editorial
Ethereum Scaling Wars: Comparing Layer 2 Solutions
A
Alex Rivera
January 10, 2025
An in-depth comparison of major Ethereum Layer 2 scaling solutions including Arbitrum, Optimism, zkSync, and StarkNet.
Ethereum Layer 2 scaling solutions have exploded in adoption over the past year, offering dramatically lower fees while inheriting Ethereum security. With multiple competing approaches, users and developers face choices about which L2s to use.
The two main categories are Optimistic Rollups and ZK-Rollups. Optimistic Rollups (Arbitrum, Optimism) assume transactions are valid by default with a challenge period. ZK-Rollups (zkSync, StarkNet) use zero-knowledge cryptographic proofs for validity.
Arbitrum leads in TVL (Total Value Locked) and has the most comprehensive DeFi ecosystem. Its EVM compatibility means Ethereum dApps can deploy with minimal changes. The Stylus upgrade will add support for non-EVM languages like Rust.
Optimism pioneered the OP Stack, a modular framework for building L2s. The Superchain vision connects multiple OP Stack chains with shared bridging and messaging. Base (Coinbase) and other chains have adopted OP Stack.
zkSync 2.0 offers zkEVM compatibility, allowing existing Ethereum dApps to deploy while benefiting from ZK proofs. The native account abstraction improves user experience with features like gas sponsorship and social recovery.
StarkNet uses a different ZK approach with Cairo programming language rather than EVM compatibility. This allows for optimizations but requires developers to learn new tools. Performance is excellent with high throughput.
The L2 landscape continues evolving rapidly:
- Data availability improvements with EIP-4844 (proto-danksharding)
- Shared sequencing to prevent MEV across L2s
- Interoperability protocols for seamless bridging
- Decentralization of sequencers and provers
Users benefit from competition between L2s driving lower fees and better UX. Developers can choose the solution best fitting their needs. The multi-L2 future appears certain as different approaches serve different use cases.
The ultimate goal remains scaling Ethereum to billions of users. Layer 2 solutions provide the bridge from today experimental phase to tomorrow mainstream adoption of decentralized applications.
The two main categories are Optimistic Rollups and ZK-Rollups. Optimistic Rollups (Arbitrum, Optimism) assume transactions are valid by default with a challenge period. ZK-Rollups (zkSync, StarkNet) use zero-knowledge cryptographic proofs for validity.
Arbitrum leads in TVL (Total Value Locked) and has the most comprehensive DeFi ecosystem. Its EVM compatibility means Ethereum dApps can deploy with minimal changes. The Stylus upgrade will add support for non-EVM languages like Rust.
Optimism pioneered the OP Stack, a modular framework for building L2s. The Superchain vision connects multiple OP Stack chains with shared bridging and messaging. Base (Coinbase) and other chains have adopted OP Stack.
zkSync 2.0 offers zkEVM compatibility, allowing existing Ethereum dApps to deploy while benefiting from ZK proofs. The native account abstraction improves user experience with features like gas sponsorship and social recovery.
StarkNet uses a different ZK approach with Cairo programming language rather than EVM compatibility. This allows for optimizations but requires developers to learn new tools. Performance is excellent with high throughput.
The L2 landscape continues evolving rapidly:
- Data availability improvements with EIP-4844 (proto-danksharding)
- Shared sequencing to prevent MEV across L2s
- Interoperability protocols for seamless bridging
- Decentralization of sequencers and provers
Users benefit from competition between L2s driving lower fees and better UX. Developers can choose the solution best fitting their needs. The multi-L2 future appears certain as different approaches serve different use cases.
The ultimate goal remains scaling Ethereum to billions of users. Layer 2 solutions provide the bridge from today experimental phase to tomorrow mainstream adoption of decentralized applications.