Summary
- 1inch has made Aqua accessible to all users on 13 EVM chains, following an initial release exclusively for developers eight months ago.
- Instead of depositing tokens into a pool, providers approve a wallet balance, and tokens are only transferred when a swap is completed.
- Each swap is carried out by a verified counterparty, marking a first for liquidity platforms, according to 1inch.
1inch has officially launched Aqua, its shared liquidity layer for decentralized finance (DeFi), to the public after an eight-month period where it was only available to developers. The protocol went live on Tuesday across 13 EVM-compatible chains, including Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, BNB Chain, and Robinhood Chain. A user-friendly interface was initially expected to be released in the first quarter.
Described as "the foundation for scalable, capital-efficient DeFi," Aqua operates more like a registry than a traditional liquidity pool. Providers approve a token balance and create positions that can draw from it. Rather than depositing tokens into a smart contract, the protocol only pulls tokens when a swap aligns with the established terms, returning proceeds and fees in a single transaction. Token approvals are specific to each token and chain, allowing for easy revocation.
Liquidity providers: it’s time to wake up.
Utilize 1inch Aqua to discover heightened activity across more markets while retaining custody of your tokens.
Experience risk-controlled execution alongside complete self-custody.
No, this isn’t a dream.
Here’s how it works:
— 1inch (@1inch) July 28, 2026
Each swap on Aqua is conducted by a "verified counterparty," as defined by 1inch, which refers to a market maker or arbitrage bot that has been authenticated, with the verification enforced on-chain at the time of the swap. This makes Aqua the first risk-controlled liquidity venue and signifies a move towards more regulated DeFi environments. When Aqua was first made available to developers in November, 1inch indicated that any user could engage with a position to perform a swap.
The company also emphasized that the single ownership of each position prevents just-in-time fee skimming, which could cost providers up to 44% of their fee income.
For instance, 1inch illustrated a scenario where a $100,000 balance could support three positions with a total quote of $300,000. No borrowing occurs, and swaps can only execute against tokens physically present in the wallet, thus capping exposure based on actual holdings rather than the total size of the positions.
To celebrate the launch, the 1inch Foundation has allocated 10 million 1INCH tokens as rewards for liquidity providers, along with an additional 500,000 USDC from the 1inch DAO, which will be distributed through Merkl.
Aqua has undergone eight independent audits conducted by firms like OpenZeppelin, Nethermind, Hexens, and Bailsec. 1inch cautioned that the product is designed for "experienced users," highlighting that fees are not guaranteed, prices may fluctuate unfavorably, and providers face market and smart contract risks.
A spokesperson for 1inch previously stated that Aqua has the potential to "transform how capital and yield strategies operate in DeFi," offering deeper liquidity throughout the sector and minimizing fragmentation.