Aerodrome Finance

Aerodrome Finance (AERO) is the central liquidity marketplace on Base, a next-generation AMM that pairs a token-swapping venue with an incentive engine designed to direct emissions to the pools that most need depth.

How veAERO voting and emissions work

Inheriting Velodrome V2's design, Aerodrome runs a vote-escrow model: locking AERO into veAERO grants voting power over how weekly emissions are distributed across pools, and lockers collect the fees and bribes tied to the gauges they support. This ve(3,3)-style loop aligns the protocol, liquidity providers and projects seeking liquidity on Base.

Base dominance versus emission dilution

The bull case is that Aerodrome has become Base's default liquidity hub, riding Coinbase's ecosystem momentum and capturing a large share of on-chain volume there. The bear case is near-total dependence on Base's growth, plus the constant tension of high emissions that can outpace fee generation and dilute passive holders. AERO rewards active participants who lock and vote; simply holding it unlocked forfeits much of the model's benefit.

1. 1. Choose an exchange. Pick a reputable exchange that lists AERO — among the venues we rate highest are Binance, OKX and Kraken.
2. 2. Create & verify your account. Register, enable two-factor authentication, and complete identity verification (KYC).
3. 3. Deposit funds. Add money by bank transfer, card, or a stablecoin, depending on what the exchange supports in your region.
4. 4. Buy AERO. Search for AERO, choose a market or limit order, enter your amount, and confirm.
5. 5. Secure your coins. For long-term holdings, withdraw AERO to a self-custody wallet you control rather than leaving it on the exchange.

Compare venues in our independent exchange ratings. This is not financial advice.