Polygon Solutions to Ethereum Scaling Challenges: An Overview

According to official blog of Polygon Labs, Ethereum’s scaling problem isn’t a new conundrum, with its history being almost as ancient as Ethereum itself. What makes Ethereum uniquely robust is its steady evolution, ensuring the chain’s safety and decentralization. But the question arises, how does Polygon aim to augment Ethereum’s scalability?

Understanding Layer 1 (L1) and Layer 2 (L2)

L1 and L2 are often termed as the “parent” and “child” chain respectively. While the L1 operates independently, L2 has certain dependencies on L1, primarily for security and transaction data storage. The essence of all Ethereum L2s is to process and execute transactions, effectively making L2 an execution layer. However, the responsibility of reaching consensus—verifying transaction data and updating all blockchain accounts—falls to L1.

Ethereum’s careful progression towards consensus prioritizes security over speed. As a result, any perceived “slowness” in Ethereum is a consequence of its emphasis on safety.

Layer 2: A Solution to the Blockchain Trilemma

A classic engineering rule states: one can achieve either two of good, cheap, and fast simultaneously. In the blockchain context, the pivotal elements are decentralization, scalability, and security. Given the significance of security and decentralization, L2 emerges as the primary solution to address scalability concerns.

While many L2s were still in their development phase, several intermediate solutions existed, each with its unique approach to the trilemma.

Different Approaches to Scaling

State Channels: Existing off-chain, these utilize an on-chain smart contract to allow users to deposit assets. The catch? They function without L1 interaction and require a higher trust level due to their distinct transaction validation and dispute resolution logic.

Plasma Chains: Plasma chains submit periodic transaction summaries to the L1 in the form of block commitments, requiring lesser trust than state channels.

Rollups: The fundamental difference between sidechains (like state channels and plasma chains) and genuine L2s is their security assurance. While sidechains use consensus mechanisms, L2s employ cryptographic proofs. Among rollups, ZK rollups leverage validity proofs, and optimistic rollups utilize fraud proofs. Interestingly, ZK proofs can confirm the authenticity of a transaction batch without divulging specific details—a feature that boosts scalability without compromising on security or decentralization.

Polygon’s Role in Ethereum’s Scaling

Polygon 2.0 envisions to cater to diverse use-case requirements, ensuring the scalability of each. The present Polygon protocols encompass Polygon PoS, Polygon zkEVM, and Polygon CDK, with the forthcoming addition of Polygon Miden. Notably, these chains are designed to be interoperable, allowing swift cross-chain transactions without needing a direct bridge to Ethereum.

Polygon PoS: Launched in 2020, this network has overseen more than 2 billion transactions from over ten thousand dApps, at an average transaction fee of just $0.015. Polygon Labs has plans to transform Polygon PoS into a zkEVM validium, which would effectively convert it into a true L2.

Polygon zkEVM: A ZK rollup that mirrors the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), ensuring a seamless experience for Ethereum developers. Since its inception on Mainnet, it has processed over 5 million transactions from 400,000 unique addresses.

Polygon Miden: Another ZK rollup, but with a focus on a ZK-centric design. This design extends the capabilities of EVM, facilitating the development of applications challenging to realize on account-based systems like Ethereum.

Polygon CDK: An open-source kit to develop ZK-powered L2s, ensuring scalability, security, and sovereignty.

In essence, the evolution of the Polygon ecosystem is steadily aiding in the realization of a more equitable future through the mass adoption of Web3. To keep abreast of Polygon’s progress, enthusiasts are encouraged to follow the Polygon Labs Blog and other associated communication channels.

Disclaimer & Copyright Notice: The content of this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as financial advice. Always consult with a professional before making any financial decisions. This material is the exclusive property of Blockchain.News. Unauthorized use, duplication, or distribution without express permission is prohibited. Proper credit and direction to the original content are required for any permitted use.

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Ethereum Layer 2: A Simplified Overview

Common Ethereum Layer 2 projects include Optimism, Arbitrum and zkSync. Tokens from some of these projects, such as ARB (Arbitrum) and OP (Optimism), have been available for trading. This article aims to explain the concept of Layer 2 in straightforward terms.

