What could affect the price of UNI?
Uniswap’s price is caught between factors that could reduce its supply and challenges from the market.
- Fee Switch Activation – The protocol now uses its fees to burn UNI tokens, reducing the total supply.
- Regulatory Updates – The SEC has closed its investigation, lowering legal risks.
- DeFi Competition – New decentralized finance platforms are competing with Uniswap.
Deep Dive
1. Tokenomics Changes Through Fee Burns (Positive for Price)
Overview:
In December 2025, Uniswap approved a governance proposal called “UNIfication” that started using 0.25% of swap fees to buy and burn UNI tokens. This process removes about 1.3 million UNI tokens every month based on current trading volume. There was also a one-time burn of 100 million UNI tokens, which is about 11% of the total supply.
What this means:
By reducing the number of tokens available, UNI could become more valuable if demand stays the same or increases. This could help offset the 63% drop in UNI’s price over the past year. Similar token burns, like Ethereum’s after EIP-1559, have led to significant price increases.
2. Regulatory Clarity After SEC Investigation Ends (Mixed Effects)
Overview:
In February 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ended its investigation into Uniswap Labs. This removes a major legal concern. However, broader regulations for decentralized finance (DeFi) are still unclear because the CLARITY Act has not advanced.
What this means:
In the short term, this is good news since there are no fines or restrictions. But without clear rules, big investors might be hesitant to get involved. Growth of U.S. users of UNI has slowed to 8% year-over-year, compared to 22% growth globally (CoinMarketCap).
3. Competition from Other DeFi Platforms (Negative for Price)
Overview:
Uniswap’s share of decentralized exchange (DEX) trading volume dropped to 23% from 35% in 2025. Competitors like PancakeSwap and newer platforms such as Digitap and ZKP are attracting users by offering lower fees and AI-powered features.
What this means:
UNI’s price has fallen 16% in the past month, reflecting its loss of market share. Technical indicators show the token is oversold (RSI-14 at 32.88), but strong resistance at $7.01 (EMA-200) could make it hard for the price to rise.
Conclusion
Uniswap’s move to burn tokens gives it a chance to recover, but slow user growth and technical hurdles near $5.60 may keep the price range-bound for now. Watch for weekly UNI burn rates above 1 million and adoption of Uniswap v4 features. A price breakout above $6.50 would suggest renewed strength.
What are people saying about UNI?
The Uniswap community is divided between traders watching the price target of $6.50 and governance supporters hopeful about changes to the token’s economics. Here’s what’s trending:
- Technical traders debate bullish chart patterns versus risks of a price drop
- Proposal to burn 100 million UNI tokens sparks hopes for a deflationary effect after the "Unification" vote
- Long-term price predictions vary widely—from a bullish $75 to a bearish $15
Deep Dive
1. @CryptoJoeReal: Falling Wedge Pattern Signals Potential Upside
"#Uniswap shows a Falling Wedge pattern on the 1-hour chart. Target price: $6.406"
– @CryptoJoeReal (6,850 followers · 11.7K impressions · 2025-12-27 18:43 UTC)
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What this means: This chart pattern is generally seen as bullish. It suggests that UNI might be gathering strength before a possible price breakout. However, the $6.40 resistance level needs strong trading volume to confirm this move.
2. @c3_trading: Triple Top Breakdown Indicates Bearish Trend
"Triple Top rejection at $6.50 plus support break below $5.60 confirms bearish continuation"
– @c3_trading (6,030 followers · 3.1K impressions · 2026-01-17 13:32 UTC)
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What this means: This pattern is bearish, showing that UNI has failed to break above $6.50. The next key support level is $4.75, which is crucial to prevent further price drops.
3. @rocket100ltd: Mixed Reactions to UNIfication Vote
"Burning 100 million $UNI tokens signals a shift toward a deflationary model. Buy the vote, sell the news?"
– @rocket100ltd (2,022 followers · 1.8K impressions · 2025-12-27 21:12 UTC)
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What this means: This is a neutral to slightly positive outlook. Burning tokens reduces the total supply, which could increase value, but traders are debating if this 16% supply cut is already reflected in the current price.
Conclusion
Opinions on UNI are mixed. Some see promising technical signs, while others worry about risks tied to governance decisions. The "Unification" proposal could change UNI’s value by burning tokens and redirecting fees, but resistance at $6.50 and overall market conditions remain concerns. Keep an eye on the 30-day exchange outflow rate, which has risen 130% recently, as it may indicate whether investors are accumulating UNI or taking profits.
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What is the latest news about UNI?
Uniswap is making moves amid market ups and downs, dealing with regulatory updates, lower fees, and big investor activity. Here’s the latest:
- SEC Ends Uniswap Probe (January 19, 2026) – The investigation is officially over, clearing up legal uncertainty.
