Uniswap Labs, the developers behind the decentralized exchange platform Uniswap, have announced the launch of a layer-2 network named UniChain, built using the Optimism OP Stack. Scheduled to go live on a private testnet on Thursday, UniChain aims to enhance transaction speed, increase liquidity, and reduce trading fees.

Hayden Adams, the inventor of Uniswap and CEO of Uniswap Labs, emphasized the need for instant transaction experiences as a driving force behind the development. UniChain is expected to follow a similar growth trajectory as Uniswap, potentially becoming a DeFi hub within a broader Superchain on Optimism.

Uniswap's move aligns with similar initiatives by other exchange platforms like Coinbase and OKX, which have also launched their own layer-2 networks on Ethereum. In collaboration with Ethereum research team Flashbots, Uniswap Labs plans to introduce new features, including a trusted execution environment (TEE) to enhance transaction transparency and efficiency.