Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Celo just topped every Layer 1 and Layer 2 blockchain in 30-day tokenholder growth, according to Token Terminal’s on-chain analytics. The network also sits at number 10 overall by total tokenholder count.
The catalyst is straightforward: Opera browser users who meet eligibility criteria can now earn CELO token rewards. That’s a distribution channel of meaningful scale, and it’s translating directly into new wallet holders at a pace no other chain is matching right now.
The numbers behind the surge Celo reports over 700,000 daily active users and transactions, which makes it the most active Ethereum Layer 2 by that metric.
The network’s MiniPay wallet, its flagship mobile product, has crossed 11 million users. That user base isn’t hypothetical DeFi degens rotating between yield farms. It’s largely composed of people in emerging markets using the wallet for actual payments.
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Monthly stablecoin volume on Celo surpassed $3 billion entering 2026. The chain has also passed one billion lifetime transactions, a milestone that places it in a relatively exclusive club of networks with demonstrated, sustained usage.
The Opera play and what it actually means Opera has hundreds of millions of users globally, with particular strength in Africa and Southeast Asia, regions where Celo has already concentrated its efforts. Celo isn’t trying to poach users from Arbitrum or Optimism. It’s going after people who may never have held a crypto token before, reaching them through a browser they already use daily.
The CELO rewards act as an onboarding mechanism, turning Opera users into tokenholders without requiring them to navigate exchanges or bridge assets.
Community proposals suggest that grants are tied to the Opera partnership, which means governance discussions are actively weighing the cost of user acquisition against the potential for token dilution.
From L1 to L2, and the tokenomics question Celo’s transition from an independent Layer 1 to an Ethereum Layer 2 has been one of the more interesting architectural pivots in crypto. Rather than competing with Ethereum, the network opted to build on top of it, gaining access to Ethereum’s security and liquidity while maintaining its mobile-first identity.
The chain recently implemented its Jello hard fork, which introduced zero-knowledge fault proofs.
Celo’s community is running a tokenomics redesign initiative that explores buyback-and-burn mechanisms for the CELO token. If implemented, this would create deflationary pressure on token supply, funded presumably by network revenue. A mechanism that systematically removes tokens from circulation could offset the new supply being distributed through programs like the Opera rewards.
What this means for investors The competitive landscape for Ethereum L2s is crowded and getting more so every quarter. Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, and others are all fighting for developer attention and user adoption. Celo’s differentiation is geographic and demographic: it’s not trying to be the fastest chain for DeFi traders. It’s trying to be the default payment rail for mobile users in markets where traditional banking infrastructure is thin.
Investors should watch two things closely. First, whether the tokenholder growth sustains after the initial Opera reward impulse fades. Second, whether the buyback-and-burn tokenomics proposal actually passes governance and at what parameters, since that will determine whether CELO’s supply dynamics shift from inflationary to deflationary.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Celo has enhanced its collaboration with Ledger by integrating a key network feature into the hardware wallet provider’s platform, offering more flexible transaction fee options to users worldwide.
Ledger supports Celo’s CIP-64 fee abstractionLedger has implemented support for Celo’s fee abstraction, made possible through the network’s CIP-64 upgrade. This change allows users to pay transaction fees using a variety of Celo-native assets, rather than being restricted to the CELO token.
The new functionality builds on Ledger Live’s December 2025 update, where users gained the ability to transact and exchange CELO and Celo stablecoins through Ledger’s interface.
With this latest expansion, Ledger’s user base of more than 8 million people in over 200 countries can now settle gas fees in any of 18 supported tokens. These payment options include Tether USD₮, USDC, Wrapped Ether (WETH), and multiple fiat-referenced stablecoins developed by Mento Labs.
Accepted fiat-backed tokens span a range of global currencies such as the euro, British pound, Japanese yen, Canadian dollar, Australian dollar, Nigerian naira, Kenyan shilling, and South African rand, offering considerably broader payment flexibility.
Mini dictionary: CIP-64, or Celo Improvement Proposal 64, is an upgrade that enables transaction fees to be paid with approved ERC-20 tokens on the Celo network, rather than requiring users to exclusively use the CELO token for gas payments.
Stablecoins overtake CELO for transactionsLaunched in July 2023 during the network’s Gingerbread hard fork, CIP-64 has allowed users to pay transaction fees with selected stablecoins and other ERC-20 tokens. This approach, now widely adopted across the Celo network, has led to a significant shift in transaction behavior.
Celo reports that nearly half of all transaction volume on the network now uses stablecoins denominated in US dollars, instead of the network’s native CELO token.
By allowing users to handle transaction fees with familiar currencies, Celo aims to lower barriers to entry and streamline the experience of using money across blockchain payments and decentralized finance applications.
The integration with Ledger is expected to further simplify onboarding, particularly for users interested in exploring Celo payments and DeFi solutions.
Celo leads in tokenized gold adoptionBeyond network transactions, Celo highlighted its leading position in the market for tokenized gold. According to network figures, 107,622 users on Celo own Tether Gold (XAUT), positioning the network as the dominant platform for tokenized gold holders.
Blockchain data estimates a total of 118,500 XAUT holders across seven blockchain networks. Of these, Celo accounts for 90.8%, followed by Solana at 4.5%. Other platforms with measurable XAUT user bases include HyperEVM (1.9%), Arbitrum One (1.8%), Plasma (0.6%), Monad (0.3%), and Ink (0.1%).
