Uniswap Labs officially launched the Unichain mainnet on Tuesday, introducing a Layer 2 network designed to enhance transaction efficiency and scalability in decentralized finance (DeFi).
The network has been in testing since October and now moves to full deployment.
Nearly 100 crypto protocols, including Uniswap, Circle, Coinbase, Lido, and Morpho, have committed to building on Unichain, signaling strong early adoption.
With its launch, Uniswap introduces a new infrastructure designed to support developers and users in DeFi applications.
Unichain: A Layer 2 Network
According to Uniswap, Unichain is built to provide its users with near-instant transaction finality and lower fees compared to Ethereum Layer 1.
During its testnet phase, the network processed 95 million transactions and supported the deployment of over 14.7 million smart contracts, showing strong early adoption from the developer community.
Unichain users can swap assets, provide liquidity, launch tokens, and access DeFi applications with minimal friction.
Uniswap explains that developers can use its network to deploy Uniswap v4 hooks, integrate stablecoins like USDC, and build new financial tools that benefit from Unichain’s speed and cost efficiency.
In January, Uniswap announced that its highly anticipated version 4 (v4) will be “coming soon” in 2025, after missing its initial Q3 2024 launch target.
The update was teased on January 2 in a post by Uniswap Labs on X, featuring a Unicode graphic of “2025” and the caption, “v4 is coming soon.”
Decentralization and Cross-Chain Innovation
Uniswap Labs said it is committed to decentralization from the outset, launching Unichain as a Stage 1 rollup. This means it includes a permissionless fault-proof system, ensuring transparent and verifiable transactions.
Over time, the Unichain Validation Network (UVN) will allow anyone to run a node and verify blocks, further decentralizing the network.
Interoperability is also a key focus. Unichain will support ERC-7683, a new standard designed to enable fast, secure cross-chain transactions.
Additionally, Unichain is built on the Superchain, a framework that will allow single-block message passing across multiple chains later this year.
Unichain delivers 1-second block times and 95% lower gas fees compared to Ethereum Layer 1.
Future upgrades, including TEE-based block building and 250-millisecond effective block times, will further enhance performance while minimizing MEV-related inefficiencies.
Looking ahead, Uniswap Labs’ official launch of Unichain mainnet may broaden DeFi participation and spark fresh activity across the sector.
By prioritizing low fees, swift block times, and community-driven governance, it sets the stage for further expansion in decentralized finance.
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