Kraken's Layer 2 Chain Pivots to Chainlink

Ink Chain Joins Chainlink Scale

@Inkonchain, the Ethereum Layer 2 network backed by crypto exchange @krakenfx, has officially joined the @Chainlink Scale program. The move gives the chain's decentralized application ecosystem access to enterprise-grade Chainlink Data Feeds, with Ink making a direct capital commitment to subsidize oracle operating costs for developers building on the network.

The Chainlink Scale program, which stands for Sustainable Chainlink Access for Layer 1 and 2 Enablement, is designed to let blockchain ecosystems accelerate smart contract development by covering the operating costs of Chainlink oracle networks for a period of time. This allows blockchains and Layer 2 networks to fast-track innovation in their native ecosystems by covering oracle network operating costs such as transaction gas fees, while their developers gain access to Data Feeds with higher update frequencies to support more advanced, low-latency applications.

For Ink, joining Scale means DeFi protocols on the network can access high-frequency market data at reduced cost, lowering the barrier for builders working on complex financial products. The arrangement ensures that oracle infrastructure remains tamper-proof and reliable, a prerequisite for institutional-scale settlement.

Why This Matters for Ink's DeFi Ambitions

Ink is a Layer 2 blockchain built on Optimism's Superchain and released by Kraken, with the goal of moving Kraken's existing user base onchain by eliminating the friction that has historically made DeFi inaccessible to most centralized exchange users. The network's total value locked grew from $7 million in October 2025 to nearly $450 million by early 2026, placing Ink among the fastest-growing networks on the Superchain.

The Chainlink integration deepens the oracle infrastructure already in place. Ink has previously integrated Chainlink CCIP, Data Streams, Data Feeds, and the Chainlink Runtime Environment (CRE). Joining Scale now formalizes a cost-sharing commitment that makes those services more financially accessible to the developer community long-term.

Since inventing decentralized oracle networks, Chainlink has enabled tens of trillions in transaction value and secures the vast majority of DeFi. For a chain positioning itself as a serious DeFi hub, plugging into that infrastructure provides both technical credibility and the price-feed reliability that more sophisticated financial applications require.

Chainlink: Introducing the Chainlink Scale Program | Kraken Blog: Ink Mainnet Launch | Chainlink Ecosystem: Ink Integration Details