Chainlink Acquires Atlas Infrastructure to Expand MEV Recapture Across Multiple Chains

Chainlink has acquired Atlas, the onchain order flow infrastructure developed by FastLane, to strengthen its Smart Value Recapture (SVR) protocol and expand MEV recapture capabilities across multiple blockchain networks. The acquisition brings Atlas's production-tested liquidation auction technology under Chainlink's control, along with key personnel from the FastLane team.

What Is Atlas and Why Does It Matter for Chainlink SVR?

Atlas is an order flow auction system that allows DeFi protocols to recapture value during liquidation events. Developed by FastLane, Atlas has been used in production by lending protocols including Compound and Venus to run application-specific auctions when overcollateralized loans need to be liquidated.

The technology enables protocols to capture what's known as Oracle Extractable Value (OEV), a form of non-toxic Maximal Extractable Value that occurs when price feed updates trigger liquidations. Instead of letting searchers and validators extract this value, protocols can reclaim it through structured auctions.

Chainlink SVR is designed specifically to backrun liquidations and cannot be used for frontrunning or sandwich attacks. The system has processed over $460 million in liquidations and recaptured more than $10 million in OEV for participating protocols, including Aave and Compound.

How Does the Acquisition Change Chainlink's DeFi Infrastructure?

The deal transfers Atlas intellectual property and core development personnel to Chainlink. Existing Atlas users, including those on the deprecated RedStone deployment, will migrate to Chainlink SVR through a streamlined transition process supported by Chainlink Labs.

Atlas's order flow technology has been integrated directly into SVR, allowing the protocol to expand beyond Ethereum mainnet. Chainlink SVR is now operational on five blockchain networks:

• Arbitrum
• Base
• BNB Chain
• Ethereum
• HyperEVM

According to Chainlink, additional chains are expected to be added over time. The Ethereum mainnet deployment continues to use Flashbots MEV-Share, while Atlas enables SVR expansion to other ecosystems.

FastLane will remain an independent entity and serve as a strategic partner supporting Atlas operations and SVR adoption across DeFi protocols.

What Value Does SVR Provide to DeFi Protocols?

Chainlink SVR creates an additional revenue stream for lending protocols that use Chainlink Price Feeds. When price updates trigger liquidations, the protocol runs an auction that allows searchers to compete for the right to execute the liquidation. The winning bid goes back to the protocol instead of being captured by validators or MEV bots.

The revenue-share model splits the recaptured value between the integrated DeFi protocol and the Chainlink Network. This arrangement supports the economic sustainability of both the protocol using SVR and Chainlink's oracle infrastructure.

According to Johann Eid, Chief Business Officer at Chainlink Labs, the acquisition "creates the most effective value recapture system DeFi has ever had, increasing revenue for DeFi through SVR expansion to new ecosystems."

Alex Watts, CEO of FastLane, said Chainlink was "best positioned to lead the OEV market and advance Atlas through its industry-leading SVR product." FastLane chose to hand over Atlas stewardship based on Chainlink's security track record and decentralized oracle network infrastructure, which has enabled over $27 trillion in transaction value and secures more than 70% of the DeFi ecosystem.

Recent Chainlink Product Launches Support Broader Expansion

The Atlas acquisition came one day after Chainlink launched Equities Streams, a service providing continuous data on U.S. stocks and exchange-traded funds across regular, after-hours, and overnight trading sessions.

Unlike traditional price feeds that push periodic updates, Equities Streams use a pull-based model that delivers pricing updates only when trades occur. This event-driven approach supports high-frequency applications while managing gas costs.

Each stream includes multiple data points beyond simple price:

• Market status flags (regular, pre, post, overnight, weekend, closed, unknown)
• Bid and ask prices
• Bid and ask volume
• Mid price
• Last traded price
• Staleness indicators

This expanded data schema allows protocols to adjust risk parameters dynamically based on liquidity conditions, particularly during overnight sessions when traditional markets have limited activity.

The service is designed to support tokenized equity products that operate outside standard U.S. trading hours without compromising data accuracy.

Also, worth noting, on January 13, the Bitwise Chainlink ETF received regulatory approval to list on NYSE Arca under the ticker CLNK. The fund holds LINK directly and provides exposure to the 20th largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization through traditional brokerage accounts, eliminating the need for investors to manage private keys or custody solutions.

Conclusion

The Atlas acquisition consolidates Chainlink's position in the OEV recapture market by combining proven order flow auction technology with its existing oracle infrastructure. SVR now operates across five blockchain networks and has demonstrated the ability to generate measurable revenue for DeFi protocols through its non-toxic MEV recapture mechanism. 

The integration gives existing Atlas users a migration path to a more broadly supported platform while expanding the revenue-sharing model that benefits both participating protocols and the Chainlink Network.

Resources

1. Chainlink on X: Posts (December, 2025 - January, 2026)

2. Press release by Chainlink: Chainlink Acquires Atlas by FastLane to Increase Revenue for DeFi by Expanding SVR to New Ecosystems

3. Bitwise’s Chainlink (LINK) ETF approval document: US SEC approval for Bitwise Chainlink (LINK) ETF for NYSE Arca listing 

4. Blog article by Chainlink: Chainlink Brings The $80 Trillion U.S. Stock Market Onchain With 24/5 Equities Data