ApeChain, a blockchain infrastructure developed to serve the ApeCoin ecosystem, has been officially launched using Arbitrum’s Orbit technology. This development follows a governance vote within the ApeCoin DAO and represents a coordinated effort to improve scalability, developer experience, and user accessibility in the web3 space. Designed to power high-volume applications such as NFTs, gaming, and decentralized finance, ApeChain uses the $APE token as its native gas token and provides a dedicated environment for developers and users within the ApeCoin community.

ApeChain Chooses Arbitrum to Support ApeCoin

About the ApeCoin Ecosystem

The creation of ApeChain was driven by the need to address specific limitations experienced by the ApeCoin ecosystem, particularly during high-traffic events. One notable example was the Otherside NFT mint, conducted by Yuga Labs, where demand led to a significant spike in Ethereum gas fees. During this event, over $157 million worth of Ethereum was burned due to congestion, and many users either overpaid for transactions or experienced failures, resulting in a negative user experience. This highlighted the scalability limitations of Ethereum during peak usage and revealed the need for a more efficient infrastructure to support the growing web3 ambitions of the ApeCoin community.

In addition to scalability issues, there was no dedicated blockchain environment for the ApeCoin token or its builder community. Developers faced logistical challenges when creating applications using $APE, as the token’s liquidity was spread across multiple platforms. This fragmentation hindered development and limited the potential of projects intended to operate within the ApeCoin ecosystem. These challenges presented a clear opportunity to create a purpose-built chain that could support seamless development, improve performance, and enable the ecosystem to expand.

ApeChain Chooses Arbitrum to Support ApeCoin

The DAO Vote and Decision to Use Arbitrum Orbit

To identify the best path forward, the ApeCoin DAO conducted an onchain vote to evaluate various layer-2 blockchain technologies. Among the platforms considered were Polygon, Optimism, and zkSync. The DAO ultimately chose to build ApeChain using Arbitrum Orbit, with 50 percent of the community voting in favor of this solution. Arbitrum Orbit was selected based on several factors, including its flexibility, compatibility with Ethereum, and access to advanced tooling.

One of the core reasons for selecting Arbitrum Orbit was its ability to support a custom gas token. This allowed ApeChain to integrate $APE directly as its native gas token, aligning the blockchain infrastructure with the broader ApeCoin ecosystem. Other platforms under consideration did not offer this level of customization. In addition, Arbitrum Orbit provided a way to maintain Ethereum alignment while improving performance, ensuring that ApeChain could benefit from Ethereum’s security model while operating in a faster, more efficient environment.

Another important factor was the availability of developer tools and ecosystem integrations. Through Arbitrum Orbit, ApeChain could leverage technologies such as Stylus, which enables developers to write smart contracts using programming languages like Rust and C++. This flexibility was particularly relevant for game developers and other builders looking to create more complex applications. ApeChain also integrated with LayerZero to allow for cross-chain asset transfers, further enhancing the user and developer experience.

ApeChain Chooses Arbitrum to Support ApeCoin

Infrastructure and Early Adoption

At launch, ApeChain was equipped with a strong infrastructure stack. RPC services were supported by Alchemy and Nirvana, while Pyth Network provided oracle solutions. Etherscan was integrated as the block explorer, and data indexing was handled by Goldsky and Covalent. These integrations ensured that developers building on ApeChain had access to essential tools from the outset.

The early performance of ApeChain has shown promising signs of adoption. In the first 24 hours after the launch of ApeExpress, a meme coin launchpad powered by Camelot, 55 meme coins were launched, with seven reaching multi-million dollar market capitalizations. This level of activity demonstrated the appeal of the new infrastructure and the ease with which new projects could be deployed within the ecosystem.

ApeChain Chooses Arbitrum to Support ApeCoin

Performance and Ecosystem Expansion

Since its launch in October 2024, ApeChain has continued to grow, with over 60 applications and integrations now active across various categories, including gaming, infrastructure, and DeFi. Notable projects on the chain include Top Trader, a trading platform; Otherside, a collaborative metaverse world-building application; and Banana Bill, a decentralized rewards system focused on community engagement. These applications reflect the diverse use cases that ApeChain is supporting and indicate growing confidence among developers in the new platform.

A key performance feature of ApeChain is the low latency offered by Arbitrum Orbit, with block speeds reaching as low as 100 milliseconds. Additionally, chains with lower activity can achieve finality efficiently by sharing batch posting costs with the Arbitrum One network, reducing operational expenses while maintaining speed and security.

ApeChain Chooses Arbitrum to Support ApeCoin

Final Thoughts

The launch of ApeChain on Arbitrum Orbit marks a significant development in the evolution of the ApeCoin ecosystem. By addressing long-standing scalability and infrastructure issues, ApeChain provides a dedicated, efficient, and developer-friendly environment tailored to the needs of the community. The alignment with Ethereum’s security model, combined with the technical advantages of Arbitrum Orbit, positions ApeChain as a strong foundation for future growth.