Aave, the decentralized lending protocol, is facing a major restructuring. A governance proposal submitted to the Aave DAO would shut down its deployments on six blockchain networks: Sonic, Scroll, zkSync, Metis, Soneium, and Aptos. The proposal also calls for retiring 50 asset markets across other chains, a move that follows a steep decline in user activity.
Why the cuts are coming
Deposits on some of the targeted chains have fallen by more than 90%. That drop makes it hard to justify the resources needed to maintain separate deployments. The proposal's authors argue that the capital and attention spent on these networks could be better used elsewhere. They're not naming specific chains for the 90% figure, but the six listed for shutdown are the ones hit hardest.
This isn't a sudden decision. Aave has been monitoring cross-chain activity for months. The numbers kept sliding, and now the governance process is catching up to reality. For a protocol that prides itself on efficiency, keeping ghost towns alive doesn't make sense.
What's being retired
The six chains facing full shutdown are Sonic, Scroll, zkSync, Metis, Soneium, and Aptos. Each one currently hosts Aave's lending and borrowing markets. If the proposal passes, those deployments will be turned off. Users will need to withdraw their funds before the shutdown takes effect.
Beyond those six, the proposal would retire 50 individual asset markets on other chains. That means certain tokens on networks like Ethereum, Polygon, or Avalanche could be removed from Aave's supported list. The exact markets aren't specified in the proposal, but the goal is to clean up underperforming assets.
What this means for users
Anyone with deposits on the six targeted chains should start planning to move their funds. The proposal doesn't set a hard deadline yet, but governance votes typically give a grace period. After that, the deployments will be frozen and eventually removed.
For the 50 asset markets being retired, the impact is narrower. Only specific tokens on certain chains are affected. Users holding those assets will need to close their positions or switch to supported alternatives. Aave's core markets on Ethereum, Polygon, and Avalanche remain untouched.
The proposal is now in the hands of Aave token holders. They'll vote on whether to approve the cuts. No date has been set for the vote, but the discussion is already heating up in the Aave governance forum.
