At the BaseCamp event, Jesse Pollak revealed the Layer 2 network is considering a native token, though plans remain in early stages.
According to EY’s Global Blockchain Leader Paul Brody, only companies that can aggregate significant transaction volume into the network, and whose customers can't make their own direct connection to Ethereum, would benefit from creating their own layer 2.
The project is one of over 30 layer-2 networks working to scale Ethereum.
The initiative marks a strategic pivot: after years spent scaling throughput and lowering costs, the protocol team is now zeroing in on interoperability as the key to user experience.
Linea’s updated roadmap introduces ETH-native staking on bridged assets, a protocol-level ETH burn mechanism, and the allocation of 85% of its token supply to ecosystem development.
The team behind the network shared that the initial distribution will occur over the next 30 days.
The network, currently in testnet, will operate differently compared to conventional rollups that depend on sequencer fees, the team said.
Speaking at EthCC in France, Ethereum’s founder said developers need to stay true to crypto’s principles amid a wave of corporate blockchain adoption.
The testnet debuts with support from a host of major crypto firms who will be operating nodes on the BitVM bridge, such as Lombard, Amber Group and RockawayX
Botanix Labs has emphasized its decentralized governance. The launch coincides with its transition to being operated by a federation of 16 node operators
Depositors will receive rewards such as randomized NFT "Krates" and a portion of KAT tokens.
Participants in the protocol will be eligible for INK airdrops, with further details to be announced. However, INK enters a crowded market where most new tokens, even those with venture backing and protocol traction, tend to trend downward after launch.
Polygon, initially known as Matic, was founded by Jaynti Kanani, Sandeep Nailwal, Mihailo Bjelic, and Anurag Arjun.
The solution comes after 8 years of development and as institutions seek transaction confidentiality.
Ethereum’s chances of reaching the $20,000 level are fueling debate among investors and analysts. The success of the Ethereum network is dependent on real-world usage and rising activity on its platforms, so it is an area of focus in the cryptocurrency space. Related Reading: Pi Coin Sinks 47% In 14 Days—What’s Behind The Massive Drop? Real-World Usage Is The Key Ryan Berckmans, an investor in Ethereum, thinks that the key to a $20,000 ETH price is practical use. He says that the high fees, while normally a disadvantage, are actually an indicator of faith in the altcoin. If users are paying more, it is because they trust in the value of the network. Berckmans makes the comparison with Bitcoin, which continues to hold value despite 99% of its usage being centralized. He reiterates that Ethereum needs to pay attention to developing its real-world growth if it is to replicate this success. For ETH, real world growth is the answer. How do we get ETH to $20k? Fee value accrual obviously isn’t necessary to drive the required public confidence for a high token price, otherwise BTC would be worthless because 99.999% of BTC activity is centralized and doesn’t accrue… — Ryan Berckmans (@ryanberckmans) March 29, 2025 Importance Of High Fees Restoring high total fees is critical for Ethereum’s price increase. Berckmans argues that even if a hypothetical scenario sees $1 trillion in stablecoins on Ethereum’s Layer 1, it wouldn’t be enough without high fees to back it up. He suggests that the Ethereum network must prioritize robust growth to ensure that investor confidence is restored. Without this growth, reaching the ambitious target of $20,000 seems unlikely. Scaling Through Layer 1 And Layer 2 Berckmans stresses the need for more Layer 1 applications and better integration with Layer 2 solutions. This expansion is vital for sustainable growth. Ethereum must increase the distribution of its Layer 1 assets to Layer 2s while also diversifying the solutions available on Layer 2. This kind of scaling is essential to accommodate growing network activity and user demand. Focusing On Utility-Driven Growth As Ethereum celebrates the 10-year anniversary of its mainnet, Berckmans insists that the network has come a long way but still has much further to go. Related Reading: Bitcoin And Ethereum Face $14 Billion Options Expiry—Market Impact Ahead? Ethereum is the most capitalized blockchain by application but will need to scale dramatically to maintain its position. By prioritizing the development of a culture centered around real-world uses and economic development, the crypto asset can build a bridge to its price target. The Ethereum network is at a crossroads. The altcoin needs to maximize real-world usage and have growth at the top of its agenda. In doing so, it may well hit that much-sought $20,000 target in the future — at least according to Berckmans. Featured image from Gemini Imagen, chart from TradingView
The transition ends a long journey beginning back in July 2023 and a fierce competition, won by Optimism, convincing the Celo ecosystem to build with their tech.
Hemi Labs has signed up dozens of protocols, including decentralized exchange (DEX) Sushi, liquid staking token pumpBTC and oracles RedStone and Pyth.
The aim is to provide a Bitcoin DeFi experience using trust assumptions as the next big thing to zero-knowledge proofs until such a time that OP_CAT is adopted
The mainnet launches with over $233 million worth of BTC, ETH and native asset MOVE in liquidity raised through Movement's Cornucopia program
Fireblocks users can now earn yield on their BTC holdings via BOB's network
As layer-2 chains continue to proliferate, some Ethereum developers are pushing rollup tech that takes a new approach to interoperability: “based rollups.”
Powered by Optimism's OP stack, Unichain—like other layer-2s on Ethereum—offers faster and cheaper transactions compared to Ethereum's mainnet.
Ethereum is the key to driving Web3 growth, thanks to its robust ecosystem, the rise of layer 2 rollups, and the Superchain’s potential.
The Swiss banking giant, which has been experimenting with blockchain, tapped the layer-2 firm to test whether it could scale its current Key4 Gold program.
Another project looking to turn Bitcoin into a more fruitful base for DeFi has raised $20 million in funding toward that goal
A wave of new projects and innovations is bringing increasing utility to the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Sustained demand for Layer 2s could quickly deplete the available blob capacity. The impending Pectra upgrade only kicks the can down the road, Polynomial's co-founder said.
The 78-year-old technology giant is the latest big name company to release a blockchain using Optimism's OP Stack.
The deal would reportedly value the layer-2 developer at around $3 billion, Fortune reported.
The “SN Stack” enables developers to create blockchains for specific crypto use cases, potentially bringing StarkWare's technology to a variety of chains.