The Avalanche token (AVAX) performs various tasks within Avalanche's Proof of Stake blockchain network. The Avalanche token functions as a rewards and payment system for users. The network is designed to be an open-source platform for launching highly decentralized applications, enterprise deployments, and decentralized financial instruments. The Avalanche ecosystem is meant to be smore scalable and interoperable than other blockchain platforms. Unlike Bitcoin and many other networks, transaction fees are “burnt” in order to increase token scarcity. This process is offset by the release, or “minting,” of new coins.
Avalanche was launched by Ava Labs, whose founder Emin Gün Sirer is a veteran computer scientist that has been very influential in the Blockchain space. Gün Sirer is a computer science professor at Cornell University and has written extensively about scaling blockchain networks.

The UMA token is used to enable holders to participate in community governance issues and to help resolve contract disputes on the UMA platform. UMA is designed to be a decentralized financial contracts platform, and is an abbreviation of Universal Market Access. Their goal is to build the financial infrastructure that will make creating decentralized financial services easier. UMA provides a variety of smart contract templates as well as a decentralized oracle that can be used to validate payouts related to financial contracts.

Kadena is a software development company that builds blockchain-based platforms for a range of businesses. They develop purpose-built blockchain solutions for their clients by using proprietary solutions that are aimed at being both secure and scalable. Kadena offers both private and public blockchain platforms, with smart contracts written in the Pact programming language. They've also developed an innovative proof-of-work architecture called ChainWeb that could have a variety of applications.
Kadena's founders have experience working for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and JPMorgan Chase Bank. The company has raised significant funding and is well positioned to be play a big role in developing future blockchain solutions for large financial institutions.