Are Layer 2s Failing Ethereum? A New Proposal Advocates for Native L2s - Ep. 736
Ethereum’s scalability challenges are no secret, but are current layer 2 solutions living up to their promise? Martin Köppelmann argues they fall short in inheriting Ethereum’s core strengths.
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Show Notes
Martin Köppelmann, co-founder of Gnosis, has proposed that Ethereum should have native rollups—a vision aimed at addressing scalability and decentralization.
Köppelmann critiques the current state of layer 2 solutions, highlighting their limitations in fully inheriting Ethereum’s security and composability.
He proposes a bold alternative: 128 Ethereum-native rollups designed to expand block space, strengthen alignment with Ethereum’s core principles, and ensure long-term viability for developers and users.
Plus, Martin tackles the controversies: Are L2s parasitic? Could native rollups spell the end for existing solutions? And why should they rely on zero-knowledge proofs instead of Optimism?
Show highlights:
- Whether the Ethereum scaling roadmap is accomplishing its goals
- Why based rollups are not a full solution, according to Martin
- What Martin proposes instead
- Why Martin is proposing these rollups to be ZK-rollups instead of optimistic
- Whether the proposed solution would focus on privacy
- What it is about chain abstraction that Martin doesn’t like
- How he envisions that these native rollups will solve many composability issues across L2s
- Whether the community has embraced this proposal and how likely it is to be implemented
- What would happen to current L2s if native rollups get implemented
- Why despite being against the current state of L2s, Martin says that they are not parasitic to Ethereum
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Guest:
- Martin Köppelmann, Co-founder and CEO of Gnosis
Links
- Previous coverage of Unchained on Ethereum layer 2s:
- ETH Is Down Bad, While Layer 2s Are Ripping. Are L2s Parasitic to Ethereum?
- Are L2s ‘Parasitic’? Analysis Shows Ethereum Only Gets a Tiny Percentage of Fees
- Are Solana’s ‘Network Extensions’ Just Like Ethereum’s Layer 2s But by a Different Name?
- Ethereum Has Had a Banner Year in Most Areas. Except Price.
- Should Ethereum Layer 2s Urgently Decentralize Their Sequencers?
- Blockworks: Gnosis founder argues Ethereum needs native L2s
- Martin’s tweet on USDC yields
Timestamps:
- 00:00 Intro
- 01:47 Is Ethereum’s scaling roadmap meeting its goals?
- 04:07 Why Martin believes based rollups aren’t the full solution
- 08:11 Martin’s bold proposal for native rollups
- 12:07 Why ZK-rollups over optimistic rollups
- 15:56 Whether these rollups should also preserve privacy
- 17:11 Martin’s issue with chain abstraction
- 22:35 How native rollups could solve L2 composability problems
- 26:49 Has the community embraced Martin’s vision?
- 30:52 What happens to existing L2s if native rollups win
- 36:06 Whether Martin thinks L2s are parasitic to Ethereum
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