Bitget Wallet’s Alvin Kan: ‘Solana Needs to Improve Decentralization’
2024-11-15

In the fast-evolving world of decentralized exchanges (DEXs), Ethereum remains at the forefront, continually setting the bar for other blockchains.
But what factors drive this dominance, and are other chains like Solana poised to challenge it? 
We sought after , COO of Bitget Wallet, to help delve into these questions and explore broader themes around Ethereum’s ecosystem, the rising competition from Solana, Uniswap’s latest innovations, and the influences of macroeconomic conditions on DEX trading. 
Kan offers valuable insights into the critical advantages and ongoing challenges within the DEX space and a forward-looking perspective on what’s necessary to sustain and grow trading volumes across these platforms.Ethereum’s Competitive Advantage: A Foundation Built on Trust and Innovation
Ethereum’s lead in the DEX ecosystem is bolstered by its liquidity, comprehensive developer resources, and robust security features. 
For many in the DeFi space, Ethereum’s ecosystem offers an unparalleled environment where developers can innovate confidently.
Q: Beyond liquidity, what other factors contribute to Ethereum’s ongoing dominance in the DEX space? Are there specific features or functionalities that differentiate Ethereum-based DEXs from those on other blockchains?
A: “Ethereum has the largest developer community, fostering rapid innovation and a diverse range of dApps. […] Ethereum has pioneered liquidity mining and yield farming, providing incentives for liquidity providers.” 
Ethereum’s extensive tools and smart contracts streamline development, reducing setup times and elevating security—two critical aspects in a space where safety and efficiency are paramount. 
According to Kan, the ongoing scalability improvements from Layer 2 solutions like Optimism further enhance its competitive edge. They offer faster transactions at lower fees while maintaining mainnet security. 
As Kan describes, these attributes help Ethereum-based DEXs allow their protocol to interact seamlessly, attract liquidity, and stay competitive despite rising challenges from high-speed blockchains. But can Ethereum maintain its dominance?Alvin Kan on Solana’s Rapid Growth: An Emerging Competitor
Solana’s growing presence in the DEX sector brings a unique value proposition: high throughput and low fees. 
However, these benefits come with challenges that could affect Solana’s journey toward dethroning Ethereum as the top DEX chain.
Q: Despite the recent surge in Solana’s TVL, do you believe it has the potential to overtake Ethereum as the dominant DEX chain in the long run? What are the key challenges that Solana needs to overcome to achieve this?
A: “Solana has shown impressive growth, especially in its TVL, but overtaking Ethereum as the leading DEX chain poses some challenges. Solana needs to improve its decentralization, as critics argue that it sacrifices this aspect for speed.”
While Solana’s low fees make it appealing, network stability is essential for long-term adoption; Kan argues that this could only undermine confidence in its ability to support large-scale decentralized applications.
Ethereum has earned trust through its resilience and decentralization, whereas Solana must work to address reliability issues and foster a larger developer community to sustain growth. 
Kan also noted that Solana’s path to dominance requires balancing decentralization with efficiency to match Ethereum’s established reputation for security and developer support. He believes that for Solana to surpass Ethereum in the DEX space, it must demonstrate strong stability and scalability without sacrificing decentralization or security.
It is worth noting that despite these hurdles, Solana has some unique strengths that make it powerful, such as high throughput and low fees. 
These features are rare in Layer 1 blockchain available today, and developers have found Solana appealing for that, especially builders in high-frequency trading and gaming. 
This now begs us to examine recent innovations like Uniswap. Is Uniswap a Solana rival?Innovative Edge: Uniswap’s New V4 Features
Uniswap, as the largest DEX on Ethereum, constantly adapts to meet user demands and fend off competitors. 
With V4 and Unichain, Uniswap aims to maintain liquidity within Ethereum’s ecosystem and support cross-chain trading—an advantage that could help it retain its dominant position.
Q: How do you assess the potential impact of Uniswap V4 and Unichain on retaining liquidity on Ethereum-based DEXs? Are these initiatives sufficient to address the competitive threat from Solana and other high-performance chains?
A: “The introduction of Hooks allows developers unparalleled flexibility in customizing liquidity pools to meet specific needs. […] Meanwhile, Unichain aims to facilitate cross-chain trading, enabling users to access liquidity across multiple blockchains. However, high-performance chains like Solana are luring users away with faster transaction speeds and lower fees.”
Hooks represent a significant step toward personalized trading experiences within Uniswap’s ecosystem. They enable unique interactions with liquidity pools that Solana-based DEXs may find challenging to replicate.
Kan believes Uniswap’s innovations, particularly with Uniswap V4 and Unichain, are a significant step towards addressing liquidity retention on Ethereum-based DEXs.