Blockchain NetworkXAUT Holders (%)Celo90.8%Solana4.5%HyperEVM1.9%Arbitrum One1.8%Plasma0.6%Monad0.3%Ink0.1%Celo attributes its dominance to a growing ecosystem, including applications such as MiniPay, Squid Router, Uniswap, Featherlend, Morpho, and TheoriqAI, that together drive adoption of real-world asset tokenization.
Celo, a mobile-first blockchain that aims to make decentralized financial services accessible to anyone with a smartphone, is now advancing into sectors beyond digital-only payments. By making stablecoin-based gas payments easier and leading the charge on tokenized gold, Celo is seeking new use cases for blockchain technology in mainstream finance.
Celo’s expanding ecosystem and diverse payment options underscore its strategy to position itself as a leading platform for accessible and practical financial instruments on the blockchain.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Aave’s presence on the Celo blockchain just got a lot more visible. Token Terminal announced on July 6 that it now tracks Aave’s on-chain data on Celo, and the first headline number is a big one: monthly active users on the network are up roughly 80% over the past month.
What the numbers actually tell us The 80% MAU increase represents Aave’s user adoption trajectory on Celo since the protocol’s V3 deployment there. Aave V3 went live on Celo on March 17, 2025, following community governance approval the year prior.
Token Terminal, which publishes standardized on-chain metrics across protocols, now provides analytics for Aave on Celo covering active addresses, revenue, and monthly active users.
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The supported asset list on Celo includes CELO, USDC, USDT, cUSD, and cEUR. Transaction costs on Celo sit below one cent, with near-instant finality.
The mobile-first thesis Celo’s entire identity revolves around mobile accessibility. The blockchain was architected from the ground up to work on smartphones, mapping wallet addresses to phone numbers and keeping computational requirements light enough for low-end devices.
Aave founder Stani Kulechov has specifically highlighted the potential for the Celo deployment to onboard new users and connect real-world assets to DeFi opportunities.
Celo already counts hundreds of thousands of daily active users across its ecosystem.
Why this matters for investors The Token Terminal integration provides standardized, publicly accessible data covering how Aave performs on Celo versus other chains, including active addresses, revenue, and monthly active users. That kind of transparency tends to attract institutional money.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
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USA₮ expands to Celo and introduces Google Cloud support for distribution.
PANews reported on March 31 that, according to an official announcement from USA₮, the compliant digital dollar USA₮ issued by Anchorage Digital Bank has officially expanded to Celo, becoming its first supported network after Ethereum. The project also partnered with Self and Google Cloud to launch a mainnet faucet, allowing the distribution of USA₮ to compliant users through privacy-preserving human authentication.
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In brief Tether’s USAT stablecoin is launching on the Celo blockchain, its first expansion beyond Ethereum. Google Cloud provides infrastructure support for the stablecoin's distribution system. A privacy-preserving faucet allows verified users to access USAT tokens through proof-of-humanity verification. Tether announced Tuesday that the USAT stablecoin is expanding to the Celo blockchain, an Ethereum layer-2 scaling network, marking the regulated digital dollar's first deployment beyond the Ethereum mainnet.
The launch will bring USAT—a stablecoin issued by Anchorage Digital and targeted at the U.S. market—to Celo, with Google Cloud providing infrastructure support alongside plans for the stablecoin to serve as a gas currency on the layer-2 network.
“More than 566 million people globally use USDT as a reliable way to access and move dollars, particularly in markets where traditional financial infrastructure falls short. Expanding USAT to Celo builds on that foundation by bringing regulated digital dollar infrastructure into one of the most active on-chain economies today,” said Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, in a statement.
“This is how we continue to extend access to trusted, programmable money at a global scale,” he added. “What matters now is ensuring these systems are accessible in the environments where people are already transacting every day.”
Celo brings significant mobile reach through Opera MiniPay's 14 million wallet users globally. Celo co-founder and CEO Rene Reinsberg called the launch "a powerful validation of the infrastructure we've spent years building," highlighting Tether’s selection of Celo for its first layer-2 deployment for USAT following its initial January rollout on Ethereum.
The technical implementation includes a mainnet faucet system enabling verified users to access USAT through privacy-preserving proof-of-humanity verification developed with Self and Google Cloud. Following deployment, Celo governance will begin the process to enable USAT as a gas currency on the network.
“By bringing USAT to Opera MiniPay’s millions of mobile-first users, we are showing what the next generation of financial access looks like: trusted, compliant, and instantly available,” said Celo co-founder Rene Reinsberg, in a statement.
Deloitte performed the first USAT attestation report, released earlier this month, showing that the firm had $17.6 million in reserves—comprised of cash and U.S. Treasuries—backing about $17.5 million in tokens as of January 31.
Tether’s flagship USDT stablecoin, which leads the industry with an $184 million market cap, has never had a full independent audit from one of the “Big Four” accounting firms. However, last week, Tether said that it had signed one of the firms for an audit, but did not reveal which firm would do it. A subsequent Financial Times report said KPMG would conduct the audit.
Editor's note: This article was updated after publication for clarity.
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USA₮, the dollar-backed stablecoin issued by Anchorage Digital Bank and supported by Tether, is expanding to Celo, marking its first blockchain deployment beyond Ethereum.
The move places the regulated token on a network that has become one of the most active rails for real-world stablecoin use.
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Tether introduced the token in January as a US-regulated product issued through Anchorage Digital Bank under federal OCC oversight, positioning it as a domestic complement to USD₮ rather than a replacement for its flagship offshore stablecoin. The project was built to comply with the GENIUS Act and target US users through a more tightly regulated structure.
