The Good Tech Companies - How Kodiak Finance Plans to Compete with Centralized Exchanges Using Orbs Technology

Episode Date: October 16, 2025

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/how-kodiak-finance-plans-to-compete-with-centralized-exchanges-using-orbs-technology. Kodiak... Finance integrates Orbs dTWAP and dLIMIT on Berachain, bringing institutional trading tools to 100K+ users with $250M TVL. Check more stories related to tech-stories at: https://hackernoon.com/c/tech-stories. You can also check exclusive content about #kodiak-news, #kodiak, #berachain, #web3, #blockchain, #cryptocurrency, #orbs, #good-company, and more. This story was written by: @ishanpandey. Learn more about this writer by checking @ishanpandey's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. Kodiak Finance integrates Orbs dTWAP and dLIMIT on Berachain, bringing institutional trading tools to 100K+ users with $250M TVL.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 This audio is presented by Hacker Noon, where anyone can learn anything about any technology. How Kodiak Finance plans to compete with centralized exchanges using ORB's technology by Ashan Pondy. Can decentralized exchanges match the precision and control that centralized platforms have offered traders for decades? That question sits at the heart of a new integration announced by Kodiak Finance on October 16, 2025. The Baroquean native liquidity platform revealed it has adopted two protocols from Orbs, ALAYER 3 blockchain focused on advanced trading infrastructure. The move brings institutional grade order execution to a platform that already handles significant volume in one of crypto's fastest growing ecosystems.
Starting point is 00:00:43 Understanding Kodiak Finance and its position on Barakin, Kodiak Finance operates as the primary liquidity platform on Barakin, ALAYER-1 blockchain that launched in February 2025. The network stands out through its proof of liquidity. mechanism, which connects network security directly to ecosystem liquidity. Traditional blockchains face a problem where state tokens sit locked up, unavailable for defy activities. Barachain's design pushes state capital into productive use across the network's financial applications. The approach has generated results.
Starting point is 00:01:17 Barachains' TVL surged past $3.26 billion within weeks of launch in late February 2025, ranking its sixth among all blockchains in a head of networks like RRoura. Arbitrum and Base. Kodiak emerged as a central piece of this ecosystem. The platform now serves more than 100,000 users and has processed over $4 billion in swap volume. Defi Lama data shows Kodiak holds approximately $250 million in TVL, making it the second-largest protocol in Barakin behind Infrared Finance, the network's liquid staking platform. What makes Kodiak different from a basic decks as its vertical integration?
Starting point is 00:01:56 XerScan swap tokens through the exchange, provide liquidity through automated vaults called Kodiak Islands, and launch new tokens through its Panda Factory. This own stop approach reduces the friction that typically forces users to jump between multiple protocols to accomplish different tasks. For Barakin, having a native platform that handles multiple liquidity functions helps consolidate activity that might otherwise fragment across competing services. Breaking down DTWAP and how it works. weighted average price, or TWOP, represents a trading strategy that institutional traders have used
Starting point is 00:02:30 for decades to move large positions without disrupting markets. The concept is simple but powerful. Instead of executing one $1 million buy order that would push prices higher as it fills, Twop splits that into 100 orders of $10,000 each, executed every 15 minutes over the course of a day. Why does this matter? A single large order consumes available liquidity as IT executes, forcing the buyer to accept progressively worse prices. The first $10,000 might fill at $1.00 per token, but by the time the order reaches $500,000, lack of available sellers might push the price to $1.15 or higher, the buyer ends up paying an average price far above where the market started. Spreading that same purchase across 100 smaller orders over time allows each annetto interact with
Starting point is 00:03:19 fresh liquidity, keeping the average execution price much closer to the prevailing market rate. Orbs' decentralized implementation solves a technical problem that smart contracts face. Blockchains cannot natively execute actions based on time intervals. A smart contract cannot check back in 15 minutes to place the next order. The protocol works around this through a maker-taker model. Users create orders specifying the total amount, number of chunks, time intervals, and optional price limits. Independent participants called takers monitor these orders and compete to execute individual chunks, finding optimal routing and offering competitive fees. The system only needs one honest taker willing
Starting point is 00:04:00 to work at minimal margins to function properly. Orbs network validators fill this role through a function that acts as a reliable bidder, ensuring orders execute close to market price 7 when other participants are absent or trying to extract excessive fees. For a trader looking to purchase $100,000 worth of a token, DTWAP might split this into 20 smaller orders of $5,000 each, every 30 minutes over 10 hours. This approach serves two primary purposes. First, it reduces the immediate price impact that a single large purchase would create, potentially saving the trader money on slippage. Second, it can function as a dollar cost averaging strategy where a user accumulates a position gradually, smoothing out price volatility over the accumulation period.
