Aave to sunset reserves on Sonic, Aptos, zkSync, and Scroll, impacting $98 million in supply

Aave, the decentralized lending protocol, has initiated a governance process to sunset its reserves on four blockchain networks: Sonic, Aptos, zkSync, and Scroll. This move will affect approximately $98 million in total supply across these platforms, according to the proposal as of early April 2025. The decision marks a strategic shift for the protocol, focusing resources on its most active and secure deployments.

Why is Aave sunsetting these reserves?

The primary reason cited in the governance proposal is low activity and liquidity on these networks relative to the operational overhead. Aave’s risk management framework continuously evaluates the cost of maintaining price oracles, liquidators, and security infrastructure. For networks like zkSync and Scroll, which are relatively newer layer-2 solutions, the volume of borrowing and lending has not met the protocol’s efficiency thresholds. Similarly, the Aptos and Sonic deployments, while technically sound, have not attracted sufficient user activity to justify their ongoing resource allocation.

What does this mean for users and the affected chains?

Users with active positions on these four networks will need to withdraw their assets or move them to other supported chains before the sunset date. The proposal includes a phased timeline: a period for users to repay loans and withdraw liquidity, followed by a full pause of borrowing and lending functions. After that, only withdrawals will remain possible until the reserve is fully drained. The $98 million in supply represents deposits, not the total value locked, and includes a mix of stablecoins, ETH, and other assets. For the affected blockchains, this signals a loss of a major DeFi primitive, potentially impacting their ecosystem growth. However, it also allows Aave to concentrate its security budget and developer attention on more active deployments like Ethereum, Polygon, and Arbitrum.

Timeline and next steps

The governance process requires a vote by AAVE token holders. If approved, the sunset will occur over several weeks, with specific deadlines for each chain. Users are advised to monitor the official Aave governance forum and dashboard for exact dates. The proposal emphasizes that no user funds are at risk, as the process is designed to allow orderly withdrawal.

Conclusion

Aave’s decision to sunset reserves on Sonic, Aptos, zkSync, and Scroll is a calculated move to improve protocol efficiency and security. While it reduces the protocol’s multi-chain footprint, it strengthens its core operations. For the broader DeFi ecosystem, it underscores the importance of active liquidity and user demand in sustaining cross-chain deployments.

FAQs

Q1: When will the sunset happen?
The exact timeline depends on the governance vote. If approved, users will have several weeks to withdraw assets. Specific dates will be posted on Aave’s governance forum.

Q2: Will my funds be lost if I don’t withdraw in time?
No. The sunset process includes a withdrawal-only phase after borrowing and lending are paused. Users can still remove their assets, but they will not be able to earn interest or take out new loans.

Q3: Which Aave deployments are not affected?
Aave’s main deployments on Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, and Avalanche are not affected by this proposal. These remain the protocol’s primary active markets.