeks.
Katana will eventually evolve into a third phase where traditional FinTechs and institutions leverage it to drive higher returns for themselves and their users. These integrations require high levels of trust, which Katana has consistently been establishing with a secure DeFi environment and high-quality partner integrations.
What this means for existing Katana users
For existing Katana users, these Earn programs strengthen the onchain environment by bringing more capital and activity onto Katana.
In practical terms, increased stablecoin liquidity and distribution can support:
deeper liquidity and better execution across core DeFi markets
more consistent utilization across lending and trading venues
stronger fee generation, which benefits the broader ecosystem as activity scales
a stronger launch environment as the onchain economy transitions into its next phase
KAT TGE and transferability update
What we previously communicated
When the KAT token was minted in May 2025, the ERC-20 contract included a hardcoded deadline: transfers could be enabled earlier, but would automatically trigger no later than February 20, 2026. We wanted to be clear that we were not playing games around the liquidity of the token or its value. This same sentiment remains.
Why we are changing the timeline now
Due to the significant impact of the CEX Earn campaigns, we determined it was best to adjust the TGE timing to March 2026 to line up these campaigns with the TGE. It also provides time to support the upcoming CEX Earn integrations and the broader set of launch-critical infrastructure that needs to be shipped and stabilized around them.
Our goal is to align TGE with the rollout of major distribution and liquidity rails so the ecosystem is ready for the next phase at the moment transfers are enabled. This work requires substantial operational, security, and compliance validation, and we are sequencing TGE accordingly.
What is Changing
Network Upgrade This Week
Later this week, the Katana Foundation will execute an upgrade that changes the automatic, date-based unlock trigger from the KAT smart contract.
This is a one-time correction to an early design choice made approximately one year ago and months before launch. It does not change token balances, allocations, or how KAT/vKAT accrues.
Targeting March 2026 for TGE
KAT will remain non‑transferable until TGE, which is now targeted for March 2026. This window reflects the sequencing required to bring major distribution and liquidity rails live and stable as we approach KAT TGE.
Once the integration work is finalized, we will announce the exact TGE date and activation time in advance.
What’s Not Changing
To avoid any ambiguity, the following remain unchanged:
KAT and vKAT balances are unchanged. No action is required
Deposits continue to accrue KAT as they do today
Katana remains a DeFi-focused chain, and we will continue supporting builders, users, and applications across the ecosystem.
Expected Timeline
All dates are subject to successful completion of the coordination and deployment process described above.
Week of February 16th: network upgrade executed to amend the hardcoded auto-transfer trigger
February 20, 2026: no automatic unlock will occur
March 2026: TGE and KAT transferability, pending completion of the CEX integrations described above (exact activation date and time will be announced in advance)
Team Alignment
Katana Foundation employees do receive token allocations. Employee token grants are not vested until one year after TGE under employee-specific allocation contracts. Our incentives remain long-term and aligned with building a durable and long-lasting ecosystem.
The Future of DeFi is Katana
We recognize many community members planned around February 20, 2026, and we do not take this change lightly.
We are making this update because we believe it best supports the long-term health and stability of the Katana ecosystem and the KAT token itself. It aligns KAT transferability with major distribution and liquidity integrations, and ensures the supporting infrastructure is live and stable at TGE.
We will continue to communicate clearly as we approach TGE, including technical references for the network upgrade and advance notice of the exact activation date and time.
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