Universal

Universal is a cross-chain liquidity protocol designed to facilitate seamless trading of wrapped assets, known as uAssets, across various blockchains. Developed by the team behind Alongside, Universal addresses liquidity fragmentation in decentralized finance (DeFi) by enabling users to trade tokens directly from their on-chain wallets. Since its beta launch in August 2024, the protocol has processed $900 million in trading volume. Universal offers fully collateralized wrapped tokens, such as uBTC and uETH, which are tradable across networks like Polygon, Arbitrum, and Base. The Universal Relayer API allows developers to integrate over 80 tokens into DeFi protocols, enhancing the functionality of lending markets and decentralized exchanges. The protocol also features real-time proof-of-reserves for verifying collateral and aggregates off-chain order book liquidity for improved price execution. With plans for expansion to non-EVM networks, Universal aims to provide institutional-grade infrastructure for compliant asset exposure.