Celo gives USA₮ immediate access to a distribution network that already looks built for stablecoin payments. Opera said this month that MiniPay, its self-custodial wallet on Celo, has grown to more than 14 million account registrations and processed over 420 million transactions across more than 66 countries.
Opera and Celo also said the network now counts more than 4.23 million weekly active USD₮ users, underscoring how central stablecoins have become to activity on the chain.
That helps explain why Celo was chosen as the first expansion chain. The network has leaned into payments with features such as fee abstraction, which lets users pay gas in stablecoins instead of a native token, along with a mobile-first design geared toward cheap and simple transfers. Celo describes itself as an Ethereum layer 2 focused on fast, low-cost payments and real-world adoption.
Google Cloud is also part of the rollout, adding a broader infrastructure layer to the launch. The company has been expanding further into digital asset and payments infrastructure through products such as Universal Ledger, which it says is built for programmable transfers and compliance focused financial applications. In this case, the USA₮ rollout connects that infrastructure to a privacy preserving proof of humanity distribution model through Self.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Estefano Gomez. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
In brief Tether’s USAT stablecoin is launching on the Celo blockchain, its first expansion beyond Ethereum. Google Cloud provides infrastructure support for the stablecoin's distribution system. A privacy-preserving faucet allows verified users to access USAT tokens through proof-of-humanity verification. Tether announced Tuesday that the USAT stablecoin is expanding to the Celo blockchain, an Ethereum layer-2 scaling network, marking the regulated digital dollar's first deployment beyond the Ethereum mainnet.
The launch will bring USAT—a stablecoin issued by Anchorage Digital and targeted at the U.S. market—to Celo, with Google Cloud providing infrastructure support alongside plans for the stablecoin to serve as a gas currency on the layer-2 network.
“More than 566 million people globally use USDT as a reliable way to access and move dollars, particularly in markets where traditional financial infrastructure falls short. Expanding USAT to Celo builds on that foundation by bringing regulated digital dollar infrastructure into one of the most active on-chain economies today,” said Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, in a statement.
“This is how we continue to extend access to trusted, programmable money at a global scale,” he added. “What matters now is ensuring these systems are accessible in the environments where people are already transacting every day.”
Celo brings significant mobile reach through Opera MiniPay's 14 million wallet users globally. Celo co-founder and CEO Rene Reinsberg called the launch "a powerful validation of the infrastructure we've spent years building," highlighting Tether’s selection of Celo for its first layer-2 deployment for USAT following its initial January rollout on Ethereum.
The technical implementation includes a mainnet faucet system enabling verified users to access USAT through privacy-preserving proof-of-humanity verification developed with Self and Google Cloud. Following deployment, Celo governance will begin the process to enable USAT as a gas currency on the network.
“By bringing USAT to Opera MiniPay’s millions of mobile-first users, we are showing what the next generation of financial access looks like: trusted, compliant, and instantly available,” said Celo co-founder Rene Reinsberg, in a statement.
Deloitte performed the first USAT attestation report, released earlier this month, showing that the firm had $17.6 million in reserves—comprised of cash and U.S. Treasuries—backing about $17.5 million in tokens as of January 31.
Tether’s flagship USDT stablecoin, which leads the industry with an $184 million market cap, has never had a full independent audit from one of the “Big Four” accounting firms. However, last week, Tether said that it had signed one of the firms for an audit, but did not reveal which firm would do it. A subsequent Financial Times report said KPMG would conduct the audit.
Editor's note: This article was updated after publication for clarity.
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It marks the GENIUS Act-compliant stablecoin's first expansion beyond the Ethereum L1.
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Today, Tether announced that its USAT stablecoin – designed specifically to comply with the GENIUS Act – is expanding to the Celo blockchain.
What's the Scoop?New Deployment: USAT is now available on the Celo, an Ethereum L2 scaling solution focused on attracting real-world payments use cases. This deployment marks the GENIUS Act-compliant stablecoin's first expansion beyond the Ethereum L1.Powerful Partnership: The launch also introduces new distribution pathways for USAT. In collaboration with Self and Google Cloud, a mainnet faucet will enable verified users to access USAT through a privacy-preserving proof-of-humanity system.Compliant Alternative: Unlike Tether's flagship USDT stablecoin (which is only partially reserved by risk-free dollar investments and fails to comply with other chapters of the GENIUS Act), USAT is designed for compliance. Reserves are custodied by Anchorage Digital, a federally registered national trust bank, and monthly reserve attestations are supplied by Deloitte, in accordance with American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) standards.Transparency Push: Last week, Tether announced that it had, "entered a formal engagement with a Big Four accounting firm to complete its first full independent financial statement audit." Reporting from the Financial Times subsequently identified the unnamed auditor as KPMG, with pre-audit preparation provided by PwC.USA₮ Expands to Celo, Introducing Google Cloud-Supported Distribution for Regulated Digital Dollars - USA₮.io
31 March 2026 – USA₮, a digital dollar issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, N.A., today announced its expansion to Celo, marking the first blockchain beyond Ethereum to support the stablecoin. The deployment brings USA₮ to a network that has become a leading global transport layer for stablecoins, expanding access to digital dollars for millions of […]
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Jack Inabinet is a Senior Analyst with a passion for exploring the bleeding edge of crypto and finance. Prior to joining Bankless, Jack worked as an analyst at HAL Real Estate where he conducted market research and financial analysis for commercial real estate development and acquisition activities in the Seattle region. He graduated from the University of Washington’s Michael G. Foster School of Business.
