MachineX launches retro-futuristic brand evolution

The decentralised exchange (DEX) hosts a peer-to-peer marketplace that allows the trading of DePIN tokens for an autonomous economy. A single thread, crafted by global creative studio Koto, flows through every element of the new brand: ‘Human x Machine.’

The updated design system includes a new logo, colour scheme, typography, illustrations and motion, all working together to bring the ‘machine economy’ to life. MachineX delivers a space where AI can trade autonomously without oversight or middlemen.

MachineX and Koto took a retro-futuristic worldbuilding approach to the project, with inspiration coming from the Star Wars spaceport Mos Eisley and the worlds of science fiction author Isaac Asimov. The design creates a lived-in sense of futurism rather than a mere surface aesthetic. Within this world, MachineX’s robot mascot, Dexter, brings warmth and personality, embodying the company’s mission of making machines visible trade participants rather than invisible infrastructure.

“The system had to feel like a real place where autonomy is expected, trade is constant and machines have presence, not just utility,” says Fred North, creative director at Koto. “That is why the identity leans hard into worldbuilding: an unapologetic wordmark with bite, colour engineered for screens, illustration with real emotional weight and Dexter, a robot mascot who embodies the economy itself and pulls the future out of abstraction and into view.”

The all-caps custom serif wordmark is built around weight, proportion and tension. Thick vertical lines and sharp, asymmetric serifs give it the impression of being sculpted rather than drawn.

Building on that sense of tension, the digital-first colour palette creates clarity and contrast across devices by using vivid primaries and strong neutrals. The typography features condensed headlines for authority and presence, with a varying ABC Rom and ABC Rom Mono type for readability and precision on longer content and calls to action.

Illustrations, featuring designs of robots socialising at bars and interacting with MachineX’s trading app, takes the worldbuilding and adds a storytelling element. Dynamic motion brings warmth and rhythm to the digital experiences to make the brand system feel intentional and alive.