AERO is the native token of Aerodrome Finance, the largest decentralized exchange on Base and the chain's main liquidity hub. The protocol runs on a ve(3,3) design: liquidity providers earn AERO emissions, and holders who lock AERO receive veAERO, an NFT that carries voting power and a claim on protocol fees.

AERO doesn't have to stay inside the Aerodrome ecosystem to be useful. In 2026, you can put AERO toward hotels, flights, gift cards and physical collectibles.

At Polkastarter, AERO holders can shop for physical collectibles, including rare trading cards, sealed products, and video games. New users can claim a free mystery pack when signing up.

You can also put AERO toward your next trip. CoinBooking lets you spend AERO on hotels and flights at prices up to 30% lower than Booking.com. New users can also get $25 off their first booking.

Key Takeaways

• Polkastarter lets AERO holders buy graded collectibles, rare trading cards, sealed products, video games, and other physical items. New users can claim a free mystery pack.
• Planning a trip? You can book hotels and flights through CoinBooking with prices up to 30% below Booking.com.
• AERO emissions no longer follow weekly gauge votes. Predictive Allocation, live since July 26, 2026, sends pool incentives toward expected future demand instead.
• With Coinsbee, AERO holders can spend their tokens on gift cards and mobile top-ups from more than 5,000 brands in 185+ countries.

1. Buy Physical Collectibles With AERO on Polkastarter

Polkastarter gives AERO holders a way to put their crypto toward physical collectibles. Users can browse authenticated trading cards, sealed products, video games, and other physical items, with ownership recorded on-chain.

Physical items stay in secure custody while ownership is transferred digitally. Buyers can later have their collectibles shipped to them or sell them back through Polkastarter.

AERO isn't currently supported as a direct payment method, so holders need to swap it for a supported cryptocurrency first. Once funded, they can browse Lootboxes and other listings, with the contents, value, and odds shown upfront.

New users can also claim a free mystery pack when they sign up. Browse Polkastarter's collectibles marketplace to see what's available.

2. Book Discounted Hotels and Flights With AERO on CoinBooking

Planning a trip and have AERO sitting in your wallet? You can book your next trip through CoinBooking at prices up to 30% below Booking.com. CoinBooking is a Dubai-licensed crypto travel platform that gives AERO holders access to more than 2 million hotels and flights across 190+ countries.

You can pay for bookings directly with AERO rather than converting it to fiat first, which helps you avoid the extra fees and markups often attached to crypto-focused travel platforms. If you prefer traditional payment methods, CoinBooking also accepts Visa, Mastercard, Google Pay, and Apple Pay.

New users can also claim $25 off their first booking after signing up.

3. Use AERO Across the Aerodrome Ecosystem on Base

AERO holders can put the token to work directly inside Aerodrome, the leading decentralized exchange on Base. Locking AERO for up to four years mints veAERO, an NFT that carries governance power and a claim on 100% of the trading fees from the pools it backs.

Aerodrome went live on Base on August 28, 2023, three weeks after the network itself, and added Slipstream concentrated liquidity pools in 2024. Liquidity providers who stake in gauges earn AERO emissions, while veAERO holders collect fees and voter incentives each weekly epoch.

That weekly vote changed on July 26, 2026, when Predictive Allocation replaced gauge voting. Incentives now follow the pools expected to draw demand next, and participants whose forecasts prove accurate take a larger share of revenue.

Aerodrome is also merging with Velodrome into one cross-chain exchange called Aero, announced in November 2025 and set to run on Base, Optimism, Ethereum mainnet and Circle's Arc network. Existing AERO holders receive 94.5% of the unified token supply, with 5.5% going to VELO holders.

4. Spend AERO With a Crypto Card

AERO holders can also spend their tokens using crypto payment cards. These cards work for online and in-store purchases, as well as payments through Google Pay and Apple Pay, depending on the provider.

RedotPay covers Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, but not US residents. KAST offers both virtual and physical cards, while Ether.fi combines self-custody with cashback on eligible purchases.

To begin, pick a provider that supports your location, fund the account with AERO, and order a card. Check each provider's fees, features, and availability before signing up.

5. Buy Gift Cards and Everyday Products With AERO on Coinsbee

Coinsbee offers AERO holders one more way to spend their tokens on everyday purchases. The service supports 200+ cryptocurrencies and offers gift cards, prepaid products, and mobile top-ups across 5,000+ brands in 185+ countries.

The selection covers a range of categories, such as shopping, entertainment, gaming, travel, and other common expenses. Select a brand and denomination, settle with AERO, and receive the digital code by email.

Check Coinsbee's available products to see which options are supported where you live.

6. Access Early-Stage Token Sales Through CoinTerminal

AERO holders can join early-stage token sales through CoinTerminal. The launchpad lets holders access projects before they reach exchanges, with contributions starting from $100 and no requirement to stake a platform token.

AERO is not accepted directly, so you'll first need to swap it for USDT before participating. CoinTerminal also allows participants to request refunds during the refund window set for each launch.

Visit CoinTerminal to see which token sales are currently open.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Aerodrome Finance used for?

AERO powers liquidity on Aerodrome, the largest decentralized exchange on Base. It is paid out as emissions to liquidity providers who stake in gauges, and locking it for up to four years mints veAERO, which carries governance power and a claim on trading fees.

2. Can I book hotels and flights with AERO?

Yes. CoinBooking supports AERO alongside 200+ other cryptocurrencies for discounted hotel and flight bookings across 190+ countries, at prices up to 30% lower than Booking.com. New users can claim $25 off their first booking.

3. What are the risks of using Aerodrome finance?

Aerodrome runs on smart contracts, so contract bugs and market risk apply as on any decentralized exchange. Locking AERO into veAERO ties the tokens up for as long as four years, emissions dilute holders when fees run below rewards, and the Aero merger adds migration risk.

4. What are the latest news and updates about Aerodrome Finance?

Predictive Allocation went live on July 26, 2026, replacing weekly gauge voting with incentives that follow expected future demand. Aerodrome is also merging with Velodrome into a single exchange called Aero, announced in November 2025, covering Base, Optimism, Ethereum mainnet and Circle's Arc network.

5. Is Aerodrome Finance a good investment?

Crypto prices can't be predicted, and none of this is investment advice. What can be stated is that AERO is the incentive and governance token of the largest decentralized exchange on Base, and that veAERO holders receive the trading fees from the pools they back.