As blockchain technology continues to evolve, Ethereum has established itself as a leader in smart contracts and decentralized applications. However, its growing popularity has brought about challenges, particularly in terms of scalability and transaction costs. To address these issues, Layer 2 (L2) solutions were introduced, designed specifically to navigate these hurdles.

What is Layer 2 (L2)?

Layer 2, often abbreviated as L2, refers to a secondary framework or protocol built atop the existing blockchain (Layer 1 or L1). The primary objective of L2 solutions is to increase transaction throughput and reduce associated costs, all while maintaining the security and decentralization properties of the main chain.

The Basics: Layer 1 vs. Layer 2

Layer 1 (L1) is the foundational blockchain layer. Think of Ethereum or Bitcoin; these are L1 blockchains. They form the bedrock upon which L2 solutions are constructed. L1 handles the core consensus, maintains the network’s security, and records all transactions.

Layer 2 (L2), on the other hand, operates atop L1 and can process transactions off-chain or in a more scalable manner. The results are then settled back onto the main chain, ensuring the security and immutability of the primary blockchain.

The Promise of Layer 2

Lowered Transaction Costs: L2 solutions, by handling numerous transactions off-chain and consolidating them into one L1 transaction, can markedly decrease the expense of each transaction.

Improved Transaction Capacity: Compared to conventional L1 blockchains, L2 solutions are capable of processing a greater volume of transactions every second (TPS), tackling a primary concern in the world of cryptocurrency.

Maintained Security: Even though transactions might be processed off-chain, they eventually settle on the main chain, inheriting the security properties of L1.

Diving Deeper: Types of Layer 2 Solutions

1. Rollups: These are a popular L2 solution where transactions are processed off-chain and then bundled or “rolled up” into a single transaction that’s recorded on L1. There are two main types of rollups:

Optimistic Rollups: Transactions are assumed to be valid unless proven otherwise. If a transaction appears suspicious, it can be challenged and verified.

Zero-Knowledge Rollups (ZK-Rollups): These use cryptographic proofs to validate transactions off-chain. Only the proof, which is much smaller in size, is submitted to L1.

2. State Channels: These are off-chain corridors where multiple transactions can occur between participants. Once the series of transactions is complete, the final state is settled on the main chain.

3. Plasma: A framework that allows for the creation of child chains branching from the main chain. These child chains can operate independently and report back to the parent chain periodically.

Layer 2 in Action

Several projects are pioneering the L2 space:

Arbitrum: An Optimistic Rollup solution aiming to make Ethereum transactions more cost-effective.

Optimism: Another Optimistic Rollup, focusing on scaling Ethereum and enhancing its overall efficiency.

zkSync: A ZK-Rollup platform that offers a scalable, low-cost solution for Ethereum transactions.

Conclusion

Layer 2 solutions represent a promising step forward in addressing the scalability and cost issues associated with current blockchain networks. As these solutions continue to evolve and mature, they could pave the way for broader adoption of blockchain technologies and a more efficient decentralized future.

Disclaimer & Copyright Notice: The content of this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as financial advice. Always consult with a professional before making any financial decisions. This material is the exclusive property of Blockchain.News. Unauthorized use, duplication, or distribution without express permission is prohibited. Proper credit and direction to the original content are required for any permitted use.

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Arbitrum Bridge: A Comprehensive Guide

Arbitrum Bridge is a Layer 2 solution that enables users to transfer assets from the Ethereum mainnet to the Arbitrum network. It is an essential part of the Arbitrum ecosystem, which attempts to increase the scalability of Ethereum by processing transactions off-chain while retaining the mainnet’s security..This article provides a comprehensive guide to the Arbitrum Bridge, including its functionality, supported assets, fees, security, troubleshooting, and alternatives.

Overview

Arbitrum, developed by Offchain Labs, is a Layer 2 scaling solution for Ethereum. It aims to address the scalability issues of Ethereum, which has been plagued by high gas fees and slow transaction times due to its limited capacity. By processing transactions off-chain, Arbitrum can significantly reduce these fees and increase transaction speed, making Ethereum more usable for everyday transactions.

The Arbitrum Bridge is a key feature of this solution. It allows users to transfer their assets from Ethereum to the Arbitrum network in a secure and trustless manner. This means that users do not need to trust any third party with their assets – the bridge ensures that the assets are safely locked on the Ethereum network and the corresponding amount is minted on the Arbitrum network.