Tether’s USAT stablecoin – a regulated, U.S.-market digital dollar – is leaving Ethereum mainnet for the first time, landing on Celo, a mobile-first Ethereum layer-2 network with 14 million Opera MiniPay wallet users already transacting across 66+ countries.
That’s not a minor technical footnote. It’s a direct pipeline from regulated dollar infrastructure into one of the most active real-world stablecoin ecosystems on-chain today.
Tether announced the expansion on March 31, 2026, with Google Cloud providing infrastructure support and Celo governance set to vote on enabling USAT as the network’s native gas currency. Celo already hosts 4.23 million weekly active USDT users – so USAT isn’t arriving to an empty room.
Secure. Borderless. Built for the real world. 🌍$USAT is officially coming to @Celo, bringing the most trusted digital dollar to millions of mobile users. Additionally, we're launching with a privacy-first mainnet faucet powered by @googlecloud pic.twitter.com/fN2Lphmfe5
— USAT (@usat) March 31, 2026
What Does USAT on Celo Actually Mean for DeFi Fees and Liquidity? Start with the basics. Ethereum mainnet – the original blockchain where USAT launched in January 2026 – is powerful but expensive. During busy periods, a single token transfer can cost $5–$30 in gas fees. For someone sending $50 to a family member overseas, that’s simply not viable.
Celo is built differently. It’s an Ethereum layer-2 although that’s changing – Fees on Celo run fractions of a cent. That changes who can realistically use USAT.
After much consideration pic.twitter.com/N2Ae0bi4DU
— Celo.eth/acc 🦇 🌳 (@Celo) April 1, 2026
There’s another feature worth understanding: fee abstraction. On most blockchains, you need the network’s native token on hand just to pay transaction fees – even if you only want to move stablecoins. Celo removes that friction.
Once Celo governance approves USAT as a gas currency, users will be able to pay fees directly in USAT itself. No ETH, no CELO token required. For a first-time DeFi user, that’s the difference between a manageable experience and a confusing one.
The Google Cloud integration adds another layer. A mainnet faucet – a tool that distributes small amounts of tokens to verified users – will use privacy-preserving proof-of-humanity verification developed with a platform called Self.
Verified users can claim USAT without exposing personal data. That’s meaningful for regulated stablecoins that need to confirm users are real humans without building surveillance infrastructure.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino framed the move around access: “More than 566 million people globally use USDT as a reliable way to access and move dollars, particularly in markets where traditional financial infrastructure falls short.
” The Celo expansion brings USAT directly into the ecosystem those users are already operating in. Standard Chartered flagged Tuesday that stablecoin velocity has doubled in two years, with coins changing hands an average of six times per month – and the bank now projects the stablecoin market reaching $2 trillion in total market cap. USAT’s Celo move is timed into that acceleration.
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Stripe-owned Bridge, the stablecoin orchestration platform, added Celo support on May 6, 2026, connecting one of crypto's most active stablecoin networks to its single API for onramps, offramps, and cross-chain stablecoin transfers. The integration gives any business building on Bridge instant access to a chain where stablecoins are a daily payment rail rather than a trading instrument.
@stripe acquired Bridge in early 2025 in what was its largest deal at the time. The platform handles fiat-to-stablecoin flows, embedded wallets, cards, and cross-chain bridging. Celo support was teased at Stripe Sessions 2026 and was formally announced at CoinDesk's Consensus 2026 on May 6.
Celo on stage at Consensus 2026Why Celo?Celo launched in 2020 with stablecoin payments as its core use case. It migrated to an Ethereum Layer 2 in March 2025, and the network now offers sub-cent fees, one-second blocks, and gas payable directly in stablecoins. That last detail matters more than it sounds. Users do not need to hold a separate gas token to move money, which removes a major friction point for non-crypto-native users in emerging markets.
The stablecoin activity on Celo is real-world rather than speculative. The chain hosts remittances, savings, peer-to-peer payments, and commerce in places where traditional rails are slow or expensive.
What do the numbers actually look like?Here's what Celo brings to the table:
1.3 billion lifetime transactions on the network.Over $65 billion in stablecoin volume since the March 2025 Layer 2 migration.8x revenue growth since the network's tokenomics overhaul.600,000+ daily active users, one of the highest counts among Ethereum L2s.25 native stablecoins in circulation, including USDC, USDT, and the upcoming USA₮.15 million+ users on MiniPay across 66 countries.For context, $65 billion in stablecoin volume in just over a year places Celo in the upper tier of chains tracked for stablecoin activity, and its daily active user count is ahead of several Layer 2s with much higher fully diluted valuations.
What is MiniPay's role?@miniPay is a self-custodial wallet built into Opera's mobile browser. It runs on Celo and has driven more than 400 million stablecoin transactions to date. Roughly 50 Mini Apps power use cases like remittances, peer-to-peer payments, and merchant commerce. @opera has signaled plans to roll MiniPay out to its wider base, which exceeds 50 million browser users.
This is the wedge that makes Celo different from Layer 2s focused on DeFi yield. The user base is not chasing points programs. They are paying utility bills.
What did Celo say?Celo co-founder Marek Olszewski (@marek_) framed the move as closing the gap between stablecoin infrastructure and actual users.
"Celo was built for the people who actually need stablecoins to work, for remittances, for savings, for daily commerce in markets where legacy rails fall short. Bridge has built the most developer-ready platform for moving stablecoins at scale. Together, we're closing the gap between stablecoin infrastructure and real-world adoption," Olszewski said in the official announcement.
