TheBlock
1inch has publicly launched Aqua, a self-custodial shared liquidity layer that lets providers back multiple DEX positions from a single wallet balance without locking capital into pools. Aqua went live across 13 EVM-compatible chains on launch day.
Why it matters
The product targets a problem 1inch-commissioned Dune research pegs at roughly $1.6 billion in concentrated DEX liquidity sitting idle in the first half of 2026. Idle concentrated liquidity is the structural drag concentrated-AMM designs have carried since Uniswap v3: providers commit to tight ranges for higher fees, then lose touch as price drifts, leaving the pool under-earning. Aqua abstracts that rebalancing by pooling wallet-level balances across positions rather than per-pool deposits.
Market impact
For DEX aggregators and AMMs, shared-liquidity infrastructure competes with the app-specific hooks Uniswap v4 introduced; for L2s and rollup teams, a 13-chain splash-out makes Aqua one of the wider native-DeFi footprint launches of the quarter. Liquidity providers get a single-balance, multi-position model; the open question is whether protocols route meaningful volume through it or treat it as one more passive layer.
Frequently asked questions
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What is 1inch Aqua?
Aqua is a self-custodial shared liquidity layer by 1inch that lets providers back multiple DEX positions from a single wallet balance, without locking funds into individual pools.
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How many chains does Aqua support at launch?
Aqua launched publicly across 13 EVM-compatible chains on day one.
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What problem does Aqua target?
Aqua targets idle concentrated DEX liquidity. 1inch-commissioned Dune research pegs that idle capital at roughly $1.6 billion during the first half of 2026.
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How does Aqua differ from Uniswap v4's hook model?
Both aim to make liquidity more capital-efficient, but Aqua shares balances across positions at the wallet layer rather than introducing app-specific hook logic on a single AMM.
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Do liquidity providers need to lock funds into Aqua pools?
No. Aqua is self-custodial and does not require depositing capital into pools per position; providers back multiple positions from a single wallet balance.
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