- X Layer Launch Cuts Fees (January 16, 2026) – Swaps now cost less than one cent on OKX’s zkEVM blockchain.
- Whale Buyback Shows Confidence (January 21, 2026) – A large investor bought back a significant amount of UNI after selling in a panic, hinting at possible recovery.
Deep Dive
1. SEC Ends Uniswap Probe (January 19, 2026)
What happened:
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) officially closed its investigation into Uniswap Labs. This probe started under former SEC chair Gary Gensler but was dropped after he left in 2025. The SEC has since softened its approach toward decentralized finance (DeFi) projects like Uniswap.
Why it matters:
This is good news for Uniswap (UNI) because it removes a big legal risk. Without the threat of lawsuits, Uniswap Labs can focus on improving its platform. Clearer regulations may also encourage bigger investors and institutions to use Uniswap’s decentralized exchange technology.
(Cointelegraph)
2. X Layer Launch Cuts Fees (January 16, 2026)
What happened:
Uniswap is now available on X Layer, which is OKX’s zkEVM blockchain. This upgrade lowers swap fees to less than one cent, making trades cheaper for users. Uniswap is now on over 15 blockchains, expanding its reach especially in markets where low fees are important.
Why it matters:
Lower fees make Uniswap more accessible, which can lead to more trades and higher revenue for the platform. This also helps Uniswap compete with traditional, centralized exchanges, especially in fast-growing regions.
(CoinMarketCap)
3. Whale Buyback Shows Confidence (January 21, 2026)
What happened:
A large investor, often called a “whale,” bought back 757,684 UNI tokens worth about $3.66 million. This happened shortly after they sold nearly 800,000 UNI at a loss during a market dip. Despite this buying activity, UNI’s price remains below a key resistance level of $5.60.
Why it matters:
This is a mixed signal for UNI. The whale’s buyback suggests they believe in Uniswap’s future, but the overall market momentum is still weak. For prices to rise, more consistent buying pressure is needed to break past resistance.
(AMBCrypto)
Conclusion
Uniswap is making progress with regulatory clarity and expanding its platform, but price challenges remain. The question is whether new features like fee reductions and blockchain integrations can turn these positive developments into stronger price gains.
What is expected in the development of UNI?
Uniswap’s development is moving forward with these key updates:
- Uniswap v4 Expansion (2026) – Increasing rewards for liquidity providers and expanding to multiple blockchains.
- Fee Switch Activation (Q1 2026) – A vote to start sharing protocol fees with the Uniswap community treasury.
- UniswapX Cross-Chain Swaps (2026) – Allowing users to swap tokens across different blockchains without extra transaction fees.
- Smart Wallet Upgrades (2026) – Adding features like paying transaction fees with any token and easier swap options.
Deep Dive
1. Uniswap v4 Expansion (2026)
Overview:
Uniswap v4 launched in January 2025 and plans to grow by offering more incentives to liquidity providers (LPs) on Ethereum, Unichain (Uniswap’s Layer 2 network), and over 10 other blockchains. A $45 million budget from the Uniswap Unleashed governance proposal (source) will support this growth by encouraging more users to add liquidity, which helps increase trading volume.
What this means:
More liquidity means better trading experiences and higher fees earned by the protocol, which is positive for UNI holders. However, competition from other decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and delays in adopting cross-chain features could slow progress.
2. Fee Switch Activation (Q1 2026)
Overview:
A governance vote is planned to activate a small fee (between 0.05% and 0.25%) on token swaps. This fee would redirect some earnings from liquidity providers to the Uniswap DAO treasury, potentially generating $127 million to $500 million per year based on current trading volumes (source).
What this means:
This change could be good for the protocol’s long-term funding, allowing for buybacks or grants. However, some liquidity providers might leave if their earnings drop, so the outcome depends on community support.
3. UniswapX Cross-Chain Swaps (2026)
Overview:
UniswapX currently offers gasless swaps on Ethereum and plans to expand this to allow swapping tokens across different blockchains without users needing to manually move assets between chains. This will be done through third-party “fillers” who facilitate these trades (source).
What this means:
Making cross-chain swaps easy and fee-free could attract more users and compete with centralized exchanges. However, the system depends on reliable third-party services and sufficient liquidity across chains.
4. Smart Wallet Upgrades (2026)
Overview:
The Uniswap Wallet is adding features like “one-click swaps” and the ability to pay transaction fees using any token, thanks to upcoming Ethereum improvements (source). These upgrades aim to make decentralized finance (DeFi) easier for everyday users.
What this means:
Simpler wallet features could drive more user adoption, especially if integrated with larger financial platforms. Success depends on Ethereum’s upcoming Pectra upgrade supporting these new capabilities.