What does this mean for developers?For teams already building on Bridge, the integration removes the need to write separate logic for Celo on/off-ramps or bridging. They get access to Celo's user base through the same API they already use for other supported chains.
For @Celo, the upside is distribution. Stripe's customer base now has a direct line into a chain where stablecoin activity is already happening at scale, without the long onboarding cycle that comes with most chain integrations.
Bridge (@Stablecoin) has been adding chains and features rapidly through 2026, and Celo is one of the more strategically aligned additions given its payment-first design. The pitch from both sides is that this is less about adding another network to a list and more about pairing one of the most heavily used stablecoin chains with the fintech stack that already has the merchants.
Sources:
Celo Blog - official announcement of the Bridge integration with full network metrics and the Olszewski quote.Celo on X - official Celo account, posted the announcement thread with metrics breakdown on May 6, 2026.Bridge on X - Stripe-owned Bridge's official account covering platform updates and chain integrations.MiniPay on X - Opera's self-custodial wallet account, primary source for MiniPay user counts and country reach.
TLDR: Uniswap’s temp check vote targets BNB Chain, Polygon, and Celo, expanding the fee-and-burn to 13 chains. Every swap generates a protocol fee that bridges to Ethereum and permanently burns UNI at a dead address. CryptoQuant data shows rising UNI net outflows on Binance, pointing to smart money accumulation near lows. The governance vote closes May 21st with 18.1M UNI cast, 100% in favor, and the 10M quorum already cleared. Uniswap is moving to extend its fee-and-burn mechanism to BNB Chain, Polygon, and Celo. A temp check vote is currently underway, drawing strong community support.
Meanwhile, on-chain data from CryptoQuant shows rising net outflows on Binance as UNI trades near its lower price range. Together, these developments are drawing fresh attention to the token’s near-term outlook.
Governance Vote Targets 13-Chain Fee-and-Burn Rollout The proposal, shared via Snapshot.eth on behalf of Uniswap’s governance, aims to bring the fee-and-burn system to three additional networks. If passed, the rollout would cover 13 chains in total.
Every swap on these networks generates a protocol fee, which bridges back to Ethereum and permanently burns UNI at a dead address.
The system has been live since December across Ethereum and nine other networks. BNB Chain and Polygon would connect through Wormhole’s Native Token Transfer setup.
Celo was approved in an earlier vote but failed due to a configuration error. This proposal corrects that path and re-runs the execution.
Forum member Abel189 described the move as “a coherent next step” given Uniswap’s “increasingly multi-chain reality.”
@Uniswap is running a temp check to extend its fee-and-burn system to @bnbchain, Polygon, and @Celo, bringing the rollout to 13 chains.
Every swap generates a protocol fee that bridges back to Ethereum and permanently burns $UNI at a dead address. The system has been live since… pic.twitter.com/13h6954YSG
— Snapshot.eth (@SnapshotLabs) May 20, 2026
He supports incremental, chain-by-chain expansion but flagged growing cross-chain messaging complexity as a key watch item going forward.
L2BEAT’s governance team, including members Kaereste and Manugotsuka, voted in favor after their research team verified the implementation, contracts, and expected governance payloads.
They noted the unchanged fee structure and continuity with the previously approved framework as reasons for their support.
On-Chain Outflow Data Points to Accumulation Activity On the market side, CryptoQuant data on the Uniswap Exchange Netflow chart for Binance is showing notable movement.
As UNI’s price corrected deeply, netflow bars grew denser with large net outflows becoming more frequent. This pattern tends to reflect behavior from longer-term holders and smart money participants.
These outflows typically mean UNI is being withdrawn from Binance and moved to personal wallets for holding. That reduces the available supply on the exchange and lowers direct selling pressure over time. Analyst Rei Researcher noted this trend as a potential setup for an accumulation zone near the bottom.
Source: Cryptoquant
Currently, UNI is seeing a mild price recovery. If the outflow trend continues and exchange supply tightens further, buying demand could push the price higher.
The combination of reduced sell-side pressure and growing protocol utility through the burn mechanism adds a structural layer to that potential move.
The governance vote closes on May 21st at 5:30 PM UTC. As of the latest update, 258 wallets have cast 18.1 million UNI votes, with 100% in favor and the 10 million quorum already cleared.
Uniswap is pushing its protocol fee system to three more blockchains. A governance proposal posted on May 16 seeks to activate fee collection and UNI token burning on BNB Chain, Polygon, and Celo, bringing the total number of chains with live protocol fees to 13.
The move is part of a phased rollout that started on Ethereum mainnet in late December 2025. Since then, fees have already gone live on nine additional chains including Arbitrum, Base, OP Mainnet, Soneium, X Layer, Worldchain, and Zora. The latest expansion targets three of the most active alternative networks in DeFi.
How the fee structure works Protocol fees on the new chains are set at 1/5 of the pool fee. In English: if a liquidity pool charges a 0.30% swap fee, the protocol takes 0.06% off the top. That ratio mirrors what’s already running on the other integrated chains.
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Fees are routed into what Uniswap calls TokenJars on each respective chain. From there, the collected UNI tokens get bridged back to Ethereum mainnet and sent to the 0xdead address, a well-known burn address that permanently removes tokens from circulation.
The Celo activation is actually a fix. A prior governance proposal, numbered #94, contained a configuration error that prevented fees from going live on the network. This new proposal corrects that mistake while simultaneously onboarding BNB Chain and Polygon with fresh TokenJar infrastructure.
