Aptos Labs, a layer-1 blockchain infrastructure provider, has partnered with Microsoft, SK Telecom, and Brevan Howard (a fund management firm) to launch a new decentralized finance (DeFi) platform named Aptos Ascend.

Designed for institutional use, the Aptos Ascend platform will offer a range of features such as customizable tokens, regulated transaction access, zero-knowledge transaction privacy, and upgradable network controls. 

Through this partnership, Aptos plans to leverage Microsoft's Azure cloud infrastructure as well as its OpenAI solutions to further develop the product offering. Moreover, SK Telecom will provide users access to its wallet-as-a-service technology to ensure regulatory compliance, while Brevan Howard will provide asset management services.