Overview

Universal is a cross-chain protocol that lets digital assets be created and traded on multiple blockchains. It wraps existing cryptocurrencies into Universal tokens (for example, turning AAVE into uAAVE) so they can be used in DeFi apps across different networks. The system relies on token merchants who mint new Universal tokens and supply liquidity to both centralized and decentralized exchanges, ensuring there are enough Universal tokens to trade. The company earns fees from minting and trading Universal tokens, funding its infrastructure for cross-chain liquidity and DeFi integrations. Compared with others, Universal focuses on a merchant-driven model to maintain cross-chain liquidity across CEXs and DEXs, enabling developers, traders, and users to operate in a multi-chain ecosystem. Its goal is to enable easy tokenization and transfer of digital assets across multiple blockchains, expanding access to DeFi across networks.