Governance moved fast on this one The proposal bypassed the usual Request for Comment stage entirely. Under a framework called UNIfication, the expansion qualified for an expedited governance process: a five-day Snapshot vote followed by an onchain vote. No prolonged debate period required.
Community response has been strongly supportive during the Snapshot voting process.
What this means for investors and traders For liquidity providers on BNB Chain, Polygon, and Celo, the 1/5 fee take means a slightly smaller share of swap fees flowing to their pockets. On a pool with a 0.30% fee, LPs would receive 0.24% instead of the full amount.
The cross-chain bridging component introduces its own set of risks. Bridge exploits have been among the most costly attack vectors in DeFi history. While the TokenJar and bridging architecture has been operating on other chains without incident, every new chain integration expands the attack surface.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
PANews reported on May 23 that Uniswap founder Hayden Adams stated that Uniswap's protocol fee mechanism is already running on nine blockchains and is designed to burn UNI. The Uniswap Foundation has initiated a new proposal to extend the V2 and V3 protocol fee mechanism to BNB Chain, Polygon, and Celo. This move will further increase the amount of UNI burned, reducing the total supply of UNI.
Uniswap DAO has unveiled a new proposal to extend its fee collection and UNI token burn mechanism to BNB Chain, Polygon, and Celo, aiming to expand the popular UNIfication program beyond its current scope on Ethereum and other major networks. If approved, this move would integrate three new blockchains into Uniswap’s evolving ecosystem, reinforcing its multi-chain ambitions.
The proposal, titled “Protocol Fee Expansion: Vote 3” (Proposal #96), appears on the Uniswap governance portal and is scheduled for a community vote starting May 24, 2026, according to the Uniswap Foundation calendar. Should the community approve, the fee-burning mechanism—already live on Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, OP Mainnet, and several others—would now launch on these three additional chains.
Details in the proposal specify that, on BNB Chain and Polygon, fees from v2 pools will be channeled directly to a smart contract called TokenJar, while v3 factory management will transfer to the advanced V3OpenFeeAdapter contract. On Celo, implementation will be more complex due to previous technical issues, requiring the use of cross-chain accounts for some operations.
Glossary: TokenJar and Firepit are key smart contracts for Uniswap’s fee accrual and burning process. TokenJar gathers protocol fees on each chain, while Firepit completes the burn by destroying an equivalent amount of UNI tokens.
The system is designed so that accumulated protocol fees are consolidated in a central account. Users must first burn UNI, after which the burnt UNI is sent to the famed “0xdead” address on Ethereum’s mainnet for finalization.
Impact of the fee burn program on UniswapUNIfication was introduced on Uniswap in December 2025 via community vote, directly linking fee collection and burning to increased UNI token engagement. During this period, UNI rallied from $4.95 up to $9.25 in a short span, reflecting rising interest after implementation.
Back in March, Proposals 94 and 95 saw support from a combined 139 million UNI, enabling the fee collection mechanism to expand across eight further blockchains.
The latest Proposal 96 would bring the total number of UNIfication-enabled networks to eleven. On the activated chains, v2 pools split the standard 0.3% trading fee, with 0.25% going to liquidity providers and 0.05% allocated for the protocol. For v3 pools, fee parameters are set by the new adapter contract per the proposal.
Uniswap’s financial profile and network dataData from Defillama shows that Uniswap’s cumulative protocol fees across all blockchains have reached $5.57 billion to date. Annually, the protocol generates approximately $477 million in revenue, with $3.3 billion currently locked in the platform.
BNB Chain has contributed $117 million in total value locked (TVL) and $3.53 million in protocol fees over the last 30 days, while Polygon accounts for $76.5 million TVL and $1.02 million in fees for the same period. However, fee rewards for UNI holders are not yet distributed on these two networks pending proposal approval.
NetworkTotal Value Locked (TVL)30-Day FeesDistributed to UNI HoldersBNB Chain$117 million$3.53 millionNoPolygon$76.5 million$1.02 millionNoCelo$4.87 million$174,000NoRecent price movements captured by CryptoAppsy indicate that UNI is currently trading at $3.30, a steep decline of 92.7% from its all-time high of $44.97 in May 2021.
As part of UNIfication, a total of 100 million UNI sourced from the treasury were retrospectively burned as a lump sum, calculated to represent fees that might have been accrued from the program’s inception. The proposal was co-authored by Uniswap founder Hayden Adams.
Streamlined governance rolls out for faster changesThe latest proposal implements the expedited governance process introduced with UNIfication. Under this fast-tracked system, fee parameters discussed in the community can progress from a five-day Snapshot poll to an on-chain vote immediately, expediting important protocol updates.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
In a significant development for the cryptocurrency market, Toncoin (TON), Celo (CELO), Hashflow (HFT), JasmyCoin (JASMY), and Metis (METIS) have been officially listed on DWF Liquid Markets. From now onwards, traders can easily access these coins. These tokens are available in the following pairs for users TON/USDT, CELO/USDT, HFT/USDT, JASMY/USDT, and METIS/USDT. Earlier, Liquid Markets added $JOE, $LADYS, and $FLOKI as well.
DWF Markets Welcomes Revived TON, Inclusive Celo, and Liquid Hashflow Toncoin (TON) is an important a decentralized layer-1 blockchain. It was initially developed in 2018 by the encrypted messaging platform Telegram. Apart from the project’s initial neglect, it has been revived by the TON Foundation. It has been also rebranded from Telegram Open Network to The Open Network. Additionally, it showcased a renewed focus on its development and potential.
