Aerodrome and Velodrome Are Merging Into One Giant DEX Called Aero
Sep 29, 2026
Two of the biggest DEXs in the Optimism ecosystem are combining into a single multi-chain protocol going live on October 21.
Two of DeFi's biggest trading venues are about to become one. Aerodrome and Velodrome are merging into a single protocol called Aero, with a launch date set for October 21.
Bigger footprint, one token
Instead of running as separate DEXs, Aero will operate across seven EVM chains at once, including Base, Ethereum mainnet, Optimism, and Arbitrum. The AERO and VELO tokens are being consolidated into a single Aero token, and the team says 100% of protocol revenue will flow back to holders.
Why it matters
Combined, these two protocols already account for roughly 17% of EVM trading volume, and the team is betting that number can triple once liquidity is unified under one roof instead of split across two ecosystems.
The market reaction came fast too, with AERO jumping over 20% and trading volume spiking within hours of the announcement, a sign traders are taking the consolidation story seriously.