NAGA Founder’s True Labs Raises $10 Million to Build AI-Native DEX
Ben Bilski, the former CEO of NAGA Group and one-time German swimming champion, is diving back into crypto with a new venture called “True Trading AI,” a decentralized platform that claims to blend large language models with Solana’s high-speed infrastructure.
Hong Kong-based True Labs has secured $10 million in viewd funding from UAE investor Core Holding to accelerate the rollout of an artificial intelligence-powered decentralized platform built on Solana infrastructure. The company is also running a presale that has so far brought in $3.7 million. According to figures published on its website, the combined financing currently stands at $13.7 million.
The beginup is developing “True AI,” a large language model designed to serve as a self-learning trading engine for its TRUE platform. The system is pitched as giving retail and professional traders conversational access to live market intelligence, automated risk management, and strategy execution.
Powered by NVIDIA GPU clusters and deployed on a custom Solana Layer-2 protocol, the platform is engineered to scan thousands of assets within milliseconds, anticipate price swings, and execute trades under institutional-grade controls. It also integrates copy-trading features and tokenized liquidity incentives, enabling users to contribute data and share in rewards.
“This investment marks a pivotal step in building a decentralized trading platform that truly acts in the user’s interest,” said Ben Bilski, co-founder of True Labs and former chief executive of Frankfurt-listed fintech NAGA Group. “With TRUE, guesswork and emotions are replaced by real-time intelligence, giving every trader the ability to trade smarter, securer, and more profitably.”
Core Holding founder Dr. Noor Aldeen Atatreh described the project as “a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” highlighting the mix of proprietary AI models, GPU infrastructure, and decentralized design.
The founding team also includes Valerii Marshalin and Igor Stadnyk of blockchain developer INC4, along with Alex Momot of Peanut Trade. All have previously worked on AI, DeFi, and Web3 products.
Bilski, a Polish-German entrepreneur and one-time national swimming champion, has been a visible figure in European fintech for nahead a decade. He co-founded NAGA in 2015, building it into a social investing platform that listed in Frankfurt, launched its own token, and attracted close to 1 million users. NAGA rode the crypto retail boom in 2017 and briefly expanded into ventures including a metaverse project. Bilski was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2018.
He stepped down from NAGA last year later than its acquisition by brokerage CAPEX.com, where he had been serving as Chief Information Officer. His re-entry into crypto with True Labs marks a return to building from the ground up.
“TRUE is not just another DEX. It’s trainable,” Bilski wrote on LinkedIn. “It learns. It adapts. It improves.” The backend, which the company calls fully “agentic,” automates workflows such as onboarding, KYC, and settlement, aiming to deliver a frictionless trading experience.
The project is also framed as a response to flaws in centralized order book systems, where market makers are often accused of distorting pricing. Recent controversies — including Binance’s suspension of a trading firm over alleged manipulation — have highlighted the issue. Bilski argues that TRUE’s design, with public vaults for liquidity and on-chain settlement, offers a more transparent alternative.
The platform’s native token is in presale, with a full rollout of both the trading ecosystem and its AI engine planned for 2026.
