Full Guide to Velodrome AMM on Optimism

Why choose Velodrome AMM?

In the vast environment of numerous DeFi platforms, why might you pay attention to Velodrome Finance’s AMM (Automated Market Maker)? The main reasons are:

• It is deployed on the Optimism network, enjoying lower gas fees and faster transaction confirmations.
• Its mechanism combines the advantages of mature platforms such as Curve, Convex, and Uniswap, possessing innovation.
• Its essence is not only a trading platform but also integrates “liquidity provision” and “protocol governance,” and a new liquidity market competition model is taking shape.

Current price and historical performance of VELO token

As of now, the price of the VELO token is approximately $0.034, with a 24-hour trading volume of about $48.87 million. Historically, it reached a high of around $0.4075 in December 2024, and the current price has dropped by about 90%.

Detailed Explanation of the Lock-up Governance Mechanism: What is veVELO?

One of the highlights of Velodrome is its locked governance model:

• Users lock VELO tokens to receive veVELO (vote-escrowed VELO); the longer the lock-up period, the more veVELO they receive.
• veVELO holders have governance rights on the platform and can vote weekly to decide which liquidity pools will receive VELO distribution.
• This mechanism achieves a closed loop of “locking + governance + liquidity”: the longer you lock and the deeper you participate, the more likely you are to obtain higher participation rights and rewards.

For ordinary beginners, if they are only trading or exchanging tokens, this mechanism may not be necessary. However, if they are considering long-term participation or providing Liquidity to earn rewards, understanding the ve(3,3) model is very important.

How to participate in Velodrome AMM: trading, providing Liquidity, and locking votes

• Trading: Users can directly exchange tokens on the Velodrome platform, enjoying low gas fees and a low slippage environment (please pay attention to the pool depth).
• Provide Liquidity: Select a trading pair on the platform, deposit two types of tokens to form LP shares, and earn trading fees + reward tokens.
• Lock-up voting: If you hold VELO and are willing to lock it, it will be converted to veVELO, allowing you to participate in voting to determine the reward pool and governance direction.

Beginner’s Tips and Illusions to Avoid Pitfalls

Recommended practice:

• First understand how the Optimism network and AMM pools operate, then proceed to hands-on practice.
• Start with a small amount of VELO or conduct simple trades to get familiar with the platform.
• Before providing liquidity, understand pool depth, slippage, fees, and reward mechanisms.
• If considering locking up veVELO, assess the lock-up period and the loss of capital liquidity.

Common Illusions and Risks:

• “Low price = must rise” — Although the current price is low, it does not guarantee a rebound.
• “The longer the lock-up, the higher the returns” — Locking up assets may lead to a lack of liquidity and missing out on other opportunities.
• Ignore network or contract risks - any DeFi platform has potential vulnerabilities. For example, Velodrome once set up high white hat bounties to prevent vulnerabilities.
• Ignore macro risks - the overall market weakness will also affect platform performance.

If you are a DeFi beginner, Velodrome AMM is a good platform for learning and participation. It provides a solid path from getting started with trading to gradually understanding how to provide Liquidity and engage in governance mechanisms, before deciding whether to dive deeper.