0x Protocol (ZRX) is an open-source, permissionless protocol for peer-to-peer token trading on
Ethereum and compatible chains, providing infrastructure for building decentralized exchanges through off-chain order books and on-chain settlement to minimize gas costs while maintaining full decentralization. Founded in 2016 by Will Warren and Amir Bandeali, it powers major relayers like Matcha and enables liquidity aggregation, advanced order types, and perpetual futures with MEV protection. The ZRX token facilitates staking for governance and fee rewards, with the protocol supporting
EVM chains for broad
DeFi composability and audited security for reliable trading infrastructure.
When Did 0x Protocol Launch?
0x Protocol was founded in 2016 by Will Warren and Amir Bandeali, launching v1 in 2017 with
ICO raising $24 million. Subsequent versions improved matching (v2 2019), introduced staking (v3 2020), added advanced orders (v4 2022), and 2025 expansions enhanced L2 support and revenue models, sustaining high trading volume by December 2025.
What Are the Key Features of 0x Protocol?
0x Protocol features off-chain order relay with on-chain settlement for
gas efficiency, liquidity aggregation across DEXs for best execution prices, staking for governance and fee shares, EVM support on multiple chains including
Arbitrum and
Polygon, advanced order types like limit and RFQ, MEV protection through batching, and audited infrastructure for secure, composable DeFi trading.
What Is ZRX Used For?
ZRX is used for staking to earn protocol fees and governance voting power, participating in
DAO proposals for upgrades, paying relayer fees with discounts, providing
liquidity for rewards, and accessing premium aggregator tools on platforms like Matcha.
What Is the ZRX Token Utility?
ZRX secures staking for fee distribution and governance power, captures trading volume through relayer rewards, incentivizes liquidity and
validators, enables DAO decisions on development, and funds treasury for integrations in omnichain DeFi.
What Blockchain Does 0x Protocol Operate On?
0x Protocol is Ethereum-native with EVM support for L2s like Arbitrum,
Optimism, and Polygon, using off-chain relays for efficiency and on-chain settlement for security.
What Are ZRX Tokenomics?
ZRX has a maximum supply of 1 billion tokens fully circulating as of December 2025 from initial ICO and unlocks. Allocation: ecosystem incentives, staking rewards, team vested; deflationary via potential burns from fees.