Starting point is 00:04:47 The integration means Kodiak users can now access both DTWAP market orders, which execute all chunks at whatever the current market prices at each interval and DTWAP limit orders, which only execute individual chunks if the price falls within a range the user specified. This flexibility lets traders balance speed of execution against price precision based on their specific needs and current market conditions. Understanding DLIMIT and its role in trading. Limit orders form the foundation of trading in traditional markets, letting participants specify exact prices for buying or selling rather than accepting whatever the market offers at the moment. A trader watching a token at $2.20 might place a limit order to buy at $2.00, betting the price will dip but not wanting to sit
Starting point is 00:05:34 monitoring charts all day. If the price never reaches $2.00, the order never executes. But if it does drop to that level, the order fills automatically, even if the trader is asleep or offline. The challenge for decentralized exchanges comes from smart contract limitations. Traditional contracts cannot continuously monitor prices or execute actions when conditions are met. They only act when someone sends them a transaction. Orbsid limit protocol solves this through the same maker-taker structure as DTWAP. Users create limit orders specifying the token pair, amount, and desired price. The order sits on chain waiting.
Starting point is 00:06:13 When market conditions match those parameters, takers execute. the orders and collect small fees. The system eliminates the need for constant price monitoring or trust in centralized platforms to execute orders fairly. This approach differs from market orders where a trader accepts whatever the current price is when their transaction processes. With a limit order, a user might set an order to buy a token at $1.50 when it currently trades at $1.60. If the price never reaches $1.50, the order never executes. But if the price does drop to that, level, the order fills automatically, even if the user is not actively watching the market. The protocol adds sophistication to decentralized trading that brings it closer to the experience
Starting point is 00:06:57 of centralized platforms. A trader can set multiple limit orders at different price levels, creating a strategy that executes automatically based on market movements. Buy orders below current prices catch dips, sell orders above current prices lock and gains. The approach reduces the need for constant monitoring and allows implementing strategies, beyond simple market buys and sells. For Kodiak users, this means the ability to place in order to buy a token if IT drops to a certain support level, or sell if it reaches a particular resistance point, all without keeping the trading interface open or writing custom smart contracts. The system handles the monitoring and execution, charging only standard network transaction
Starting point is 00:07:38 fees plus a small taker fee. The impact on Barachain's growing ecosystem, Barakin entered 2025 with momentum that translated into capital, the project had raised $142 million across two funding rounds valuing it at $1.5 billion. The blockchain's proof of liquidity consensus creates a system where validators receive BGT tokens that must be directed toward liquidity pools in Thiko systems defy protocols rather than kept. This structure incentivizes deep liquidity across the network's applications, addressing one of the persistent challenges facing newer blockchains, bootstrapping enough liquidity to function properly. By February 2025, Varacan had accumulated over $3.3 billion in deposits through its pre-launch Boico program on
Starting point is 00:08:24 Ethereum, with participation from Morethin 166,000 unique wallets. When the Mainet launched on February 6th, the network quickly established itself as a force in Defi, with its TVL surpassing networks like Arbitrum and Base within weeks. Codiak's position as the native liquidity hub makes it central to this ecosystem. The platform benefits from Barachain's unique incentive structure where providing liquidity generates both trading fees and BGT governance tokens. The addition of DTWAP and DLIMIT expands the platform's functionality beyond basic swaps and liquidity provision, targeting users who require more sophisticated execution strategies. The integration addresses a specific gap in defy markets where large traders face challenges executing significant
Starting point is 00:09:11 positions without moving prices against themselves. Consider a whale trying to buy one million dollars of a token on a Dex. That purchase might drive the price up substantially before the entire order fills, effectively raising the average purchase price. With DTWAP, that same trader can spread the purchase across dozens of smaller transactions over hours, maintaining a lower average price by reducing immediate market impact. This matters for institutional participants and sophisticated retail traders who success in basis points of execution quality. This matters for institutional participants and sophisticated retail traders alike, as Defy protocols processed over $1 billion in daily trading volume across various platforms, the need for execution tools that minimize slippage has grown.
