Crypto speech Kraken announced the upcoming motorboat of Ink, an Ethereum layer-2 web based connected the Optimism Superchain, successful an Oct. 24 statement.
Ink aims to empower users to trade, borrow, and lend tokens without the request for intermediaries, marking a important displacement from Kraken’s existent centralized speech model.
Ink laminitis Andrew Koller said:
“Ink volition enactment intimately with developers and the assemblage to make a compelling ecosystem for all. We’re excited to accelerate the determination onchain with an interoperable L2 that volition marque it adjacent much seamless for crypto users to entree DeFi. Ink the future.”
The web plans to motorboat its testnet for developers aboriginal this year, with a afloat rollout for retail and organization users anticipated successful the archetypal 4th of 2025.
Why Optimism Superchain?
Kraken stated that its prime of the Optimism Superchain would let it to payment from Ethereum’s robust security. This would besides presumption Ink arsenic portion of the Superchain — a unified web of blockchains that shares security, governance, and values designed to heighten Ethereum scalability.
Meanwhile, the speech determination aligns with the increasing inclination among large crypto firms, including Coinbase, Uniswap, and World, which leverage this technology for their layer-2 networks.
Optimism Unlimited Chief Growth Officer Ryan Wyatt commented:
“Optimism’s exertion powers the Superchain, and astir 50% of each Ethereum L2 transactions. As portion of this Superchain ecosystem, Ink volition lend to Optimism governance and thrust gross backmost to the Optimism Collective arsenic we enactment unneurotic to standard Ethereum.”
Despite this important adoption of Optimism technology, Arbitrum remains the ascendant layer-2 network, according to DeFillama data.
Kraken’s expanding merchandise portfolio
The motorboat of Ink complements Kraken’s expanding scope of products aimed astatine solidifying its manufacture position.
This month, the speech introduced kBTC, a caller wrapped Bitcoin merchandise designed to heighten the apical crypto availability successful DeFi activities. The steadfast stated that each kBTC is securely backed 1:1 by an equivalent magnitude of Bitcoin held successful its custody.
Further, Kraken besides announced the integration of EigenLayer to let its users to restake their ETH straight from its platform.
In addition, Kraken has launched a derivatives trading level successful Bermuda pursuing the acquisition of a Class F Digital Business License from the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA).
The station Kraken eyes DeFi enlargement with motorboat of Ink, its caller Ethereum layer-2 network appeared archetypal connected CryptoSlate.