BNB Chain’s Layer 2 Network opBNB Goes Live

BNB Chain developers today said the opBNB network, a layer 2 based on OP Stack, is going live after months of testing in which no major bugs were encountered, CoinDesk learned.

A layer 2 refers to any off-chain network, system, or technology built on top of a base, or layer 1, blockchain. The OP Stack is the set of software that powers Optimism, an Ethereum layer 2 blockchain, that can be used by developers to create their own networks.

Developers said they tested more than 35 million transactions and deployed some 150 applications on opBNB during the testing phase. The blockchain processed a maximum of 4,000 transactions per second (TPS) in that period – a significantly bigger number than Ethereum’s current 17 TPS.

“Scalability and security are the top priorities of opBNB,” said Arno Bauer, Senior Architect at BNB Chain, in a message to CoinDesk. “Before opening the mainnet to the public, stringent criteria had to be met. This included High Availability (HA), 4K Transactions Per Second (TPS), rigorous stress testing, reduced gas costs under 0.2 gwei, fast finality under 1 second, and enhanced security with multiple external audits.”

OpBNB joins the increasingly competitive and crowded ranks of over 50 other blockchains.

Projects can integrate with opBNB through BNB Chain’s extensive developer tutorial and dedicated technical support. To kickstart network activity, BNB Chain said it would soon roll out airdrop incentives alongside fifteen ecosystem projects to attract initial users and funds to the upstart network.