Alexander Cutler is a co-founder of Aerodrome Finance, a major liquidity protocol on the Base blockchain. Before venturing into the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector, Cutler worked in politics, technology, and consulting. He is also a core team member at Velodrome Finance, a leading decentralized exchange (DEX) on the Optimism network. ^[1] 

Career

Cutler and the development team at Velodrome Finance (a decentralized exchange on Optimism Mainnet) introduced Aerodrome on Base as a forked version in 2023. According to the team, its aim is to boost liquidity on Base and process a large portion of transactions on the network. This approach is similar to its strategy on OP Mainnet with Velodrome, which involves using a set of decentralized finance incentives known as a "flywheel." ^[2]

In an interview with The Block, Cutler commented on his work and general idea behind Aerodrome:

"The growth has been extraordinary and is a validation of our thesis that ecosystem native DEXs can win." ^[2]

"Prior to our launch, the liquidity landscape on Base was fractured and the DeFi ecosystem incomplete. We’ve now helped to onboard over 20 partners to Base and they’ve helped bring an explosion of liquidity to fuel the ecosystem," Cutler added. ^[2]

In February 2024, the Base Ecosystem Fund, led by CB Ventures, acquired a position in AERO, Aerodrome Finance's native token. This investment was announced on Twitter and resulted in a substantial price surge for AERO, reflecting the community's optimistic outlook on Aerodrome Finance's future and its role in the Base ecosystem. ^{[3] [4]}