Altered State Token (ASTO), an ERC-20 token, is the native utility token for the Altered State Machine ecosystem.

The main purpose of ASTO is to provide utility within the ASM ecosystem, including accessing the ASM network, creating and training Agents, inter-Agent transactions, participating in events such as Genome Mining, play-to-earn games, and more. ASTO will be utilized across the protocol to enable access and provide rewards to participants, users, creators and developers in each project and ecosystem use-case.

Anyone who is an ASTO holder will be able to join the ElderDAO when it is established, a community lead DAO currently being developed by ASM. The token-holding community will create and guide the future of ASM, using ASTO to manage and grow the ASM ecosystem over time. ASTO will also be used to fund other projects emerging in the ecosystem, at discretion of the ElderDAO.



Who are the Founders of Altered State Machine?

Altered State Machine was co-founded in 2021 by David McDonald, Aaron McDonald, Hal Smith Stevens, and Phil Williams.

David McDonald is the CEO of ASM. Before founding ASM, David has worked in geospatial and IOT then progressing into Blockchain. His notable successes including the world's first national primary industries blockchain consortium, spanning the entire value chain from government to consumer.

Aaron McDonald is the Chairman of ASM and is a cofounder, board member, and director of Centrality, one of NZ’s fastest growing technology companies. In 2019, Aaron was named Ernst & Young EY Technology Entrepreneur of the Year. Prior to Centrality, his career includes 20 years in technology as an engineer, product developer, and business leader with portfolios worth over $1b. He is notable for his time at Vodafone, implementing critical technology programs for the NZ arm of the global telecoms giant.

Hal Smith Stevens is the CTO of ASM and is a lifelong software engineer, providing technology leadership and vision through a strong background of bootstrapping start ups and nurturing innovation. Some of Hal's many projects include a platform that leverages AI to improve the UX for patients in the US healthcare market; and another that pioneers the next generation of air traffic control across Australasia, opening the door to drone deliveries in low level airspace and supersonic business jets in the stratosphere.

Phil Williams is the Chief Design Officer of ASM and is a veteran creative director and technology strategist with deep knowledge and experience across a range of industries. He has led product teams at publicly listed technology companies (Orion Health), global digital agencies (Saatchi & Saatchi, Sapient Nitro) and founded his own startups. He's held senior roles in Digital Art Direction, Product Direction, Technology Investment Analysis, Human Centered Design & Product Development, and Innovation Programme Leadership.



How can I get ASTO?

Upon token launch, the majority of circulating ASTO will initially be airdropped into the hands of Genesis Brain NFT holders.

ASM will be hosting the ASTO Discovery Auction, a modified version of Delphi’s Liquidity Bootstrap Auction, to ensure liquidity for the ASTO token as it launches. At the conclusion of this price discovery event, ASTO will be given in the form of Liquidity Provider rewards (and later, a distribution of LP tokens) to participants. ASTO will then become available on DEX (Uniswap), and later on CEX (CEX TBC) for trading.

Altered State Machine’s first use-case for AI Agents and Artificial Intelligence Gyms, AIFA, will comprise of unique GameFi mechanics where players will be able to earn ASTO by competing and winning games or Leagues with their All-Star teams. Holders of AIFA All-Star NFTs, too, will be rewarded with a unique amount of ASTO in a Reverse Claim Airdrop, where holders will accrue more ASTO the longer they hold the All-Star in their wallets.