Scaling Summit Addresses User Retention and RWA Adoption Challenges

**Major exchanges are building their own infrastructure using OP Stack** Five exchanges - Coinbase, Kraken, OKX, Upbit, and Bitpanda - deployed chains using the OP Stack in H2 2025. **Key metrics:** - $495M in application revenue - 6 billion transactions processed - $5.5B deployed in smart contracts These exchanges chose to own their infrastructure rather than rent it, using the same underlying chain technology while serving different products and markets. The data demonstrates significant adoption of exchange-operated chains built on shared infrastructure.

**Ether.fi has launched a fiat gateway supporting 120+ countries across 6 currencies, now live on Optimism.** The platform addresses crypto's original mission of financial inclusion by enabling direct fiat-to-crypto conversion for users in underserved markets. **Key features:** - Multi-currency support across 6 major fiat currencies - Access for users in 120+ countries - Built on Optimism's Layer 2 infrastructure This expansion comes as major exchanges increasingly build their own blockchain infrastructure, with 50 of crypto's largest financial institutions choosing Optimism for its speed and stability.

The New York Stock Exchange is indicating plans to implement round-the-clock onchain settlement systems. This shift could trigger significant changes across global market infrastructure. **Key implications:** - Move from traditional trading hours to continuous 24/7 operations - Settlement processes would occur directly onchain - Potential cascade effect on how financial markets operate worldwide The announcement was discussed at the Incrypted Conference, where the broader impact on post-trade processes was examined. This development builds on earlier discussions about tokenized securities and blockchain integration in traditional finance.

A new institutional-grade stablecoin has launched on OP Mainnet, expanding access to compliant, USD-backed liquidity for developers and institutions. **Key Details:** - The stablecoin provides institutional-grade compliance standards - Developers and institutions gain improved access to USD-backed liquidity - Launch leverages OP Mainnet's infrastructure capabilities This follows OP Mainnet's growing institutional presence, which includes $700M in existing stablecoins and infrastructure supporting 20M gas/second throughput with 99.99% uptime.

Centralized exchanges (CEXs) have quietly become significant distributors of onchain activity, according to a new analysis from Optimism. The shift represents a notable evolution in the crypto ecosystem. While decentralized exchanges (DEXs) were designed to eliminate intermediaries, CEXs have adapted by facilitating onchain transactions at scale. **Key developments:** - CEXs now process substantial volumes of onchain transfers and settlements - Traditional exchanges are bridging users to Layer 2 networks and DeFi protocols - The trend challenges assumptions about the CEX vs DEX divide This development suggests the future may involve coexistence rather than competition between centralized and decentralized platforms. CEXs bring regulatory compliance and user familiarity, while enabling access to onchain infrastructure. Read the full analysis: [Optimism Blog](https://www.optimism.io/blog/how-centralized-exchanges-quietly-became-crypto-s-biggest-onchain-distributors)