Cross-chain Protocol Relay Announces Halt of Vaults Product Service, New Deposit Functionality Closed
The cross-chain protocol Relay has announced the cessation of its Vaults product service, with new deposit functionality now closed. Existing users can withdraw funds from a designated page, which will be closed on December 31, 2026; thereafter, withdrawals can still be made directly via smart contracts.
Relay stated that Vaults was previously an optional product allowing users to provide liquidity to the protocol for cross-chain rebalancing by solvers. With a new version of the product set to launch, the team has decided to discontinue the existing service.
The product is based on the ERC4626 standard and deployed on the Ethereum mainnet and Arbitrum, allowing users to earn base returns and additional returns when used by solvers. Official documentation confirms that new deposits are no longer supported, but the contract can still handle existing positions.
Relay emphasized that the Vaults adjustment does not affect other functionalities, with Swap, payment services, and existing integrations continuing to operate normally. The GitHub repository was archived in September, and the code is for reference only.
Users must withdraw via the official portal or directly call the contract before the deadline; liquidity is affected by the underlying lending market and cross-chain bridges, which may result in partial withdrawal availability.
In market mechanics, liquidity provider funds will flow out of the old Vaults, and the protocol will redirect resources to the new product; cross-chain solver rebalancing will be temporarily affected by this pool, but core settlement and payment functions will be maintained, requiring users to manage withdrawals to avoid fund retention.
The official will announce details of the new version later, with existing integrations and core protocols remaining unaffected.
Source: Public Information
ABAB AI Insight
Relay treats Vaults as a liquidity pool independent of core settlement, used for solver rebalancing and providing returns, continuing the DeFi protocol's approach of attracting external capital to support cross-chain efficiency through optional pools, which is now being proactively taken offline due to preparations for a new version.
The team has closed new deposits and set a withdrawal window, concentrating resources on product iteration, motivated by the need to replace the existing design to meet future demands while retaining contract accessibility to safeguard user funds.
This is similar to other DeFi protocols migrating or taking offline old liquidity products or vaults, such as certain lending pools closing deposits during upgrades. The current phase is transitioning from old products to new versions, prioritizing user fund safety and continuity of core functions.
Essentially, this is a product iteration and fund path reconstruction: the optional liquidity layer is being phased out while core cross-chain settlement remains independent. The mechanism involves the protocol isolating experimental features through layered design, ensuring withdrawal rights using smart contract persistence during the offline process, thereby reducing the impact on the main business and managing user expectations during updates.
ABAB News · Cognitive Laws
Optional products can be taken offline, core functions must continue
Contracts remain, funds can be withdrawn; page closure does not mean funds are locked
Clear out old pools before upgrades to avoid path mixing