Layer users are now able to access Uniswap’s markets, which include a variety of cryptocurrency token pairs and liquidity pools. This development comes as OKX’s layer-2 blockchain has officially integrated Uniswap as its preferred decentralized exchange, marking a significant expansion of the crypto exchange’s footprint in decentralized finance (DeFi).
Uniswap confirmed that swaps will execute at layer-2 costs without incurring fees from Uniswap Labs. The X Layer, launched in 2024, is designed to be compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine, providing essential infrastructure for DeFi applications.
OKX’s founder and CEO, Star Xu, highlighted that this integration symbolizes a fundamental component of the second phase in the company’s three-phase rollout strategy. The current phase aims to integrate major DeFi protocols while reinforcing core infrastructure, providing users with a seamless connection to OKX’s wallet and exchange in order to facilitate asset movement into the layer-2 network.
Hayden Adams, the founder of Uniswap Labs, stated that the integration will enhance activity and liquidity on the platform. According to data from DefiLlama, Uniswap currently holds approximately $4.4 billion in total value locked (TVL), affirming its position as one of the largest and most widely utilized decentralized exchanges.
This trend of crypto exchanges linking on-chain activities with centralized user bases through layer-2 chains is gaining momentum. For instance, Coinbase introduced Base in February 2023, an Ethereum layer-2 blockchain intended to offer a lower-cost, secure environment for developers to create decentralized applications. By early 2024, Base rapidly gained traction among decentralized exchange traders, even surpassing competitors like Ethereum and Arbitrum, with about 80% of monthly active traders for $UNI attributed to Base by January 2024.
In a similar vein, Gate.io announced Gate Layer in September 2025, a layer-2 network built on the OP Stack and secured by GateChain. The exchange presented Gate Layer as the cornerstone of its DeFi ecosystem, rolling out on-chain trading and liquidity products as part of its broader Web3 strategy. The integration of X Layer with Uniswap aligns with this industry-wide trend, wherein exchanges are constructing blockchain infrastructure to bolster decentralized trading capabilities.
