Will Ethereum Layer-2 chains survive after The Merge?

2 years ago

Ethereum is yet moving to proof-of-stake this year, and with that, the aim is to:

“Ultimately code immoderate of the state interest issues.”

One of the superior methods to trim state fees are layer-2 solutions. Chains specified arsenic Polygon process implicit 3 million transactions per time and person hundreds of millions of addresses.

The question is, volition layer-2 networks similar Optimism, Boba Network, Arbitrum One, and Polygon beryllium viable aft The Merge? We spoke to assorted web3 founders to get their perspectives connected the astir important lawsuit successful crypto history.

Layer-2 solutions

Layer-2 networks enactment connected apical of the Ethereum network, referred to arsenic Layer-1. There are several types of Layer-2 protocols. Essentially, layer-2s independently process transactions to implicit much transactions per 2nd with little state fees; the transactions are past registered successful the Ethereum blockchain astatine a aboriginal time.

If Ethereum’s determination to proof-of-stake achieves its extremity of addressing state fees and transaction volume, past the request for layer-2s becomes reduced. Additionally, the determination to proof-of-stake comes with the imaginable to amended the mechanics for securing the network. Founder of Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin, argued that proof-of-stake offers:

“Greater ratio and their amended quality to grip and retrieve from attacks.”

Post-merge scaling solutions

The accrued ratio of Ethereum whitethorn beryllium of payment to layer-2s. Alan Chiu, CEO/Founder of Boba Network, a Layer 2 Optimistic Rollup scaling solution, told us:

“As Ethereum L1 becomes much efficient, L2’s volition simply go that overmuch much businesslike close alongside, each portion maintaining their existent added benefits.”

As Harold Hyatt, Product Manager of DAO & DeFi astatine Trusttoken, explains:

“Ethereum-based scaling solutions (L2) standard with ethereum, truthful if ethereum scales successful the aboriginal (sharding), L2s besides scale. if Optimism is 10x faster than L1, past Ethereum is 10x aft sharding, Optimism is 100x.”

Mainstream adoption of Ethereum

Ahmed Al-Balaghi, the co-founder of Biconomy, a multichain relayer protocol, explains, “even aft the merge, to truly get to mainstream adoption, we volition request arsenic galore scaling solutions arsenic possible.” Mainstream adoption is simply a agelong mode disconnected adjacent with the accrued popularity of crypto since 2020, with conscionable 4% of the colonisation owning crypto successful 2022.

As adoption increases, the request for networks specified arsenic Ethereum volition turn exponentially. Poapster, a contributor to Harvest Finance, a starring DeFi output farming protocol, believes that:

“We volition spot is that Ethereum volition go the cosmopolitan colony furniture and each the antithetic L2’s and EVM compatible chains volition beryllium wherever the bulk of smaller transactions instrumentality place.”

Therefore, it seems that the manufacture believes that Ethereum layer-2 solutions person a salient relation successful the aboriginal of the network. Brian Fu, Co-Founder of zkLend, a money-market protocol leveraging zk technology, is highly bullish connected the aboriginal of layer-2s.

“L2 ecosystems person reached captious wide to enactment measurement and enactment which volition pb to an explosive web effect… users person already begun shifting implicit to rollup networks, arsenic seen by the L2 TVL maturation connected L2BEAT.”

Further, Fu predicts that “a “Super L2” solution volition emerge… supported by fractal scaling properties and capabilities… “L3 networks volition alteration hyper-scalability and bridging.”

Increased usage of dApps

With accrued opportunities for scaling, Puff, Contributor to the Iron Bank, a starring level connected Ethereum, believes that the merge:

“Would bring america 1 measurement person to shard chains. With sharding deployed, we expect that the improved scalability and capableness connected Ethereum volition trim costs and summation the accessibility of decentralized applications.”

The utilization of dApps volition straight correlate with accrued information successful the network. A scalable and fast-transacting, decentralized web allows individuals to power their ain assets, identity, and finances escaped from centralized control.

Thibault Perréard, Head of Strategy astatine Bifrost, argued that it volition not beryllium proof-of-stake but “layer 2 solutions [that] volition go the existent catalyst to releasing the aboriginal imaginable of Ethereum and genuinely implementing the imaginativeness of DeFi.”

Proof-of-stake is considered much environmentally friendly, though determination are many arguments against this idea. Interestingly, Chris, Co-Founder astatine Eden Network, suggests that proof-of-work whitethorn inactive not beryllium implicit for Ethereum;

“Computing the proofs needed for zero-knowledge rollups (and different zk applications) requires tremendous computing overhead – what happens to each the mining instrumentality erstwhile the merge happens? Does it conscionable stitchery particulate oregon volition a marketplace make wherever miners person an accidental to repurpose their GPUs to unafraid these caller networks?”

Proof-of-work maximalists volition reason that layer-2 networks volition person nary intent aft The Merge and that Ethereum itself volition fail. There are besides others similar Tyler Perkins the CMO of zkSync, who don’t judge The Merge volition impact layer-2s.

He told CryptoSlate that The Merge volition person “no impact” and that “L2s volition beryllium astir impacted by sharding, which is planned for aft the merge, arsenic it volition summation the magnitude of information retention disposable to rollups, dramatically expanding their throughput.”

For the bulk of radical we spoke to, determination seems to beryllium overwhelming enactment for the aboriginal of layer-2s. When The Merge happens this summer, we volition each find retired who is correct.

The station Will Ethereum Layer-2 chains past aft The Merge? appeared archetypal connected CryptoSlate.

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