Celo is another addition to the DWF Liquid Markets. It is a carbon-negative, permissionless blockchain with a plenty of ecosystem of global partners. This blockchain is actively supporting the creation of innovative Web3 decentralized applications (dapps). Moreover, it aims at fostering a more inclusive financial system accessible to all.
Hashflow offers traders deep liquidity across various leading blockchains. With access to approximately $8 billion in liquidity, Hashflow promises traders the best prices. It also facilitates seamless trading experiences for every token, both interchain and cross-chain.
JasmyCoin and Metis Enter Crypto Space, Addressing Scalability and Efficiency JasmyCoin (JASMY) emerges as a cryptocurrency project from Jasmy Corporation. It is a Tokyo-based Internet of Things (IoT) provider. Operating within the realm of the Internet of Things, JasmyCoin leverages both mechanical and digital components. In addition to this, JasmyCoin is equipped with unique identifiers to transmit data efficiently.
Lastly, Metis joins the lineup as an Ethereum Layer-2 scaling solution. It aims to address the blockchain problems by offering decentralization, security, and scalability at the same time. Additionally, Metis aims to tackle some of Ethereum’s most pressing challenges. These challenges include speed, cost, and scalability. As a result, it enhances the overall efficiency and functionality of the Ethereum network.
The addition of these five tokens to DWF Liquid Markets will expand the platform’s offerings. Moreover, it is going to provide traders with increased access to a plethora of innovative blockchain projects. The world of cryptocurrency market is continuously evolving. In this scenario, the availability of such tokens on established trading platforms is very necessary. The platforms like DWF Liquid Markets reflect the increasing interest of crypto worldwide.
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Umair Younas is a cryptocurrency-related content writer linked with this work since 2019. Here, at Blockchainreporter, he serves as a news and article writer. He is a crypto, blockchain, NFTs, DeFi, and FinTech enthusiast. He has strong command over writing authentic reviews about brokers and exchanges and he has collaborated with our education team to write educational content as well. He has a dream to raise awareness among people about digital currencies. His works are well-researched and brimmed with information hence they provide fresh insights. Stay tuned to his posts if you want to stay up-to-date with the crypto-verse.
Transak, a global fiat-to-crypto payments infrastructure provider, has teamed with Opera’s MiniPay, a leading dollar stablecoin wallet based on the Celo blockchain. This partnership enhances MiniPay’s capacity to enable seamless on-and off-ramping of stablecoins — Celo Dollar (cUSD), Tether USD (USDT), and USD Coin (USDC) — in over 50 countries, with a wider selection of local payment options.
As part of this partnership on- and off-ramping is available with zero fees for a limited period, enabling users to interact with stablecoins without the traditional obstacles of fees and further pushing adoption by making cross-border payments more inexpensive. The objective behind the inaugural zero-fee promotion is to allow more people to experience stablecoins’ attribute of near-instant cross-border payments and settlements without the technological bells and whistles.
MiniPay allows near-instant, low-cost transfers of stablecoins with costs as low as $0.001 per transaction, owing to the efficiency of the Celo blockchain. Onboarding needs only an email address and phone number, making it simple for anybody to start using stablecoins. In certain markets, consumers may even acquire as low as five dollars of stablecoins, making it affordable for anyone. Users may also pay bills and utilities in specific markets at zero cost.
Here’s how it works:
On-Ramping: By buying stablecoins directly with local currencies using a variety of payment options, including as credit/debit cards, Google Pay, and Apple Pay, users may fill up their MiniPay wallet. Off-Ramping: By converting stablecoins into local currencies and sending the money straight to their bank accounts or credit cards, users may take money out. Carlo de Luca Gabrielli, Global Director of Sales at Transak stated:
“We believe financial tools should be accessible to everyone, everywhere. By joining forces with MiniPay, we’re not only making digital finance affordable but also promoting inclusiveness for communities that need it the most.”
MiniPay has more over 5 million active wallets since its September 2023 debut, demonstrating widespread use and demand for inexpensive, international transactions. Transak’s goal of making web3 accessible to everyone in a non-custodial way is perfectly aligned with the ultralight (2MB) wallet’s impressive success in emerging markets.
MiniPay’s dedication to giving consumers simple access to stablecoins and promoting their widespread adoption is further strengthened by the partnership with Transak.
Jørgen Arnesen, EVP of Mobile at Opera stated:
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Transak to offer MiniPay users a wider range of local payment options as we expand our stablecoin wallet to more countries worldwide. By eliminating fees, we’re breaking down financial barriers, making cross-border transactions and remittances more accessible and affordable, and driving the adoption of stablecoins even further.”
Because they provide a reliable substitute for conventional methods, stablecoins are becoming an increasingly important tool for remittances. This fee-free access is revolutionary because it eliminates the obstacles that usually make international payments expensive and time-consuming. MiniPay guarantees that users can transfer money across the globe swiftly and affordably, whether for regular transactions or remittances. This makes it an accessible option for individuals, families, and businesses in need of quick, dependable, and reasonably priced financial tools.
