Bitget Wallet has announced a significant integration with Coinbase’s Ethereum Layer 2 network, Base, and Aerodrome, one of its most active decentralised exchanges (DEXs). The move underscores the fierce competition among digital wallets to streamline decentralised finance (DeFi) access, even as overall market sentiment appears fragile.

Bitget Expands Into the Base Ecosystem

With this integration, Bitget Wallet users will now be able to trade directly on Aerodrome within the app. The update removes the need to bridge funds or switch between multiple platforms, a pain point for many retail users.

Aerodrome has quickly established itself as the liquidity hub for Base-native assets such as cbETH and cbBTC, Coinbase’s wrapped Ethereum and Bitcoin products. By embedding Aerodrome’s trading and liquidity tools, Bitget is betting that seamless in-app access will accelerate adoption.

“Building on Base goes beyond product integration. It reflects a shared belief in building an on-chain ecosystem that anyone can access,” said Jamie Elkaleh, CMO of Bitget Wallet, in the announcement.

Aerodrome contributor Alex Cutler added that the DEX regularly delivers the best execution on Base’s top assets, making in-wallet trading a natural next step for its user base.

Aerodrome’s Role in the Base Chain

Currently, Aerodrome ranks as the third-largest protocol on the Base network, sitting behind Morpho and Aave, with a total value locked (TVL) of around $656 million. Its position highlights the growing demand for Base-centric liquidity solutions, particularly as Coinbase pushes to scale Ethereum activity through its Layer 2 offering.

The new integration will also extend to Bitget Wallet’s GetGas feature, which allows users to pay network fees without holding ETH, a frequent source of friction on Layer 2 blockchains. This feature could prove especially useful for retail traders new to DeFi, who often struggle with topping up gas balances.

Additionally, Bitget Wallet will roll out a dedicated Base ecosystem section in its “Discover” tab, where users can explore curated decentralised applications (dApps), token feeds, and trading opportunities.

Combining AI With DeFi

Bitget’s move into the Base ecosystem comes just one day after the company unveiled GetAgent, an AI-powered assistant designed to help users navigate its wallet and platform.

The back-to-back launches reflect a clear strategy: pairing AI-driven support tools with deeper DeFi integrations. If successful, this dual approach could position Bitget Wallet as a strong rival to incumbents such as MetaMask and Trust Wallet, both of which have faced criticism for clunky user experiences.

For Base, the partnership offers a chance to capture further market share from rival chains, leveraging Bitget’s growing global user base.

Challenges in a Weakening DeFi Market

Despite the bold integration, the timing raises concerns. While Aerodrome is firmly established within Base, its native token AERO has struggled for momentum. At the time of writing, AERO was trading at $1.36, up just 2.04%, with analysts warning that thin volumes and declining futures open interest limit the upside.

Broader activity on Base has also softened. According to DeFiLlama, the network’s TVL slipped from $4.9 billion on 14 August to $4.75 billion this week, a drop of over 3%. Analysts attribute the slowdown to waning liquidity incentives, which had previously driven rapid growth across the ecosystem.

Adding to concerns, Base recently suffered a chain outage that halted block production for 20 minutes, raising fresh questions about the decentralisation and reliability of Layer 2 solutions.

These structural weaknesses in DeFi markets mean that even with convenience-led features like GetGas and curated in-app experiences, adoption could face headwinds if market conviction continues to wane.

Betting on User Experience

Bitget Wallet’s integration with Base and Aerodrome marks another milestone in the race to simplify DeFi. By removing barriers such as bridging, gas fees, and fragmented interfaces, Bitget is positioning itself as a wallet built for mainstream adoption.

Yet, the initiative comes at a time when enthusiasm for DeFi is cooling. Whether streamlined access and AI assistance can reignite user engagement remains to be seen. For now, Bitget’s push reflects a broader industry belief: if DeFi is ever to go mainstream, convenience will be just as important as liquidity.