Functionality

To use the Arbitrum Bridge, users need to connect their Ethereum wallet (such as MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, Rainbow, Trust Wallet) to the bridge. Once connected, they can specify the amount of assets they wish to transfer. The bridge then locks the assets on the Ethereum network and mints the corresponding amount on the Arbitrum network.

This process is secure and trustless. The bridge does not have the ability to access or control the user’s assets. Instead, it uses smart contracts to lock the assets on the Ethereum network and mint the corresponding amount on the Arbitrum network. This ensures that the user always retains control over their assets.

Supported Assets

The Arbitrum Bridge supports a wide range of assets, including but not limited to ETH, WBTC, USDT, DAI, AVAX, BNB,USDC. This broad support enables users to transfer almost any asset they hold on the Ethereum network to the Arbitrum network.

Furthermore, the bridge supports multiple networks, including Ethereum, Avalanche, BNB Chain, Canto, Polygon, and 15 others. This makes the Arbitrum Bridge a versatile tool for users looking to move their assets between different blockchain networks.

Fees

The cost of using the Arbitrum Bridge can vary depending on the current gas prices on the Ethereum network. However, once the assets are on the Arbitrum network, transactions are significantly cheaper due to the reduced gas costs on Layer 2.

It’s worth noting that the cost to bridge assets from Ethereum to Arbitrum can be further reduced by using the Synapse Protocol’s native token, SYN, as your bridging crypto. This provides users with a cost-effective way to transfer their assets to the Arbitrum network.

Security

Security is a top priority for the Arbitrum Bridge. It relies on Ethereum’s Layer 1 for security, meaning that even though transactions are processed off-chain, they still benefit from the robust security of the Ethereum network.

The bridge has been audited by top smart contract risk assessment firms, ensuring its safety and reliability. It locally stores critical data like private keys on user devices, minimizing external risks. In addition, it ensures encrypted communication between devices and the bridge for added protection.

Troubleshooting

In case of any issues while using the Arbitrum Bridge, users can refer to the official documentation provided by the developers. This includes a comprehensive guide on how to use the bridge, as well as a troubleshooting section that addresses common problems and their solutions.

For example, when initiating a withdrawal from Arbitrum chains (One and Nova), the process will typically take roughly one week. However, some users opt to use third-party fast bridges, which often bypass this delay.

Alternatives

While the Arbitrum Bridge is a popular choice for transferring assets to the Arbitrum network, there are also other bridges available. These include the Celer Network’s cBridge and Connext’s cross-chain bridge. Each of these alternatives has its own set of features and advantages, and users can choose the one that best fits their needs.

Conclusion

The Arbitrum Bridge is a powerful tool that enables users to leverage the benefits of Layer 2 scaling on the Ethereum network. By providing a secure, efficient, and cost-effective way to transfer assets between networks, the Arbitrum Bridge is a key component of the broader Ethereum ecosystem.

As the Ethereum network continues to grow and evolve, tools like the Arbitrum Bridge will play an increasingly important role in enhancing its scalability and usability. Whether you’re a seasoned Ethereum user or new to the world of blockchain, the Arbitrum Bridge provides a simple and secure way to take advantage of the benefits of Layer 2 scaling.

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What is Shibarium?

Introduction to Shibarium

Shibarium is a Layer 2 (L2) blockchain solution developed by the Shiba Inu project, a decentralized community inspired by the Ethereum blockchain. The development of Shibarium is part of the Shiba Inu project’s mission to create a decentralized ecosystem that includes its own blockchain, decentralized exchange (ShibaSwap), and various tokens (SHIB, LEASH, and BONE). As stated in the official Shiba Inu blog, Shibarium is “being built to fulfill Ryoshi’s vision” and is seen as a “transitional evolution of the Shiba Ecosystem”.

The Genesis of Shibarium

Shibarium was first introduced to the Shiba Inu community in a blog post on the official Shiba Inu blog on January 15, 2023. The post explained that Shibarium would be a Layer 2 solution, which means it operates on top of another blockchain—in this case, Ethereum—to enhance its capabilities. Layer 2 solutions, like Polygon (Matic), Arbitrum (ARB), Optimism (OP), and Starknet (STARK), are typically designed to solve issues related to scalability and high transaction fees, common problems on the Ethereum network.

