Unichain Hits $10B in Monthly Volume on Uniswap Protocol

Uniswap Labs’ Layer-2 blockchain, Unichain , has surpassed $10 billion in monthly trading volume, marking a new all-time high for the network. This milestone follows its mainnet launch in February 2025, and positions Unichain as a major force within the Ethereum scaling ecosystem.

Built on the Optimism Superchain, Unichain is designed to provide faster, more cost-efficient transactions. According to Uniswap Labs, the network achieves one-second block times and offers up to 95% lower fees than Ethereum Layer-1. These efficiencies have fueled adoption, with Unichain now handling 75% of Uniswap v4’s trading volume, compared to just 20% on Ethereum mainnet, as per DeFiLlama data.

Liquidity Incentives and Technical Infrastructure

The surge in UniChain monthly volume is attributed in part to a $165.5 million funding program approved in March 2025, aimed at boosting on-chain liquidity. Unichain’s total value locked (TVL) now exceeds $640 million, including $271 million in stablecoins. Daily DEX volume has remained above $400 million for over ten days.

The network utilizes a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) to support transparent block building and reduce Miner Extractable Value (MEV). Additionally, Unichain connects to nine other blockchains, enabling seamless cross-chain swaps for DeFi users.

Debate Over Ethereum Ecosystem Impact

Despite its technical achievements, Unichain’s rise has sparked debate within the Ethereum community. Some analysts argue that the Layer-2 may fragment liquidity and reduce fee income for Ethereum validators. However, Uniswap Labs maintains that Unichain complements Ethereum’s roadmap by enhancing scalability and cross-chain functionality.

The network’s testnet launched in October 2024, and since its mainnet debut, 99.7% of Uniswap DEX activity has migrated to Unichain. Its rapid adoption signals a shift in DeFi infrastructure usage, with broader implications for Layer-2 competition and Ethereum scaling strategies.