Ship or Die at Accelerate 2025: Reflections on Solana From an EVM Builder (Amir Bandeali - 0x)

In a groundbreaking announcement at Accelerate 2025, Amir Bandeali, co-founder and co-CEO of 0x, revealed the company's plans for a significant and permanent investment in Solana. This marks a pivotal moment for both 0x, a leader in Ethereum-based decentralized exchange (DEX) infrastructure, and the Solana ecosystem, signaling a new era of advanced DEX capabilities on the high-performance blockchain.

Summary

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Amir Bandeali's speech at Accelerate 2025 offered a compelling narrative of 0x's journey from Ethereum-focused development to embracing Solana as a critical platform for achieving their mission. Bandeali traced the history of 0x's interactions with Solana, from early skepticism to the recent decision to fully commit to building on the network.

The decision to invest in Solana comes after years of observation and careful consideration. Bandeali highlighted Solana's unique position as one of only three chains to have "truly crossed the chasm" in blockchain adoption, alongside Bitcoin and Ethereum. He emphasized Solana's proven capability in delivering high-velocity transactions and fostering rapid ecosystem growth.

0x's entry into the Solana ecosystem promises to bring world-class routing algorithms, superior trade execution, and innovative liquidity models to the platform. This move is expected to drive competition, potentially reducing fees for users and developers while catalyzing further innovation in Solana's DeFi landscape.

Bandeali's announcement underscores the growing importance of Solana in the broader blockchain ecosystem and signals a significant shift in how major players in the Ethereum space are viewing Solana's potential.

Key Points:

0x's History and Decision to Build on Solana

0x has been a pioneering force in decentralized exchange infrastructure since 2016, primarily focusing on Ethereum and EVM-compatible chains. The company's journey with Solana began in 2018 when they were introduced to the project under its original name, Lean Protocol. Despite early interest, 0x remained cautious, adopting a "believe it when I see it" approach to new blockchain platforms.

Over the years, as 0x experienced significant growth and success in the EVM ecosystem, Solana gradually gained traction. The decision to build on Solana was nearly made in 2022 but was delayed due to the FTX collapse. However, Solana's resilience during the subsequent bear market and its passionate community ultimately convinced 0x of the platform's potential. By the end of 2024, 0x made the definitive decision to invest in and build on Solana.

Solana's Unique Position in the Blockchain Landscape

Bandeali identified Solana as one of only three chains to have truly "crossed the chasm" in terms of adoption and proof of concept. While Bitcoin proved the concept of digital money and Ethereum demonstrated the viability of smart contracts, Solana has proven "velocity" in multiple aspects - from transaction speed to the pace of ecosystem growth and team execution.

This unique position has made Solana a nexus of tokenization, a trend that Bandeali believes will only continue to grow. He expressed confidence in Solana's ability to survive and thrive, regardless of market conditions, making it a necessary platform for 0x to engage with to fulfill its mission of creating a tokenized world where all value can flow freely.

0x's Plans for Solana Integration

0x is not taking any shortcuts in its approach to Solana integration. Instead of simply wrapping existing APIs, the company is committed to building from scratch to ensure that the best properties of their EVM APIs are properly adapted for the Solana ecosystem. This includes bringing their world-class routing algorithms, superior trade execution, and innovative liquidity models to the platform.

The integration aims to drive competition in the Solana DeFi space, potentially leading to reduced fees for users and developers. Bandeali noted that while Solana's blockchain fees are low, the overall effective fees for trades are still quite high, presenting an opportunity for optimization.

Future Developments in Solana's DeFi Landscape

Bandeali anticipates significant evolution in Solana's market structures, drawing parallels to the development of EVM-based DeFi. He predicts the emergence of more sophisticated Automated Market Makers (AMMs), including sandwich attack-resistant designs. Additionally, he foresees the introduction of off-chain models like Request for Quote (RFQ) systems, the creation of unique types of tokens with greater flexibility, and the development of more complex MEV (Miner Extractable Value) markets.