Conclusion
Uniswap’s roadmap focuses on growing liquidity, generating revenue through fees, and making cross-chain trading and wallet use more user-friendly. Important milestones include governance votes on fee sharing and the rollout of UniswapX. The big question remains: will UNI’s token model evolve to better reward holders as the protocol grows?
What updates are there in the UNI code base?
Uniswap’s technology is evolving with new features that support multiple blockchains and improve efficiency.
- X Layer Integration (January 16, 2026) – Uniswap now works on OKX’s Ethereum-compatible blockchain, expanding its reach.
- Fee Switch Activation (December 26, 2025) – A new fee system burns UNI tokens, changing how the token’s supply works.
- Smart Wallet Upgrade (June 12, 2025) – One-click swaps bundled into single transactions help users save on gas fees.
Deep Dive
1. X Layer Integration (January 16, 2026)
What happened: Uniswap launched its latest version (v4) on OKX’s X Layer, a blockchain that works like Ethereum but offers lower transaction costs. This means users can trade popular tokens like USDT and xBTC more cheaply while still enjoying the security and tools they expect from Ethereum.
Why it matters: This move is positive for UNI because it connects Uniswap to OKX’s large user base and makes it easier to trade across different blockchains without high fees. (Source)
2. Fee Switch Activation (December 26, 2025)
What happened: Uniswap’s community voted almost unanimously to start charging a small fee (0.05%) on trades within Ethereum pools. The fees collected are used to permanently remove (burn) 100 million UNI tokens and will continue to burn tokens from future fees.
Why it matters: This reduces the total supply of UNI over time, which could make the token more valuable in the long run. However, the immediate price impact depends on how much trading happens to keep the burn going. (Source)
3. Smart Wallet Upgrade (June 12, 2025)
What happened: Uniswap introduced smart wallets using EIP-7702 technology that lets users perform swaps with just one click. This works by combining multiple steps—like approvals and transactions—into one, cutting gas fees by about 40%. Users needed to set up a one-time permission on their wallets to use this feature.
Why it matters: This upgrade improves the user experience by making trading simpler and cheaper, which could attract more users. However, it doesn’t directly affect the value of UNI tokens. (Source)
Conclusion
Uniswap is focusing on expanding across different blockchains, reducing token supply through fees, and making trading easier for users. The X Layer integration and fee burns strengthen its position in decentralized finance (DeFi), while the smart wallet upgrade tackles common issues with Ethereum’s user experience. The key question remains: will the new fees encourage UNI scarcity without pushing traders to platforms that don’t charge fees?
Why did the price of UNI go up?
Uniswap (UNI) increased by 2.01% in the past 24 hours, outperforming the overall crypto market, which rose by 1.41%. Here’s why:
- Big Investor Buying – A large investor bought back $3.66 million worth of UNI after selling during a market dip, showing renewed confidence.
- Technical Bounce – Indicators suggested UNI was oversold and ready for a short-term price rebound.
- Regulatory Relief – The SEC ended its investigation into Uniswap Labs, reducing legal uncertainty.
In-Depth Look
1. Big Investor Activity (Positive Sign)
What happened: A large investor, often called a “whale,” repurchased 757,684 UNI tokens valued at $3.66 million at a price of $4.83 each. This came after they sold 798,734 UNI tokens worth $4.26 million just five days earlier. The net flow of tokens on the spot market turned negative by $290,000, meaning more UNI was being bought than sold (AMB Crypto).
Why it matters: When whales buy during a downtrend, it often signals they believe the price will rise. This buying shifted market sentiment, with buyer strength jumping to 96 compared to seller dominance at 3.5.
2. Technical Indicators (Mixed Signals)
What happened: The Relative Strength Index (RSI), a tool that measures if an asset is overbought or oversold, moved out of the oversold zone at 36.95 (14-day RSI). The MACD histogram, which tracks momentum, showed that the downward pressure was easing. UNI’s price bounced from a low of $4.72, which aligns with a key Fibonacci support level.
Why it matters: Traders saw the dip below $5 as a chance to buy, but UNI still faces resistance near $5.10, which limited further gains. The price remains below important moving averages, indicating caution.
3. Regulatory Update (Positive Development)
What happened: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) dropped its investigation into Uniswap Labs, reflecting a more favorable regulatory environment for decentralized finance (DeFi) under the current administration (Cointelegraph).
Why it matters: This reduces legal risks for Uniswap, improving investor confidence. However, UNI’s long-term success depends on upcoming features like fee-switch activation and upgrades such as Unichain.
Conclusion
UNI’s recent 24-hour gain is driven by large investor buying and technical factors, but the overall weekly trend remains down by 11.6%.
What to watch: Can UNI stay above $4.90 and break through the $5.10 resistance level despite low trading volume? Keep an eye on whale wallet activity and on-chain trading volume for clearer signals.
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