X Layer, the Ethereum layer-2 network developed by OKX exchange, has emerged as a standout DeFi performer in the summer of 2026, surpassing $100 million in total value locked (TVL) and $2 billion in stablecoin supply. The growth places OKX alongside other major centralized exchanges that have launched proprietary L2 networks to capture on-chain activity, most notably Coinbase's Base, which surpassed $3 billion in TVL earlier in the year.

These milestones followed the network's integration of two major DeFi protocols, Aave and Uniswap. Notably, Uniswap was also among the key catalysts behind Robinhood Chain's strong debut following its July 1 launch. As Cryptopolitan previously reported, Robinhood Chain reached 220,000 daily traders and $1 billion in cumulative volume within nine days of going live, powered by Uniswap and rival lending protocol Morpho — though it has not yet integrated Aave.

The benefits cut both ways. DeFiLlama data cited by Uniswap founder Hayden Adams in mid-July showed that $4.38 million of Uniswap's $5.16 million in daily fees originated from Robinhood Chain alone.

X Layer's Breakout Growth

OKX Wallet announced on August 6 that X Layer's DeFi TVL had crossed the $100 million threshold, representing tenfold growth over the preceding six months. The same account noted that the chain entered the top ten public blockchains by stablecoins issued after surpassing the $2 billion level.

Cumulative active addresses have surpassed 4.2 million, with on-chain transactions exceeding 400 million.

DeFiLlama data corroborates the expansion. At the time of reporting, TVL stood at $116.27 million, up 5.26% on the day, while the stablecoin market cap reached $2.07 billion. In contrast to most chains where USDT and USDC dominate, OKX's USDG holds a 94.11% share on X Layer — a concentration that ties the chain's stablecoin liquidity almost entirely to OKX's own issuance infrastructure. Weekly DEX volume of $520.65 million marked a 25% increase.

Aave and Uniswap Anchor X Layer DeFi

Uniswap launched on X Layer on January 19, 2026. Aave followed on March 30, deploying version 3.6 with six dedicated efficiency modes, according to an official announcement.

"By expanding to X Layer, Aave connects its liquidity to a growing ecosystem of users and applications," Aave Labs founder Stani Kulechov said in that release.

The two protocols now top DeFiLlama's protocol table for the chain. Aave V3 leads with $85.34 million locked, while Uniswap holds $21.24 million — up nearly 59% over the past week. Together, they account for the majority of X Layer's DeFi activity, a pattern seen across newer L2s where the presence of blue-chip protocols often signals ecosystem maturity to additional developers and users.

Fee Totals vs. Protocol Revenue

An important distinction applies to reported fee figures: they do not always equate to protocol income. As Cryptopolitan noted, during Uniswap's Robinhood Chain surge, DeFiLlama recorded actual 24-hour revenue at just $73,454 out of roughly $5.2 million in daily fees, since most funds flow to liquidity providers rather than the treasury or token holders.

The same principle holds on X Layer. Deep liquidity pools and high trading volume indicate strong chain usage, but do not necessarily translate into protocol-level profitability.