Ronin Network has launched a $10 million grant initiative to foster gaming, DApps, and DeFi protocols innovation.
On January 16, the Ronin Ecosystem Grants program was announced to attract developers and projects that can enhance the utility and capabilities of its Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) blockchain. The program provides funding to developers through two types of grants: builder grants and waypoint gas grants.
Introducing Ronin Ecosystem Grants
$10M to Support Ronin Builders on the Bleeding Edge of Crypto ⚔️
Operation Leviosa is in full swing, and we’re ready to fund the next generation of builders.
Ronin Ecosystem Grants is a developer-focused initiative to unlock the full… pic.twitter.com/UgZv7ohMbV
— Ronin (@Ronin_Network) January 16, 2025
Builder grants provide up to $300,000 in Ronin’s native token, RON, to support project development, integrations, audits, and deployments. Waypoint gas grants, capped at $20,000 per project, are intended to streamline user onboarding and cover gas costs for smoother blockchain interactions.
Selected projects will receive milestone-based funding disbursements contingent on meeting pre-established objectives. These projects are expected to address user and developer challenges, drive on-chain activity, and onboard new users.
“We’re excited to support teams and game studios with innovative ideas to expand the capabilities and utilities of the Ronin Ecosystem.”
the company stated on its grants website.
In addition to funding, approved projects will gain visibility across Ronin platforms, including its ecosystem grants website and wallet. They will also benefit from access to the Ronin Builders Discord, fostering collaboration with industry stakeholders such as venture capitalists and Web3 partners. Discounts on infrastructure tools and integration opportunities with Web3 games further incentivize and incentivize developers.
Grant applications will be reviewed within four weeks of submission, with no application deadline. However, developers must submit separate applications if applying for multiple grant programs.
As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen its ecosystem, Ronin also announced a significant upgrade to its DEX, Katana, with the v3 upgrade completed in late November 2024. This upgrade improved trading efficiency and capital utilization by introducing concentrated liquidity pools, which provided deeper liquidity and reduced slippage. Features like customizable fees and enhanced liquidity tools offered liquidity providers more control over profit margins and risk exposure.
Ronin has returned to Ethereum
In May 2026, Ronin completed its transition from an independent Ethereum sidechain to an Ethereum Layer 2. The migration was intended to give the network stronger security and Ethereum settlement while retaining the low-cost, high-throughput infrastructure required for games and consumer applications.
Following the migration, annual RON emissions fell from 45 million to 5 million tokens, with future emissions directed to builders through Ronin’s Proof of Distribution system. The mechanism is designed to reward developers based on their contribution to network activity rather than simply distributing rewards to passive stakers.
That makes the original grant program part of a broader effort to shift Ronin from a gaming sidechain into an Ethereum-based consumer ecosystem.
The Ronin focus is no longer just gaming
Ronin was built around Axie Infinity and became one of the best-known blockchains for Web3 gaming. But the network has increasingly targeted applications outside traditional blockchain games.
Its 2025 grant program was open to projects across gaming, decentralized finance, social applications, infrastructure and other use cases. Ronin also launched the Forge Innovation Grant in July 2025, offering more than $300,000 to game and app developers alongside infrastructure support and access to investors and founders.
Ronin’s ecosystem now includes gamified DeFi, SocialFi, tokenized collectibles and consumer applications, while the network is positioning itself as an Ethereum “gamification engine” rather than simply a chain for Axie Infinity.
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