Aero DeFi Protocol to Launch on October 21 Across Seven Chains

Aero, a unified decentralized finance (DeFi) liquidity layer, is preparing to launch on October 21, 2026, across seven EVM-compatible chains. This new protocol, developed by Dromos Labs, combines the functionalities of Aerodrome Finance and Velodrome Finance, enhancing cross-chain token swaps and liquidity incentives.

The launch will occur at 8 p.m. EDT on October 21, or midnight UTC on October 22, and will include networks such as Base, Ethereum Mainnet, OP Mainnet, Arc, Ink, Robinhood Chain, and Arbitrum. The addition of Robinhood Chain, which went live on July 1, 2026, is particularly noteworthy as it introduces tokenized stock products to the ecosystem.

Aero aims to support on-chain and cross-chain swaps, governance-directed liquidity incentives, and liquidity for stablecoins and tokenized assets. The protocol will utilize a ve(3,3)-style model for governance and liquidity rewards, alongside features like MetaRouter, MetaSwaps, and an SDK for developer integration.

As part of its launch strategy, Aero will implement a Predictive Allocation mechanism, allowing sAERO holders to direct AERO rewards across the network and earn a share of exchange revenue. Additionally, users will have the ability to create markets without permission, encouraging liquidity ahead of demand.

The upcoming launch follows a merger between Aerodrome and Velodrome and 10 months of development, which included new features and security enhancements. Aero's public audit contest concluded successfully, with no major issues reported, and final adjustments are being made before the full application enters quality assurance.

The seven-chain rollout is expected to significantly expand the market coverage compared to the existing Aerodrome and Velodrome deployments, which currently account for approximately 17% of all EVM spot trading volume.