Aave protocol deployment optimization and reserve deprecation

Aave Proposes Shutting Down Six Blockchain Deployments

The Aave Chan Initiative proposed rolling back deployments on zkSync, Metis, and Soneium due to lack of product market fit.

In December 2025, the Aave Chan Initiative proposed rolling back Aave’s deployments on zkSync, Metis, and Soneium, citing a lack of product market fit. Each of these six targeted blockchains — including Sonic, Scroll, and Aptos — generates less than $5,000 per quarter in revenue; Metis, Soneium, and Aptos each bring in under $1,000 per quarter. In contrast, Aave’s Ethereum mainnet deployment generates over $142 million annually, and its Base deployment about $4.7 million annually.

Deposits on the three chains have dropped sharply. Over six months, deposits on Soneium fell 95%, on zkSync declined 88% to roughly $844,000, and on Metis dropped 79%. The six deployments together hold only $13 million in deposits, while Aave has about $14 billion across 23 chains.

Under the proposal, existing positions would not be forcibly closed; instead, markets would be frozen to new deposits, borrowing, and collateral use. Aave would cut supply and borrowing limits to a single token, route 99% of borrower interest to its treasury, and introduce a 5% base borrowing rate. The Aave Chan Initiative also pushed a rule requiring any future deployment to commit to at least $2 million in annual revenue.

The Aave Chan Initiative established a rule requiring future deployments to commit to at least $2 million in annual revenue.

Back in December, the Aave Chan Initiative proposed a rule regarding the protocol's expansion. This policy would require any future deployment to commit to a minimum of $2 million in annual revenue.