Shibarium’s primary function is to serve as a platform for building decentralized applications (dApps) and integrating them into real-world businesses. It is designed to be low-cost and efficient, with a focus on burning SHIB tokens in the process to reduce the overall supply and potentially increase the token’s value.

Development and Progress

The development of Shibarium has been a community-driven effort, with updates and progress reports regularly posted on the Shiba Inu blog. On February 20, 2023, the Shiba Inu team provided a year-in-review update on Shibarium, detailing the progress made and the challenges faced. The team also shared their plans for the future, including the development of an intake system to support those interested in building on Shibarium.

In early 2023, the Shiba Inu team announced the start of the early beta test of the Shibarium network, also known as “PuppyNet.” This marked a significant milestone in the development of Shibarium, allowing developers and users to test the network’s capabilities and provide feedback for improvements. The beta test phase was a crucial step in the development of Shibarium.The beta test phase enabled the team to pinpoint and rectify any problems prior to the mainnet launch, guaranteeing a sturdy and dependable network. The community’s feedback during this period was of immense value, aiding the team in refining Shibarium to reach its maximum potential.

Shibarium’s Intake System

To foster a truly open and inclusive ecosystem, the Shiba Inu team developed an intake system for Shibarium. This system allows anyone interested in building on Shibarium to submit their project for review and support. The intake system is designed to help the Shiba Inu team find the best projects and link them with others who can assist or collaborate with them.

The intake system exemplifies the Shiba Inu project’s dedication to fostering community participation and promoting decentralization. It is a system designed to stimulate creativity and teamwork, enabling the most promising ideas to gain prominence and secure the necessary resources for success. This methodology aligns with the Shiba Inu project’s philosophy of being a community-led initiative, where each member has the opportunity to express their views and contribute to the expansion of the ecosystem.

Shibarium’s Beta Test

The early beta test of Shibarium, or “PuppyNet,” began on February 2, 2023. During this phase, developers and users were encouraged to test the network’s capabilities and provide feedback. The beta test was open to anyone, and the Shiba Inu team provided documentation for those interested in setting up a test node. The feedback from this beta test was instrumental in refining and improving Shibarium, ensuring that the platform would be robust and reliable for its users.

Shibarium and Shibacals

In addition to serving as a platform for dApps, Shibarium also plays a crucial role in the Shiba Inu ecosystem’s real-world applications. One such application is Shibacals, a system for authenticating physical collectibles using NFC chips. These chips can link to dynamic destinations, setting up a myriad of possibilities ideal for businesses. The NFC chips that authenticate these collectibles require Shibarium, demonstrating another use case for the blockchain.

Shibacals represents a significant step forward in bridging the gap between the digital and physical worlds. By using blockchain technology to authenticate physical collectibles, Shibacals is bringing the benefits of decentralization, transparency, and security to a new domain. This is just one example of the innovative applications that can be built on Shibarium, showcasing the platform’s versatility and potential.

Conclusion

Shibarium represents a significant step forward in the Shiba Inu project’s mission to create a comprehensive decentralized ecosystem. With its Layer 2 solution, Shibarium aims to provide a scalable, low-cost platform for building dApps and integrating them into real-world businesses. As the development of Shibarium continues, it is expected to play an increasingly important role in the Shiba Inu ecosystem

Reference

https://blog.shib.io/introduction-to-shibarium/

https://blog.shib.io/shibarium-the-invite/

https://blog.shib.io/shibarium-2022-year-in-review/

https://blog.shib.io/shibarium-intake/

https://blog.shib.io/shibarium-early-beta-test-is-live/

https://blog.shib.io/shibarium-zoomed-out-shibacals-andmore/

https://blog.shib.io/shibarium-the-foundational-blog/

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Polygon(Matic) to Slash zkEVM Transaction Fees by 20%

Polygon, the scalable Ethereum layer-2 solution, has announced its intent to optimize its zkEVM (Zero-Knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine) in the coming weeks. These enhancements are predicted to decrease transaction fees by around 20%, according to the company’s official Twitter account. Interestingly, these improvements will be achieved without the need for any data compression techniques.

