1inch, a popular platform for finding the best prices on cryptocurrency trades, has launched Aqua – a new system that pools together funds from different sources – and made it available to users on 13 different blockchain networks (including Ethereum and those compatible with it).
Aqua allows those providing liquidity to use the same funds for multiple investments, rather than dividing them across different pools. Their tokens stay in their wallet until a suitable trade happens.
Instead of locking up funds in separate smart contracts for each strategy, this new system lets you hold your tokens directly in your wallet while still using them across various investment options. As 1inch co-founder Sergej Kunz explained to CoinDesk, this gives users more control over their assets.
According to 1inch, a $100,000 fund can back up to three trading positions worth a total of $300,000. However, this is liquidity that’s already available – not extra money being added. Trades will only use the assets currently in your digital wallet, and if there aren’t enough funds to complete a swap, the transaction will fail.
As a researcher, I’ve been following 1inch’s Aqua project since its initial release last year. They launched it with a comprehensive toolkit for developers – including the SDK, libraries, and all the necessary documentation. What’s particularly interesting is the public interface, which allows users to easily set up a variety of positions – from fully flexible ones to highly concentrated or pegged strategies – across multiple blockchains like Ethereum, Base, BNB Chain, Arbitrum, and even Robinhood Chain.
A new launch is happening after research from 1inch revealed that a significant amount – 85% of $1.84 billion – on major trading platforms wasn’t being fully used during the first half of 2026.
Around $542 million was held in accounts that weren’t actively being traded each week, resulting in roughly $150 million in lost annual fees.
1inch reports that Aqua has been thoroughly vetted with eight separate security audits. However, those providing liquidity should be aware of potential risks like price fluctuations, impermanent loss, and the possibility of vulnerabilities in the smart contracts.
The launch features a program to encourage trading activity, powered by Merkl. The 1inch Foundation is contributing 10 million 1INCH tokens, and the 1inch DAO will add $500,000 in USDC over three months, as CoinDesk reported.
Based on today’s prices, the tokens are valued at about $870,000, bringing the total value of the program to approximately $1.37 million.
2026-07-28 14:16