Vertex Protocol Team to Join Ink Foundation, Build New DeFi Primitives on Ink Layer-2

Vertex to sunset current deployments and new DEX to be launched exclusively on Ink

GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands, July 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vertex Protocol, a leading decentralized exchange platform known for its high-performance trading architecture and active community, has entered an agreement with the Ink Foundation to bring its core infrastructure and team to the Ink ecosystem. The move marks a major milestone for the Ink Layer 2's growing DeFi stack.

As part of the transition, Vertex will cease trading across current EVM deployments, with plans to launch a new version of the protocol purpose-built for Ink.

Additionally, the VRTX token will be sunset. VRTX holders will be eligible for an airdrop of INK tokens at token launch with 1% of the INK supply allocated to Vertex community members. VRTX holders will also receive boosted participation in an upcoming INK incentives program. A snapshot for the airdrop will be taken on Tuesday, July 8. All treasury and non-vested VRTX tokens will be excluded and burned.

Darius Tabai, CEO and Co-Founder of Vertex, commented on the news, "This is an incredible moment for the Vertex team and community. As a top decentralized exchange, Vertex has built a strong community. Vertex technology will accelerate the Ink Foundation's goals, provide more opportunity for traders, and represent renewed potential for tokenholders."

Airdrop plans, eligibility, and distribution mechanics will be shared at a later date. Industry-best practices for sybil deterrence will be used in an effort to limit airdrop farming and maximize the fairness of the distribution.

Integration of Vertex's synchronous orderbook engine, perpetuals, and money market stack into the Ink ecosystem will mark a significant step in the network's expansion beyond core infrastructure into application-layer functionality.

The Ink Foundation Board of Directors said, "Vertex has built one of the most advanced decentralized trading platforms in the space. Bringing what they have built into the Ink ecosystem is a strategic leap forward as we realize the vision for open, onchain capital markets."

The transaction was introduced and advised by Acquir.Fi, a dedicated M&A platform for web3 and decentralized protocols.  Ink Foundation was advised by Carey Olsen and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. Terms of the deal will not be publicly disclosed.

For more information, visit vertexprotocol.com or follow the Ink Foundation's official channels at inkfnd.com and on X @inkfndhq.

About Vertex Protocol
Launched in 2023, Vertex is a decentralized trading platform combining low-latency orderbooks with unified liquidity for spot, perpetuals, and money markets. Co-founded by Darius Tabai and Alwin Peng, the Vertex team brings deep experience from traditional finance and crypto trading. Known for its hybrid execution model and advanced matching engine, Vertex delivers CEX-grade performance in a decentralized environment.

About Ink Foundation
The Ink Foundation is an independent entity that stewards the Ink Layer-2 and its ecosystem. It supports protocol development, ecosystem growth, and token governance to help realize the vision of open, onchain capital markets.

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SOURCE Vertex