Optimism


Markets

Layer 2 Blockchains Become Cheaper After Ethereum's Dencun Upgrade

The upgrade allows layer 2 solutions to store data in "blobs" instead of the expensive call data.

(Allef Vinicius/Unsplash)

Tech

Debating Dencun: Will Ethereum's Big Update Help or Harm the Network?

While Ethereum's rollup-centric roadmap could help the ecosystem reach new levels of scale, some developers think relying on third parties to improve access to Ethereum could backfire.

Ethereum Foundation's Tim Beiko joined The Protocol podcast to discuss the implications of the Dencun upgrade. (CoinDesk, modified using PhotoMosh)

Tech

Ethereum Finalizes 'Dencun' Upgrade, in Landmark Move to Reduce Data Fees

A key element of the upgrade is to enable a new place for storing data on Ethereum – referred to as "proto-danksharding," which gives room for a dedicated space on the blockchain that is separate from regular transactions, and comes at a lower cost.

Screenshot from Nethermind's Dencun watch party (Nethermind/YouTube)

Finance

Optimism Sells $89M OP Tokens in Private Transaction

The tokens were sold to an undisclosed buyer and will be vested for two years.

(engin akyurt/Unsplash)

Markets

Why Polygon's MATIC Token Has Lagged During Past Year's Crypto Rally

MATIC was overvalued at the start of the ongoing crypto bull run, one observer said.

Polygon co-founders Sandeep Nailwal, Jordi Baylina and Antoni Martin (Polygon)

Opinion

Blast From the Future: Can You Plagiarize Something Meant to Be Copied?

Devs for the Blast L2 are accused of stealing open-source code that’s available to all. Is that cheating, or a sincere form of flattery?

Explosion (Luke Jernejcic/Unsplash)

Tech

As Blockchains Push Toward Decentralization, These People Serve as Ultimate Guardians

The goal of these "protocol councils,” sometimes called “security councils,” is to nudge these nascent networks toward increasing decentralization, by gradually removing them from under the control of their original developers. How are they different from boards of directors?

Decentralized finance activity is starting to pick up. (Alina Grubnyak/Unsplash)

Tech

Celo, Shopping for Blockchain Partner, Turns to the Delicate Issue of Money

A standalone blockchain, Celo is looking to migrate to become a layer-2 network atop Ethereum. The months-long selection process has started to look like "The Bachelorette," with teams behind the Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon and zkSync networks all vying to win the technology mandate.

Like the suitors courting Penelope in the Odyssey, Ethereum's biggest layer-2 teams are vying to win over the Celo blockchain. (John William Waterhouse, via Wikipedia.)

Consensus Magazine

Karl Floersch's 'Optimism' Tech Paved the Way for Coinbase's 'Base' Blockchain

The CEO of OP Labs helped create a set of tools that let developers build their own layer-2 chains.

Karl Floersch (Portrait by Mason Webb for CoinDesk)

Tech

Celo Developer Proposes Mid-January Timeline for Evaluating Closely Watched Layer-2 Move

With hot competition between layer-2 technology providers like Optimism, Polygon and Matter Labs, Celo's choice is being closely watched by the blockchain industry.

A Celo-sponsored claw machine where attendees could win merchandise items. (Lyllah Ledesma/CoinDesk)