Unichain, the Ethereum-based layer-2 protocol of the Uniswap platform is now live on the mainnet, setting a new era for the DEX
Uniswap Labs, the team behind one of the largest decentralized exchanges (DEX), has officially launched Unichain, a Layer-2 blockchain designed to enhance decentralized finance (DeFi) transactions.
In a post shared on X, the team stated that Unichain, built on Optimism’s OP Stack, will provide users with faster and more cost-effective transactions than Ethereum.
Unichain To Set a New Era for DeFi
With the overwhelming demand for efficient blockchain solutions, Unichain mainnet enters the market as a network built for liquidity and effortless trading, unlike general-purpose layer-2 solutions.
Unichain mainnet is live ✨
✸ Fast with low fees
✸ Built for cross-chain liquidity
✸ Prioritizes decentralization from day oneYou can now deploy DeFi apps, launch tokens, swap, provide liquidity, and more pic.twitter.com/MqJQwum4Bf
— Unichain (@unichain) February 11, 2025
Likewise, Unichain is optimized explicitly for DeFi applications. It allows developers to build platforms that interact more efficiently with decentralized exchanges.
Meanwhile, one of Unichain’s key features is the Trusted Execution Environment (TEE), developed with Ethereum research firm Flashbots. This secure system helps process trades more efficiently and speeds up transactions, making things smoother for users.
Uniswap’s co-founder, Hayden Adams, explained that Unichain is designed for trading and apps that need access to large pools of funds without being fully built into the network.
“Essentially, we want Unichain to be a chain that is good for liquidity creation, good for trading, good for applications that need to be co-located with them, and then good for applications that essentially want access to liquidity but should not be co-located,” Adams said.
Revenue Sharing and the Optimism Connection
Furthermore, Uniswap Labs sees Unichain as a new revenue stream that goes beyond improving transaction speed and cost.
According to the platform, around 20% of the network’s income will go to Uniswap Labs. In comparison, 65% is designated to the Unichain Validation Network (UVN), a group of validators securing the blockchain. This structure will enable transparency and decentralization, reducing reliance on a single controlling entity.
Additionally, as part of its commitment to the Optimism Superchain ecosystem. Uniswap Labs will contribute a portion of Unichain’s revenue to the Optimism Collective. This aligns with agreements made by other major players like Coinbase and Kraken. These have also launched OP Stack-based layer-2 solutions.
Unichain has been in testing since late 2024. Its mainnet debut marks a significant step toward making DeFi more efficient and accessible.
Interestingly, this development follows the recent release of Uniswap V4, a next-generation protocol that introduced a new trading engine, significantly improving liquidity provision and price action compared to its predecessor, V3.
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