Paid Partnership: How Can DeFi Fix Its Liquidity Problem? 1inch's Aqua Offers a Solution
Paid Partnership: How Can DeFi Fix Its Liquidity Problem? 1inch's Aqua Offers a Solution
1 hour agoUnchainedLaura Shin
Podcast23 min 28 sec
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Note: AI-generated summary based on third-party content. Not financial advice. Read more.
Quick Insights

DeFi investors can immediately capitalize on the launch of 1inch’s new Aqua protocol, which addresses the massive capital inefficiency where traditional liquidity sits idle 95% of the time. You can participate in the 500,000 USDC three-month incentive program distributed by the 1inch DAO by creating positions and generating trading volume on Aqua. Advanced investors can leverage blue-chip assets like Ethereum (ETH) or Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) on Aave v3 by looping positions 3 to 4 times. By channeling these leveraged assets into Aqua, you can earn increased fee yields driven by professional market maker volume across 13 networks. Always review educational materials at 1inch.com/aqua/learn and weigh smart contract risks before deploying capital into these strategies.

Detailed Analysis

OneInch (1INCH)

  • Recently launched Aqua, a shared liquidity intent-based protocol operating across 13 different networks designed to solve capital inefficiency and underutilization issues in traditional decentralized finance (DeFi) liquidity pools.
  • According to research cited from Dune, 85% of concentrated liquidity in traditional models sits idle about 95% of the time, a problem Aqua aims to address by allowing users to keep assets in their self-custodial wallets (or sub-wallets created via Gnosis Safe) while participating in multiple trading strategies simultaneously.
  • Offers features aimed at institutional adoption, including isolation from commingled funds, strict compliance checks, and Know Your Business (KYB) requirements for professional market makers who handle settlements.
  • The 1inch DAO is distributing 500,000 USDC over a three-month period as an incentive program via Merkle distribution to reward users who create positions and generate trading volumes on Aqua.
  • The platform underwent 8 security audits prior to launch to mitigate protocol-level risks.

Takeaways

  • Users interested in decentralized liquidity provision can explore Aqua on 1inch.com/aqua/learn to understand strategies, full-range liquidity formulas, and tutorials on setting up self-custodial positions.
  • Investors utilizing decentralized lending protocols like Aave v3 can potentially leverage assets (such as wrapped Bitcoin, or WBTC) to loop positions up to 3 to 4 times, subsequently applying Aqua strategies to earn increased fees from professional market maker volume.
  • Always conduct personal research and review educational materials regarding smart contract and impermanent loss risks before engaging in DeFi liquidity provision or leverage strategies.

Ethereum (ETH)

  • Mentioned as a primary blue-chip asset utilized in DeFi platforms, liquidity pools, and advanced looping strategies on protocols like Aave.
  • Discussed in the context of price range strategies and intent-based trading on networks compatible with the Ethereum ecosystem.

Takeaways

  • Blue-chip assets like Ethereum remain central to DeFi yield-generating strategies, including lending, borrowing, and concentrated liquidity provision.
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Episode Description
SPONSORED CONTENT: This video is a paid partnership with 1inch. It was produced in collaboration with 1inch and is separate from Unchained's editorial coverage. 1inch cofounder Sergej Kunz says up to 85% of DeFi's liquidity sits idle. He walks through Aqua, the self-custodial product built to put that capital back to work. ======================================================== Thank you to our sponsor! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠1inch - Swap crypto at the best rates in DeFi with 1inch — and get an early look at Aqua, their new protocol that lets your liquidity do more than one job at a time https://1inch.io  ======================================================== Discover Aqua, their new shared-liquidity protocol that lets your capital power multiple DeFi strategies at once — without leaving your wallet. Learn more at https://1inch.io 1inch co-founder Sergej Kunz says he built Aqua after getting sandwiched by MEV bots while providing his own liquidity, and after 1inch's research found up to 85% of concentrated liquidity across DeFi sits idle. Kunz walks through why he thinks liquidity pools fragment capital by design, and how Aqua's intent-based, self-custody model tries to fix that without asking users to give up control of their assets. He covers Aqua's sub-wallet structure, how professional market makers settle trades after passing 1inch's compliance and KYB checks, and the rollout across 13 networks including Base and Robinhood's chain. Kunz also details 1inch DAO's plan to distribute USDC to liquidity providers. Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠André Beganski - Host Guests: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sergej Kunz - Cofounder of 1inch Timestamps 📣 00:19 Swap crypto at the best rates in DeFi with 1inch — and get an early look at Aqua, their new protocol that lets your liquidity do more than one job at a time https://1inch.io  💧 00:40 Sergej on getting sandwiched, and why 85% of DeFi liquidity sits idle 🔬 06:15 Why Sergej says every chain shares Aqua's idle-liquidity flaw 🧩 07:16 Sub wallets: how Aqua runs positions without creating debt 🛡️ 12:10 Why 1inch keeps Aqua self custody, and the risks Sergej flags 🏦 13:24 Who Aqua is built for, and how it isolates sanctioned funds 💰 17:03 Aqua's 13 networks and the $500K DAO incentive program Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
About Unchained
Unchained

Unchained

By Laura Shin

Crypto assets and blockchain technology are about to transform every trust-based interaction of our lives, from financial services to identity to the Internet of Things. In this podcast, host Laura Shin, an independent journalist covering all things crypto, talks with industry pioneers about how crypto assets and blockchains will change the way we earn, spend and invest our money. Tune in to find out how Web 3.0, the decentralized web, will revolutionize our world. Disclosure: I'm a nocoiner.