Key Takeaways
- Aerodrome and Velodrome are merging right into a unified decentralized trade platform referred to as Aero, launching on Ethereum Mainnet and Circle’s Arc blockchain in Q2 2026.
- Aero will introduce superior technical options, together with MEV auctions and cross-chain MetaSwaps, aiming to serve the broader Ethereum ecosystem and compete with Uniswap.
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Aerodrome and Velodrome, the main decentralized exchanges on Base and Optimism respectively, will merge right into a single platform referred to as Aero, which is about to launch on Ethereum Mainnet and Circle’s permissioned Arc blockchain in Q2 2026.
The transfer brings collectively two of essentially the most lively Layer 2 liquidity hubs underneath a unified platform designed to serve the broader Ethereum ecosystem.
Aero can be powered by Dromos Labs’ new working system METADEX03, which introduces a number of technical upgrades, together with embedded MEV auctions, a brand new twin engine for capital effectivity, and MetaSwaps for seamless cross-chain buying and selling.
“Aero has been designed to be the primary DEX to successfully service all the Ethereum community. Simply because the world got here on-line, it’s now coming onchain,” mentioned Dromos CEO Alexander Cutler.
The growth comes as competitors heats up throughout Ethereum’s DEX panorama. On Monday, Uniswap Labs and the Uniswap Basis proposed a brand new governance plan referred to as “UNIfication” to activate the long-anticipated protocol price swap.
The proposal consists of utilizing earned charges and a treasury burn to cut back UNI token provide, with plans to destroy 100 million UNI tokens presently held within the treasury—representing charges that will have been burned if the swap had been lively at launch.
Aero presently has over $480 million in complete worth locked and has generated $180 million in charges over the previous yr, in keeping with knowledge from DeFi Llama. Velodrome holds $56 million in TVL with $7 million in charges over the identical interval. In contrast, Uniswap stays the dominant DEX on Ethereum, with over $4.9 billion in TVL and integrations throughout 42 chains.
“Till at this time, the advantages of the MetaDEX mannequin have been solely accessible to customers on Optimism or Base, however with Aero, that modifications,” mentioned Luis A. de la Cerda, Govt Director of each foundations. “Aero will give broader Ethereum customers entry to the main onchain liquidity infrastructure.”