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Key NotesBinance plans on temporarily suspending deposits and withdrawals on some networks.Users will not be able to deposit and withdraw tokens based on Ethereum networks during this period.Trading is not affected by the suspension. Cryptocurrency exchange Binance intends to briefly halt deposits and withdrawals for select tokens on May 7, 2025, starting around 09:45 (UTC), in order to accommodate the Ethereum network upgrade and hard fork, aiming to maintain optimal user experience
Binance disclosed that it plans on temporarily suspending the deposits and withdrawals of tokens based on the following networks “Ethereum (ETH), Arbitrum (ARB), Optimism (OP), zkSync Era (ZKSYNC), Base (BASE), Manta Network (MANTA), Starknet (STRK), Polygon (POL), Metis (METIS), Scroll (SCR), Cyber (CYBER), Metal DAO (MTL), Celo (CELO) and Worldcoin (WLD)”.
This temporary suspension is intended to support the smooth execution of the Ethereum network upgrade and hard fork. According to the announcement, only deposits and withdrawals will be impacted, while trading on the affected networks will remain operational. Binance also stated that it will manage all technical aspects on behalf of its users.
The crypto exchange added that once everything is “deemed to be stable”, the deposits and withdrawals for the select tokens will begin.
Hard forks typically result in the creation of a separate blockchain that runs alongside the original one. All current nodes and miners must transition to the new chain. Hard forks are used to improve the functionality of the network, such as fixing security vulnerabilities, introducing new functionalities, upgrading the cryptocurrency’s core system, or undoing previous transactions.
Past and Future Network Upgrades The crypto exchange will also suspend the withdrawals and deposits for the Optimism and Metal DAO networks on May 9. Once the update is completed, withdrawals and deposits will begin automatically without additional announcements.
Previously, the crypto exchange has temporarily disabled deposit and withdrawal functions across various networks to facilitate upgrades and hard forks. For instance, transactions involving tokens on the THORChain (RUNE) network were paused on May 1 at 14:00 (UTC) to support a scheduled upgrade.
Similarly, on May 5, at around 06:00 (UTC), Binance suspended deposits and withdrawals for tokens on the IPTA network to accommodate its network enhancement and hard fork.
Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.
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Rose is a crypto content writer with a strong background in finance and tech. She simplifies complex blockchain and cryptocurrency topics, offering insightful articles and market analysis to help readers navigate the evolving crypto landscape.
Rubio: US and Iran to continue technical consultations at the end of this month
Multiple foreign media outlets reported on the 24th that US Secretary of State Rubio said technical teams from the United States and Iran will hold further talks in Switzerland by the end of June. (Xinhua News Agency)
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Over the past 24 hours, total crypto market liquidations hit $606 million, with more than 130,000 traders liquidated.
According to Coinglass data, the global cryptocurrency market recorded $606 million in liquidations over the past 24 hours, including $542 million in long-position liquidations and $68.22 million in short-position liquidations. A total of 135,785 traders worldwide were liquidated in the same period, with the largest single liquidation order occurring on Binance’s BTCUSDT trading pair, valued at $12.0111 million.
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Bitcoin falls below $60,000
According to HTX market data, Bitcoin has fallen below $60,000, with a 4.3% drop in the past 24 hours.
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US Treasury Secretary: AI boom may boost productivity and help curb inflation.
US Treasury Secretary Bessent told CNBC in an interview that he hopes the Federal Reserve will remain "open-minded" about the inflation pattern after the reversal of Iran-related energy price hikes. Bessent noted that the U.S. could enter an economic environment marked by high GDP growth without a corresponding rise in traditional inflation. He cited that in the 1990s, Alan Greenspan foresaw that office modernization and the internet could drive non-inflationary growth, and allowed the economy to keep expanding. Bessent believes the U.S. has a strong chance of seeing a similar scenario again. When asked whether the Fed still needs to worry about potential inflation and whether interest rate cuts are possible this year or next, Bessent declined to comment. However, he argued that it is necessary to stay open-minded about the price or inflation impacts from the Iran conflict, and monitor inflation performance after those effects subside. Bessent also said an open mind is needed, as the AI boom could boost productivity and deliver disinflationary effects, helping inflation return to the Fed’s target level. He added that he believes Kevin Warsh will choose the optimal path that meets both the Fed’s inflation and growth mandates. Bessent also noted that Warsh previously took a hawkish stance on inflation.
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US stocks' intraday storage sector sees broad declines, with Western Digital and Seagate Technology both falling over 4%.
According to Bitget data, during U.S. stock trading hours, the storage sector saw broad declines: Western Digital (WDC) fell 4.47%, Seagate Technology (STX) dropped 4.17%, SanDisk (SNDK) declined 2.31%, and Micron Technology (MU) edged down 0.96%. Most optical communication concept stocks rose, with Corning (GLW) leading the gains at 9.75%, followed by Ciena (CIEN) up 3.24%, Coherent (COHR) rising 2.93%, Lumentum (LITE) gaining 2.61%, and Nokia (NOK) advancing 1.82%. Additionally, Marvell Technology (MRVL) fell 2.59% and Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) declined 1.90%.
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During intraday trading in U.S. stocks, crypto-related concept stocks fell broadly, with MSTR dropping more than 7%.
According to Bitget market data, the three major U.S. stock indexes rose broadly: the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.94%, the S&P 500 increased 0.60%, and the Nasdaq rose 0.63%. Crypto-related stocks fell across the board, with declines as follows: Strategy (MSTR) down 7.33%; Circle (CRCL) down 4.35%; Bitmine (BMNR) down 3.97%; Coinbase (COIN) down 3.73%; Robinhood (HOOD) down 3.70%; Gemini (GEMI) down 3.27%; Bullish (BLSH) down 3.25%; Sharplink (SBET) down 3.19%.
