Ethereum ecosystem roundup: Robinhood Chain (Arbitrum L2) launched on mainnet hitting $1B DEX volume in one week, Aztec achieved Stage 2 decentralization, Aave launched Stable Vaults, and multiple infrastructure upgrades advanced.
Tech & Launches ·
Robinhood Chain, an Ethereum Layer 2 built on Arbitrum, launched on mainnet with support for 24/7 trading of tokenized stocks and ETFs across more than 120 countries via Robinhood Wallet. The network achieved $1B in decentralized exchange volume within just over a week of launch.
The Ethereum ecosystem has advanced through several complementary infrastructure and governance developments. Aztec Network reached Stage 2 decentralization under L2Beat's framework, removing governance control from its core protocol. Meanwhile, Aave rolled out Stable Vaults—fixed-rate yield products for stablecoins designed to integrate into consumer applications—and Zama introduced a confidential USDC lending venue in partnership with Morpho and SteakhouseFi. Base added privacy infrastructure for enterprises to trade and settle onchain with built-in confidentiality, while Lodestar Eth enabled single-slot transaction confirmation for node operators.
Additional developments included the launch of EthLabs Org and Ethereum Insti as independent nonprofits focused on research and institutional adoption respectively, publication of an Ethereum primer for governments and policymakers, and token-based equity infrastructure entering the ecosystem through Ondo Finance's perpetual futures platform and BGDA UK's regulated fund on Ethereum.