These developments, coupled with 0x's expertise and infrastructure, are expected to drive innovation and create more value for users and developers in the Solana ecosystem.

Facts + Figures

• 0x has been building decentralized exchange infrastructure since 2016
• Over $150 billion in volume has been routed through 0x APIs over the years
• 0x powers swap functionality in many popular EVM wallets and applications
• Solana was originally called Lean Protocol before rebranding
• The 2019 bear market saw people questioning the need and existence of blockchain technology
• DeFi adoption exploded in the following years, with 0x experiencing significant growth
• The FTX collapse in 2022 initially delayed 0x's plans to build on Solana
• Solana is identified as one of only three chains to have "truly crossed the chasm" in blockchain adoption
• 0x is making a "large and permanent investment" in Solana
• Current effective fees for trades on Solana are described as "quite high" despite low blockchain fees
• 0x expects to see the emergence of more sophisticated AMMs, off-chain models, unique token types, and complex MEV markets on Solana

Top quotes

1. "Solana proved velocity in more ways than one. Speed of the blockchain, speed of token creation, speed of team execution."

2. "The genie is out of the bottle now, and it's not going back in. I think no matter how bad things get, no matter how bad the markets are, Solana is going to survive."

3. "It is no longer a choice to build on Solana. It is a necessity for us to build on Solana in order for us to accomplish our mission."

4. "0x is making a large and permanent investment in Solana."

5. "More competition in Solana will ultimately drive innovation and create more value for users and developers."

6. "The Solana blockchain is really cheap, but if you look at the overall effective fees that users are paying per trade, they are actually quite high."

7. "I expect to see many more sophisticated AMMs launch. I saw just a few days ago, Ellipsis launched a sandwich attack resistant AMM, which looked pretty interesting."

Questions Answered

Why did 0x decide to build on Solana now?

0x decided to build on Solana now because they recognize it as one of only three chains that have truly crossed the adoption chasm. Solana has proven its capability in terms of transaction speed, ecosystem growth, and team execution. Amir Bandeali, 0x's co-founder, believes that Solana has become a nexus of tokenization and that building on it is now necessary for 0x to accomplish its mission of creating a tokenized world where all value can flow freely.

What does 0x plan to bring to the Solana ecosystem?

0x plans to bring its world-class routing algorithms, superior trade execution, and innovative liquidity models to Solana. They are committed to integrating from scratch, not just wrapping existing APIs, to ensure they are taking the best properties of their EVM APIs and adapting them properly for Solana. This includes their expertise in various liquidity models such as order books, Request for Quote (RFQ) systems, and AMM design.

How might 0x's entry into Solana benefit users and developers?

0x's entry into Solana is expected to drive competition and innovation in the ecosystem, potentially leading to reduced fees for users and developers. While Solana's blockchain fees are low, the overall effective fees for trades are still quite high. 0x's presence could help optimize these costs. Additionally, their advanced routing and execution capabilities could provide users with better prices and more efficient trades.

What future developments does 0x anticipate for Solana's DeFi landscape?

0x anticipates several key developments in Solana's DeFi landscape. These include the emergence of more sophisticated Automated Market Makers (AMMs), including sandwich attack-resistant designs. They also expect to see off-chain models like Request for Quote (RFQ) systems, the creation of unique and more flexible token types, and the development of more complex MEV (Miner Extractable Value) markets. These advancements are expected to drive further innovation and value creation in the Solana ecosystem.

How has 0x's perspective on Solana evolved over time?

0x's perspective on Solana has evolved significantly since their first interaction in 2018. Initially skeptical due to the prevalence of "vaporware" in the blockchain space, 0x adopted a "wait and see" approach. Over time, as Solana gained traction and proved its capabilities, 0x's interest grew. The resilience of Solana's community during the bear market following the FTX collapse further convinced 0x of Solana's potential. This evolution culminated in their decision to make a large and permanent investment in the Solana ecosystem.