Transaction fees within the Polygon zkEVM serve to cover the costs associated with data availability and posting proof to the Ethereum network. Each transaction that gets processed requires the publication of state data. Additionally, fees cover the operational costs of running the servers that generate the proofs. Currently, around 80% of a transaction fee is dedicated to data availability, a resource that is not currently being compressed.

In a roadmap soon to be released, Polygon will detail upcoming upgrades on data compression, as well as the Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) 4844. These developments are expected to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of transactions on the platform.

The company also shared advice on how users can optimize fees in the current ecosystem. One major suggestion is to time on-network transactions to periods when Ethereum is the cheapest, thus minimizing the L1 interaction cost. 

Interestingly, Polygon advises users to conduct transactions when network activity on zkEVM is high. This approach may seem counterintuitive, but due to the cost of proof generation being distributed across all transactions, fees on a rollup decrease as activity increases.

For users wishing to bridge assets from Ethereum, the fees can be notably high. However, alternatives do exist. Transak, for example, can transfer tokens directly to the layer-2 solution, bypassing Mainnet fees completely.

Moreover, users with assets on a different blockchain can utilize a third-party bridge instead of first bridging to the Mainnet. For PoS (Proof of Stake) to Polygon zkEVM, LayerSwap offers a solution. For other layer-2 solutions to Polygon zkEVM, users can consider options like Orbiter Finance and Multichain.

The forthcoming updates, along with the existing strategies for optimizing transaction fees, point towards Polygon’s ongoing commitment to enhancing user experience and making blockchain technology more accessible and cost-effective.

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Ethereum Layer 2s See Surge in Popularity in Q1 2023

Ethereum layer 2 networks, including Optimism, Arbitrum, and Polygon, saw a surge in popularity in Q1 2023, according to a report from Web3 development platform Alchemy. The report, titled “Web3 Development Report,” cites data from Dune Analytics and shows that Ethereum users bridged over $635,000 worth of crypto assets to these networks from January to March, a significant increase of 44% over the fourth quarter of 2022 and 518% over the first quarter of 2022.

The growth in bridged assets may have been driven by successful airdrops from Optimism and Arbitrum in Q1 2023, as suggested by the Alchemy report. Additionally, layer 2s saw greater activity from developers, with the deployment of smart contracts related to layer 2s increasing by 160% compared to Q1 2022, despite a 30% decrease from Q4 2022.

Layer 2s have been offered as a solution to Ethereum’s scalability problem, which has been causing high gas fees since as early as 2020. By enabling more transactions to be processed off the main Ethereum network, layer 2s can significantly reduce the fees required to interact with the blockchain. As a result, users are increasingly turning to these new scalability solutions.

This trend is reflected in the broader Ethereum ecosystem, with increased developer interest observed in Q1 2023. According to the Alchemy report, Ethereum software development kits (SDKs) such as Ethers.js, Web3.js, Hardhat, and Web3.py were downloaded 1.9 million times in the first quarter of 2023, an 8% increase from Q1 2022. Downloads of the MetaMask SDK, a tool used to develop apps that can interact with Ethereum wallet MetaMask, also increased in each month of the first quarter.

The crypto industry is coming off the back of a steep downturn in trading volume and crypto prices during 2022, with scandals like the UST depegging and FTX collapse causing many investors to shy away. However, despite this negative sentiment, users still flocked to these new scalability solutions.

While layer 2s have proven to be a useful tool for improving Ethereum’s scalability, some experts have argued that sharding the Ethereum network will also help to cut down on gas fees. Sharding involves breaking up the Ethereum network into smaller, more manageable pieces, allowing for more parallel processing of transactions. Ultimately, a combination of solutions will likely be necessary to address Ethereum’s scalability challenges and keep up with growing demand.

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DeFi Giants Launch on Ethereum Layer 2 zkSync Era

After four years in development, the Ethereum layer 2 scaling network, zkSync Era, has opened to users in alpha, enabling faster and cheaper transactions. Between 32 to 50 projects, including some of the biggest names in decentralized finance such as Uniswap, Sushi, Maker, and Curve, are set to go live on March 24 or over the weekend.

ZkSync Era is the first Ethereum Virtual Machine compatible zk-Rollup to launch on mainnet, allowing most Ethereum DApps to simply port over with very few changes. The network can provide scaling “orders of magnitude” greater than Ethereum’s current 10 to 12 transactions per second (TPS), offering “tens of TPS” initially and scaling up as demand requires.