Starting point is 00:09:59 Protocols that offer only basic swap functionality risk losing volume to platforms with more advanced features, particularly as traders with larger positions seek better execution quality. Orb's Layer 3 infrastructure and its growing adoption. Orbs operates as what it calls a Layer 3 blockchain, positioning itself as an execution layer that sits between Layer 1 and Layer 2 networks and the application layer. The network launched its Mainet in 2019 and operates through a decentralized network of validators using proof of state consensus, with over $100 million in state value. The network's design allows it to perform functions that standard smart contracts cannot handle well, particularly tasks requiring continuous monitoring, complex calculations,
Starting point is 00:10:42 or external data feeds. Instead of replacing existing blockchain infrastructure, Orbs enhances it by providing additional computational capabilities through its validator network. This approach has led to adoption across multiple chains and platforms. The D-Limit and D-T-W-A-P protocols have been integrated by more than 15 decentralized exchanges spanning eight different blockchain networks. These integrations include major platforms like QuickSwap on Polygon, Thina on BNB chain, and Kronos on Arbitrum. The protocols have facilitated substantial trading volume, demonstrating demand for advanced order types in Defi. Beyond trading protocols, Orbs has developed additional infrastructure including liquidity hub, which aggregates liquidity from multiple sources to
Starting point is 00:11:27 improve trade execution, and perpetual hub for decentralized derivatives trading. This suite of tools positions Orbs as infrastructure focused specifically on improving the mechanics of on-chain trading rather than competing as a standalone blockchain. The integration with Kodiak marks Orbs entry into the Baroquean ecosystem. Given BarraChain's rapid growth and focus on liquidity, the partnership aligns with both project's objectives. For Orbs, it provides access to a large and growing user base on a network designed around Defi activity. For Kodiak, ITADDS functionality that helps the platform compete with centralized exchange sand other DEXs that have already implemented similar features. Opinion and analysis, the integration between Kodiak Finance and Orbs
Starting point is 00:12:12 represents more than a feature addition. It signals a maturation of decentralized trading infrastructure where the gap between centralized and decentralized execution continues to narrow. Four years, one of the persistent arguments for centralized exchanges centered on their superior trading tools and execution options. Decentralized platform offered self-custody and transparency but lacked the order types and execution strategies that professional traders required. That dynamic is shifting. As protocols like orbs solve the technical challenges of implementing advanced order types in decentralized environments, the distinction between CEX and DEX functionality becomes less about capability and more about
Starting point is 00:12:50 user preference. The question evolves from, can DEXs do this, to which DEX does it best? For Kodiak, This integration addresses a strategic priority. Operating on Barakin, a new network competing for users and capital against established ecosystems, the platform cannot simply replicate what already exists elsewhere. It needs to offer comparable or superior functionality while leveraging Baratian's unique proof of liquidity mechanism. Advanced trading tools help attract the specific user segments that generate significant volume and liquidity depth. The timing aligns with Barachane's ecosystem growth, with TV. already exceeding $3 billion and multiple protocols launching or expanding on the network,
Starting point is 00:13:33 the infrastructure needs to support not just basic defy activities but sophisticated strategies. Traders building positions in new tokens, liquidity providers managing their exposures, and institutional participants exploring the ecosystem all benefit from execution tools that reduce costs and improve outcomes. However, the integration also raises questions about centralization and dependence. While Orbs operates through a decentralized validator network, the protocols add a layer of infrastructure that users and platforms now rely upon. If Orbs network experiences issues or validators become unreliable, the trading features would be affected. This represents a different risk profile than purely owned chain execution, even if it remains more decentralized than centralized
Starting point is 00:14:17 alternatives. The broader pattern here involves specialized layer three protocols providing specific functionalities to layer 1 and layer 2 networks. Rather than every blockchain attempting to build every feature, a model emerges where foundation a layers focus on security and transaction processing while supplementary layers provide advanced capabilities. This modular approach could accelerate development across the industry but also creates dependencies between projects. Final thoughts, Codiac finances integration of Orbs DTWAP and DLIMIT protocols marks a concrete step in bridging the execution gap between centralized and decentralized trading venues. The technical implementation matters less to most users than the practical result,
Starting point is 00:15:00 which is access to order types that we re-previously unavailable in fully decentralized environments. For Barachane's ecosystem, the integration strengthens its position as a Defy-focused blockchain that offers more than basic functionality. With over 100,000 users on Kodiak and substantial volume flowing through the platform, the advanced order types provide tools that can help retain users who might otherwise move trades to centralized platforms or other chains with similar features. The success of this integration will ultimately depend on adoption and execution quality. Technical capabilities matter little if users find the interface confusing, if orders execute poorly compared to alternatives, or if the additional features add too
Starting point is 00:15:41 much complexity. The next several months will reveal whether these tools become standard parts of how traders interact with Kodiak or remain niche features used by a small subset of sophisticated participants. What seems clear is that the direction of Defy Development increasingly involves bringing traditional finance concepts and tools on chain rather than inventing entirely new paradigms. Time-weighted average price orders and limit orders exist because they solve real problems in financial markets. Making these tools available in decentralized contexts, while maintaining the core benefits of self-custody and transparency, represents progress towards systems that could eventually handle the scale and complexity of global financial markets.
Starting point is 00:16:22 Whether Barakin and Kodiak specifically become major players in that evolution remains uncertain. But the integration demonstrates that the infrastructure and capabilities required for sophisticated on-chain trading are no longer theoretical. They exist, they function, and platforms are implementing them to compete for users and volume in an increasingly crowded Defi landscape. Thank you for listening to this hackernoon story, read by artificial and intelligence. Visit hackernoon.com to read, write, learn and publish.

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