# Zest Protocol Sets Oct. 23 Deadline for aeUSDC Exit in Stacks Market V1

- URL: https://stocks.freetheai.org/news/zest-protocol-sets-oct-23-deadline-for-aeusdc-exit-in-stacks-market-v1-267592
- Published: 2026-10-13T15:45:25Z
- Category: crypto; sentiment: neutral; impact: medium
- Symbols: [CRYPTO:ZESTUSD](https://stocks.freetheai.org/symbols/CRYPTO-ZESTUSD)
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Decentralized lending platform Zest Protocol (CRYPTO:ZESTUSD) has established an October 23 deadline for users to withdraw aeUSDC positions from its Stacks Market V1 platform. Token prices for Zest Protocol slipped 1.03% today to 0.1809 USD following the update.

The transition is required because the upgraded Stacks Market V2 will exclusively support USDCx, a stablecoin issued in partnership with Circle. Existing aeUSDC balances will not automatically transition to the new framework, requiring account holders to take manual steps to relocate their funds.

To complete the process, users must withdraw aeUSDC liquidity from V1, trade it for USDCx on Bitflow, and deposit the new tokens into V2. An alternate path allows bridging aeUSDC to Ethereum via Allbridge Classic, converting to standard USDC, and returning to Stacks using Circle's cross-chain bridge. Positions in assets other than aeUSDC support one-click migration directly within the Zest app.

## Key points

- Zest Protocol set an October 23 deadline to exit aeUSDC positions in Stacks Market V1.
- Stacks Market V2 exclusively supports USDCx, a stablecoin issued in partnership with Circle.
- Users must manually withdraw, swap, and deposit aeUSDC as positions will not automatically transfer.
- Token conversion can be done directly via Bitflow or through an Ethereum bridge process.
- Positions in assets other than aeUSDC can be moved using a one-click migration tool.

## Questions and answers

### What is the deadline to exit aeUSDC on Zest Protocol Stacks Market V1?

Users must exit aeUSDC positions in Stacks Market V1 by October 23.

### Why is Zest Protocol phasing out aeUSDC in Stacks Market V1?

Stacks Market V2 exclusively supports USDCx, a Circle-backed stablecoin issued in partnership with Circle.

### Will aeUSDC positions automatically migrate to Stacks Market V2?

No, aeUSDC positions will not transfer automatically. Users must withdraw aeUSDC from V1, swap it into USDCx through Bitflow, and deposit USDCx into the V2 app.