However, the recent boom in memecoins, demand for faster and higher throughput, and an active trading environment have made Solana create a wealth effect that Ethereum currently lacks.
Yet, Kan argues that while Uniswap’s latest advancements may increase retention, Ethereum must continue to innovate and reduce transaction costs to remain the chain of choice amid growing competition from chains offering faster, cheaper transactions.Macroeconomic Factors and DEX Activity: A Volatile Relationship
DEX trading volumes aren’t immune to external economic shifts. As macroeconomic conditions fluctuate, so does investor interest, influencing both trading frequency and liquidity across DEX platforms.
Q: How sensitive is DEX trading volume to macroeconomic conditions? What specific factors, such as interest rates, inflation, and geopolitical events, can significantly impact the liquidity and trading activity of DEXs?
A: “DEX trading volume exhibits a degree of sensitivity to macroeconomic conditions. […] The correlation between the cryptocurrency market and traditional financial markets is notable. Should cryptocurrencies begin to reflect stock market fluctuations, macroeconomic factors impacting stocks could similarly influence DEX trading activity.”
Kan cited an instance where higher interest rates can make traditional assets more appealing and, as a result, draw liquidity away from DEXs. 
Conversely, inflationary periods often spur investment in perceived hedge assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum, potentially boosting DEX activity. These changes in traditional markets can also directly influence the crypto market at large. It is a spiral network effect.Alvin Kan’s Outlook for DEX Trading Volume Amid Selling Pressure: Climbing to New Heights?
With Ethereum’s dominance and Uniswap’s innovations, there is optimism about DEX trading volume setting new records in the coming years. 
However, much will depend on Ethereum’s ability to maintain low transaction costs and the broader macroeconomic environment. 
Q: Given the current market conditions and Ethereum Foundation’s selling pressure, what are your expectations for the future DEX trading volume? When do you expect a new all-time high, and what factors drive this growth?
A: “In the short term, as a nonprofit, the Foundation periodically sells some of its ETH to fund ecosystem development. Significant sell-offs, such as the $100 million transfer in August, can lead to price declines and trigger community panic, particularly in a weak market. […] Conversely, the long-term implications are more positive. Historically, these sales are intended to fund technological research and ecosystem development.”
Kan analyzed the ongoing selling pressure from the Ethereum Foundation from two perspectives. He believed that the short-term sales effects are bad for the market as the effect cannot be avoided.
Conversely, by long-term investing in R&D, infrastructure, and project incubation, Kan believes the Foundation could better enhance its networks and attract new users.
Kan further commented that while this selling pressure continues, Ethereum still continues to dominate.
A: “Ethereum continues to dominate the DEX landscape, with Uniswap’s total value locked exceeding $4 billion, compared to less than $1.9 billion for Solana’s leading DEXs, Raydium and Orca combined. On-chain data indicates that Solana is narrowing the gap, thanks to its faster transaction speeds, lower costs, and overall wealth effect within its ecosystem.”
While 2021’s highs might not be immediately within reach, Ethereum’s innovative adaptations alongside positive economic conditions could fuel growth.
ETH has been moving closer to its all-time high in the past week. At the time of writing, Ethereum is trading at $3,209, and it is projected to reach $3,500 soon.Source: Cryptonews.com
However, the timeline for new all-time highs remains speculative with recent market uncertainties. 
Ultimately, the interplay of macroeconomic factors, Ethereum’s continued improvements, and the emergence of other high-performance chains will define the trajectory of DEX volumes in the years to come.
Ethereum’s lead in the DEX ecosystem is well-earned and supported by its developer ecosystem, robust security, and innovation pipeline
Yet, as chains like Solana gain traction with high-performance alternatives, Ethereum faces pressure to continually improve scalability and cost-efficiency. 
For Ethereum to secure its position, it must keep evolving — not just through protocol upgrades but by ensuring that user experience, decentralization, and innovation are at the core of its strategy.About Alvin Kan 
Alvin Kan is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Bitget Wallet, a prominent Web3 trading wallet that has gained recognition for its innovative solutions in the cryptocurrency space. With over 15 years of experience, Kan has held significant roles in both Web2 and Web3 sectors, including leadership positions at BNB Chain and Sei Labs.
At BNB Chain, he was instrumental in driving ecosystem growth. At Sei Labs, he served as the Head of Asia, focusing on regional strategies to enhance blockchain infrastructure. His tenure at LinkedIn as the Head of the Asia-Pacific data team further solidified his expertise in market growth and data analysis, equipping him with a robust understanding of strategic development across diverse markets.
In his current role at Bitget Wallet, Kan spearheads the company’s global growth initiatives and oversees brand development and operations.