CoW Protocol Launches Fair Combinatorial Batch Auctions (FCBA)

CoW DAO has opened a Request for Proposals to design its Value Distribution Mechanism. **What's Being Designed:** - How protocol profits are captured - How funds are managed - How value is distributed to token holders The initiative aims to establish a sustainable framework for the protocol's economic model. Community members and developers can submit proposals through the [DAO forum](https://forum.cow.fi/t/rfp-cow-value-distribution-mechanism/3328). This follows CoW DAO's recent shift to retroactive funding for grants, where builders demonstrate impact before receiving scaled compensation based on results delivered.

**Elsa AI**, a crypto co-pilot agent, has integrated **CoW Swap** to power its limit order functionality. **Key features of the integration:** - Better pricing through cross-exchange aggregation - MEV (Maximal Extractable Value) protection for users - Custom order capabilities built directly into the AI agent This partnership allows Elsa AI users to execute limit orders with enhanced security and pricing, leveraging CoW Protocol's infrastructure that searches across multiple exchanges and aggregators to find optimal trade execution.

**CoW Swap is now live on Plasma Network**, a stablecoin-focused Layer 1 blockchain designed for payments. **Key features of the integration:** - Gas-free swaps and bridging - MEV protection through batch auctions - Single-step swap and payment functionality - Cross-chain bridging in one flow - Solver competition ensures competitive pricing Plasma Network offers fast, predictable, and low-cost transactions. The CoW Swap integration addresses common friction points like managing gas tokens and manual bridging. The platform uses intent-based design, allowing users to swap, send, and bridge tokens without the typical complexities of DeFi trading. [Try CoW Swap on Plasma](https://swap.cow.fi/#/9745/swap/WXPL/0xB8CE59FC3717ada4C02eaDF9682A9e934F625ebb) [Read the full announcement](https://cow.fi/learn/cow-swap-launches-on-plasma-network)

CoW DAO secured major exchange listings throughout 2025, including **Kraken, Upbit, Bithumb, and AscendEX**. The protocol also formed strategic partnerships with prominent DeFi platforms like **Aave, Arcana Network, and Infinex**. The expansion included collaborations with: - NEAR Protocol - WalletConnect - Ondo Finance - Morpho - Gnosis - DefiLlama **Key technical improvements shipped in 2025:** - Cross-chain swaps combining bridge and swap into single gasless transactions - FCBAs (Fair Conditional Batch Auctions) for improved execution and pricing - Partial approvals limiting token permissions to trade amounts only - Auto-slippage feature reducing failed transactions These developments aimed to improve trading efficiency across decentralized finance platforms. [Full 2025 review](https://cow.fi/learn/cow-dao-2025-in-review)

**CoW Swap is now live on Linea**, Ethereum's L2 network, bringing gasless trading and advanced order types to the platform. **Key features on Linea:** - Gasless swaps by default - no ETH needed for gas - Limit and TWAP orders - Swap & Send functionality - Upcoming Swap & Bridge feature **How it works:** CoW Protocol's solver network competes to find the best prices across DEXs while protecting users from MEV attacks. **Expanded Aave integration** also launched, powering more DeFi operations: - Collateral swaps - Repay-with-collateral transactions - Debt swapping All operations are **gas-optimized and MEV-protected**. The integration uses intent-based transactions - users specify what they want, and solvers find the optimal execution path. **Benefits include:** - Solver-routed execution for better prices - Shared liquidity across $10B+ monthly volume - Simplified user experience with fewer approvals Try CoW Swap on Linea: [swap.cow.fi](https://swap.cow.fi/#/59144/swap/WETH/0x176211869cA2b568f2A7D4EE941E073a821EE1ff) Learn more about the Aave integration: [aave.com/blog/aave-cow-swap](https://aave.com/blog/aave-cow-swap)