Aave has completed a significant infrastructure migration, moving its Robot automation system across multiple Layer 2 networks to Chainlink's Confidential Report Execution (CRE) service. The protocol had previously relied on Gelato's automation and Web3 Functions infrastructure for networks where Chainlink Automation wasn't available, but Gelato's deprecation of these services forced a strategic pivot. By selecting Chainlink CRE as the replacement, Aave unified its automation architecture under a single provider ecosystem—eliminating fragmentation that had characterized its cross-chain operations.
The Aave Robot handles critical permissionless functions that keep the protocol operating smoothly: governance lifecycle management, risk parameter adjustments through agent actions, and GHO Stability Module operations. These tasks historically ran on Chainlink Automation where available, but the gaps created operational complexity. Chainlink CRE fills those gaps with a robust execution model. The system works by having automation logic written in TypeScript, compiled to WebAssembly, and executed by Chainlink's decentralized oracle network. The workflow periodically checks whether work is needed via checkUpkeep() calls on robot contracts, then submits signed reports to a MailboxCRE contract that triggers the corresponding performUpkeep() actions on-chain. Since Aave Robot's operations require no special access controls—all actions are permissionless by design—the MailboxCRE architecture operates without gatekeeping mechanisms.
The migration deployed across ten networks including Gnosis, Linea, Scroll, ZKsync, Mantle, Sonic, Celo, Ink, Plasma, XLayer, and MegaETH. This expansion reflects Aave's sprawling presence across the blockchain ecosystem and the practical need to automate protocol maintenance at scale. The complete workflow code, configurations, and deployment documentation are available in Aave's Robot repository, maintaining transparency about how the protocol's automated functions operate. The consolidation represents a pragmatic response to vendor transitions while upgrading to infrastructure that leverages Chainlink's established oracle network rather than relying on separate automation providers.
This architecture unification will likely set a template for how other protocols manage automation across fragmented blockchain environments as Layer 2 and alternate L1 ecosystems mature.