Uniswap Launches Unichain, a New Layer for Decentralized Finance
Date: 2025-02-12 Author: Gabriel Deangelo Categories: BLOCKCHAIN
Uniswap founder Hayden Adams told The Block that Unichain will help reduce fragmentation in the Ethereum ecosystem and provide Uniswap with a dedicated blockchain environment.
“I believe that different applications should operate on separate networks. If any platform needs its own chain, it’s Uniswap,” he said.
Unichain is focused on DeFi projects, although it can technically be used in other scenarios. However, its architecture is particularly suitable for decentralized finance, Adams emphasized.
The network is developed in the Superchain ecosystem from Optimism and operates on the OP Stack. The Unichain Sequencer transaction sequencer is managed by Uniswap Labs, and the project is funded by the Uniswap Foundation.
Initially, the block processing speed will be around 1 second, but within a few months this figure is planned to be reduced to 250 ms thanks to the implementation of Rollup-Boost. Adams noted that these improvements will increase efficiency for liquidity providers and other market participants, including through new arbitrage strategies and reducing the negative impact of MEV.
“The greater the block processing latency, the higher the risk of MEV accumulation,” he explained. From the very launch, Unichain includes mechanisms to protect against manipulation of the order of transaction execution, as well as a system for disputing questionable transactions. The UNI token will be used for validation in the Unichain Validation Network, while retaining its governance function. At the same time, Uniswap Labs is not yet considering the possibility of distributing part of the profits between token holders.
Validators and stakers will receive 65% of the total network revenue.
Adams also said that Unichain's innovations reduce the dependence on a centralized sequencer. “A lot of people think that a centralized sequencer is a problem, but they do not offer real solutions. It is important not just to decentralize it, but to implement working mechanisms,” he noted. According to him, users who do not want to trust the centralized system can wait for confirmation from validators. In the future, Adams is sure, the need for a sequencer will disappear. Unichain is conceived as a single layer that unites various L2 solutions. “At the blockchain and user interface level, we are aiming to create a cross-chain liquidity hub,” he added. One of the first providers of compatibility in the network was LayerZero, which provides Unichain with more than 120 networks. Recall that on January 31, Uniswap introduced the Uniswap v4 update with support for 10 blockchain networks.