The project launched its “fair onboarding alpha” on Feb. 17, allowing projects to port over and test out security and optimizations. Matter Labs, the team behind zkSync Era, said it spent $3.8 million on security testing, seven independent security audits, and a bug bounty program to reduce the risk of any incidents.

Zk-Rollups, which include zkSync, Scroll, and solutions from Polygon, StarkWare, and Consensys, compute transactions away from the Ethereum blockchain while providing a tiny cryptographic proof that is written as a single transaction back on Ethereum showing that a bundle of other transactions has been carried out correctly. ZkSync also employs recursion, which generates a proof showing a batch of other proofs (each representing many transactions) have been carried out.

Zk-Rollups can enable virtually instant withdrawals, giving them an advantage over optimistic-rollup layer 2s such as Optimism, where withdrawals take a week. However, zkSync Era will impose a 24-hour waiting period initially as a security precaution.

ZkSync Era has also enabled native account abstraction, meaning every account in the network is a “smart account” that can utilize two-factor authentication (2FA), social recovery, autopay transactions, and more via smart contract wallet providers like Argent.

The network will not be fully decentralized on launch, so the team can implement fast fixes for any security or technical issues. However, a time lock will later be implemented so that the Security Council and community can sign off on decisions. Like competitor StarkWare, zkSync relies on a centralized sequencer and prover, which are faster, but provide a centralized point of failure.

Running a prover requires the purchase of expensive hardware or renting cloud capacity at $10,000 a month, which makes decentralizing that aspect of the network tricker. A new proof system is already being developed that substantially reduces hardware requirements and should be available on mainnet this year.

Overall, zkSync Era represents an important step forward for Ethereum, which has been grappling with scaling issues for years. The network’s launch on mainnet has the potential to significantly reduce gas fees and enable faster and more efficient transactions, benefiting not only DeFi projects but also other Ethereum-based applications.

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Ethereum Layer 2 Startup Optimism Raises $150m in Series B Round

Ethereum scaling startup Optimism has secured a $150 million Series B round, co-led by Andreessen Horowitz and Paradigm.

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After this financing, the company was valued at $1.65 billion.

Since NFT and Defi products are closely linked to the Ethereum network, the Ethereum network has found transactions becomes slow and expensive for paying gas fees, pushing drive users to Layer 2 look for solutions like Optimism.

Layer 2 (L2) solutions are reported to have saved users of the Ethereum network more than $1 billion in gas fees. This “Total value locked” (TVL) on the L2 platform has exploded over the past year, with about $5.75 billion currently held on these blockchains, according to tracker L2Beat.

Optimism CEO Jinglan Wang said:

“We made a commitment to the public that we would not take profit from operating centralized parts of the system, so we wanted to remove the financial incentive for ourselves to remain centralized. While we are making revenue, we’re giving all of that revenue back toward funding public goods on Ethereum … We don’t just want to say that we want to be decentralized, we also want to show the community that we’re setting up our own incentives to be compatible with that.”

As reported by blockchain.News on September 1, Ethereum Layer-2 Off-chain Labs raised $120 million led by Lightspeed Venture Partners in its Series B financing, aiming to expand Ethereum contracts to meet the growing demand for Ethereum transactions.

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FTX Has Integrated Arbitrum. As for Coinbase? Pet Coins

Key Takeaways

  • FTX has added support for the Ethereum Layer 2 solution Arbitrum.
  • The exchange will let users make direct deposits to Ethereum’s Layer 2 without having to bridge assets from mainnet.
  • While Binance and FTX have shown their interest in supporting Layer 2, crypto enthusiasts have slammed Coinbase for showing more interest in pet coins.




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FTX has announced support for Arbitrum withdrawals and deposits. Meanwhile, Coinbase has faced criticism for focusing on small cap coin listings instead of Layer 2 integration. 

FTX Launches Arbitrum Support

Another exchange has added support for Arbitrum.

FTX, the third-largest crypto exchange by volume, announced onboarding support for Arbitrum Tuesday, following on the heels of Binance to adopt Layer 2 Ethereum.



