Uniswap introduces its own layer-2 solution, Unichain

Currently in its testnet phase, Unichain is designed to provide faster, more cost-effective transactions with improved cross-chain interoperability.

"Unichain will offer the speed and cost efficiencies already seen in L2 solutions, while also enhancing liquidity access across different chains and promoting greater decentralization," said Uniswap Labs CEO Hayden Adams.

As of October 10, Uniswap manages nearly $5 billion in total value locked (TVL) across around 25 blockchain networks, according to industry data. Unichain is integrated into Optimism’s Superchain, an interoperable network of layer-2 scaling solutions built on Optimism's technology. Other networks within this Superchain include Coinbase's Base and SNAXchain, which supports Synthetix's decentralized perpetual exchange.

Initially, Unichain will feature 1-second block times, with plans to reduce these to under 250 milliseconds, creating a near-instant transaction experience for users. The platform will allow traders to tap into liquidity from other layer-2 networks within Optimism’s Superchain, which currently holds about $2.25 billion in TVL on Base and $625 million on Optimism, based on DefiLlama data.

In collaboration with cross-chain bridging protocol Across, Uniswap Labs has proposed an Ethereum network upgrade, dubbed ERC 7683, to synchronize cross-chain messaging across all layer-2 networks. This proposal seeks to standardize messages, or "intents," across blockchain systems.

Additionally, Unichain is working with Flashbots to integrate Rollup Boost, a modular block-building platform that can be extended using open-source plug-ins. Rollup Boost currently supports 250-millisecond block times and features "verifiable priority ordering" to help applications internalize Maximum Extractable Value (MEV), a process Flashbots specializes in optimizing to protect users from its negative effects.