# Pendulum > The missing link between fiat and DeFi Pendulum is a Polkadot parachain network built to connect fiat currencies with decentralized finance. It provides fiat-optimized smart contract infrastructure for foreign exchange liquidity, lending, and yield generation. Pendulum is a blockchain network operating as a Polkadot parachain, classified as a fiat-optimized smart contract platform for decentralized finance. It connects traditional fiat currencies to DeFi applications, enabling foreign exchange liquidity, automated market making, and yield generation for fiat token holders. The network is built for developers and financial applications seeking to bridge conventional currency rails with onchain markets. The network addresses the separation between fiat currency markets and decentralized finance by providing smart contract infrastructure optimized for foreign exchange operations. It secures its chain through Polkadot's shared security model and connects to external networks such as Stellar through purpose-built bridge infrastructure, allowing fiat-pegged tokens to move between ecosystems and interact with onchain liquidity pools. Pendulum's ecosystem includes Amplitude, a sister network operating as a Kusama parachain that serves as a live testing ground for new features, and Spacewalk, a bridge framework connecting Polkadot and Kusama parachains to networks like Stellar. A grants program funds developers building fiat-DeFi infrastructure on the network, and a cross-chain swap application extends access to fiat off-ramp functionality. The network is used by developers, liquidity providers, and holders of fiat-pegged tokens across its connected ecosystems. - Type: Network - Sector: Blockchain Platforms - Status: Active - Founded: 2023-02-01 - Profile: https://thegrid.id/profiles/pendulum ## Products - [Amplitude](https://thegrid.id/profiles/pendulum): Amplitude is a Kusama parachain that serves as the canary network for Pendulum, testing applications and network parameters with real economic stakes before changes reach the Pendulum mainnet. It settles transactions back to Kusama for security while running the same foreign exchange oriented execution environment as its sister network. The AMPE token pays transaction fees, secures the network through staking, and is used in on-chain governance through quadratic voting. (L2, Live) - [Pendulum](https://thegrid.id/profiles/pendulum): Pendulum is a Layer 1 parachain connected to the Polkadot network that provides a specialized execution environment for fixed income and foreign exchange applications. It settles transactions back to Polkadot for final security guarantees while offering on-chain automated market making tuned for currency pairs and fiat-linked assets. Developers and liquidity providers use it to build and access decentralized foreign exchange markets, with the PEN token used for transaction fees, staking, and on-chain governance. (L2, Live, Main Product) - [Spacewalk](https://thegrid.id/profiles/pendulum): Spacewalk is a trust-minimized bridge connecting the Stellar network to the Polkadot and Kusama ecosystems. It uses a collateralized vault operator model, where operators lock Polkadot or Kusama tokens to back issuance and redemption of bridged assets between the networks. The bridge lets users move Stellar-based assets, including its stablecoins, into Pendulum and Amplitude for use in on-chain foreign exchange applications. (Bridge, Live) - [Pendulum Grants Program](https://thegrid.id/profiles/pendulum): The Pendulum Grants Program is an ecosystem funding platform that provides financial support to developers building applications and infrastructure on Pendulum and Amplitude. Applicants submit proposals through a dedicated application process and receive funding to support development work within the ecosystem. The program targets projects extending decentralized foreign exchange and cross-chain functionality on the two networks. (Grants Platform, Live) ## Assets - [PEN Token (PEN)](https://thegrid.id/profiles/pendulum): PEN is the native token of Pendulum, a Polkadot parachain focused on fiat-denominated decentralized finance. It is used for paying transaction fees, staking to secure the network, and participating in on-chain governance. Fee revenue is split between the community treasury and rewards, and governance uses quadratic voting to limit the influence of large holders. (Native) - [AMPE Token (AMPE)](https://thegrid.id/profiles/pendulum): AMPE is the native token of Amplitude, a Kusama parachain that serves as the canary network for Pendulum. It is used for paying transaction fees, staking, and voting on treasury and parameter proposals through a quadratic governance mechanism. The team and advisors took no token allocation, giving the full initial distribution to the community. (Native) ## Links - [Main](https://www.pendulumchain.org) - [Documentation](https://docs.pendulumchain.org) - [Terms of Service](https://www.pendulumchain.org/legal/terms-and-conditions) - [Media Kit/branding](https://www.pendulumchain.org/brand-assets) - [Twitter / X](https://x.com/amplitude_chain) - [Telegram](https://t.me/pendulum_community) - [Twitter / X](https://twitter.com/pendulum_chain) - [Medium](https://pendulum-chain.medium.com) - [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/Pendulum_Chain) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/pendulum-chain) ## Legal This data is provided under two licensing models. Model 1 - open data. The open data core is licensed under the Open Database License (ODbL) — a copyleft/share-alike license allowing free use, modification, and sharing for any purpose. Attribution is required: include "Powered by The Grid" linking to https://thegrid.id wherever the data is used. Derivative databases must be shared under ODbL terms. 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