FTX users will now have the option to withdraw ETH purchased on the exchange directly to their Arbitrum mainnet wallets. Previously, users needed to send funds to Ethereum mainnet before bridging them over to Arbitrum, a process that forces users to pay Ethereum’s high gas fees. Likewise, FTX users wishing to send ETH back to the exchange from Arbitrum can now deposit funds directly into their FTX exchange wallets. 

Arbitrum is an Ethereum Layer 2 network that leverages Optimistic Rollups. The network benefits from the security of Ethereum mainnet while reducing gas costs by bundling transactions and posting them to the base chain calldata. For complex transactions like swapping ERC-20 tokens, Arbitrum can currently reduce gas fees by a factor of up to 10. 

According to data from L2Beat, Arbitrum currently holds around $3.4 billion in total value locked, and many of Ethereum mainnet’s most popular DeFi protocols have built on it to make the jump to Layer 2. While fees to use Arbitrum come in at a fraction of those for processing transactions on Ethereum, the high gas cost associated with bridging funds onto the network has acted as a barrier to adoption. However, as centralized exchanges like FTX and Binance build easier, lower-cost onboarding for Arbitrum, it’s likely that more users will be incentivized to use the network. 


While the likes of Binance and FTX have moved fast to add Ethereum Layer 2 support, not all exchanges are following their example. Coinbase, the biggest U.S. exchange, has lagged behind its competitors in adopting Layer 2 in recent months. Prominent crypto community members have widely criticized Coinbase for listing illiquid, small-cap tokens instead of working on native withdrawals for assets such as Fantom and Arbitrum onboarding. 

In response to Coinbase’s latest listing of the pet digital identity token Pawtocol, The Daily Gwei founder Anthony Sassano tweeted out his disappointment in the exchange, stating, “I like Coinbase but their priorities are out of whack on this.” Sassano was joined in the comments by followers who expressed similar views, stating that Coinbase had first announced its intention to launch support for Arbitrum over five months prior but hasn’t updated customers since then. Coinbase has also been slow to unveil its NFT marketplace; Coinbase NFT was due to go live with support for Ethereum NFTs before the end of 2021 but is still yet to launch. 

As Ethereum scaling solutions like Arbitrum gain momentum, exchanges that don’t support onboarding for their customers are at risk of being left behind. On the back of FTX’s Arbitrum announcement, many are already calling for other Layer 2 solutions such as Optimism to receive support next, highlighting public demand for Ethereum Layer 2 onboarding. 

Disclosure: At the time of writing this feature, the author owned FTT, ETH, and several other cryptocurrencies. 



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GameStop Partners with Immutable X on NFT Initiative

Key Takeaways

  • GameStop has partnered with Immutable X to further develop its NFT marketplace.
  • Immutable and GameStop will create $100 million fund dedicated to support game developers.
  • GameStop is among several traditional video game companies exploring NFTs.




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Immutable has announced a new partnership with GameStop to power its NFT marketplace.

GameStop Leveraging Layer 2 Technology

Immutable has partnered with GameStop to develop its NFT marketplace.

Immutable is the developer of Immutable X, a Layer-2 protocol for NFTs on Ethereum that allows for faster, less computationally-intense transactions at zero gas costs. It is also the creator of well-known blockchain games such as Gods Unchained and Guild of Guardians.



Immutable X is built using StarkWare’s StarkEx zero-knowledge proof technology, which is capable of rolling up hundreds of thousands of transactions into a single Ethereum transaction.

The news comes not long after GameStop first announced its foray into the NFT world, confirming their plan to build a hub for trading in-game items such as avatars, outfits, and weapons. Immutable X will have a role in powering the development of GameStop’s NFT marketplace.

The team’s plan includes launching a token pool to support developers building gaming apps and creators making content in the GameStop NFT marketplace.


In an apparent attempt to outsource developer talent, GameStop is allowing NFT content creators to apply for grant consideration via a link published via its NFT website.

In recent weeks, some of the industry’s biggest publicly traded video game companies have launched or announced plans to sell NFTs, including Ubisoft Entertainment, Zynga Inc. and Square Enix Holdings.

The global video games market has been reported to have reached $138 billion during 2021 and GameStop’s valuation is close to $10 billion at the time of reporting.

Disclosure: At the time of writing, the author of this piece owned ETH and other cryptocurrencies.



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