Gnosis Founder Advocates for Development of Native Layer-2s on Ethereum
Devcon Bangkok features discussions on Ethereum's future, with a keynote by Martin Koeppelmann from Gnosis. He proposed that Ethereum should develop its own zk-proven rollups instead of relying on existing layer-2 rollups.
Koeppelmann criticized current rollups like Base, suggesting they divert users to corporate-controlled platforms rather than Ethereum itself. He expressed concerns over potential shareholder-driven decisions that could conflict with Ethereum's ethos.
A significant point of critique was the assertion that rollups “inherit Ethereum’s security.” Koeppelmann argued that, in practice, none of them do, highlighting vulnerabilities such as central sequencers' ability to censor withdrawals or manipulate states in DeFi platforms like Aave. He noted that most assets on rollups are native to those chains and not protected by Ethereum’s security guarantees.
What would native L2s look like?
Koeppelmann envisioned 128 interoperable native L2s built to Ethereum's high standards, aiming for a “100x increase in effective block space” over two years. These rollups would ensure strong composability with Ethereum while enhancing scalability, cost efficiency, and user adoption.
He proposed integrating these rollups into Ethereum’s economic framework to incentivize security and alignment with Ethereum's values. Developers would have the option to build directly “on Ethereum,” choosing rollups based on their dapp requirements.
Koeppelmann emphasized the need for distinct namespaces to prevent address collisions across L2s, thereby improving cross-chain clarity. He urged the Ethereum community to act decisively, warning that without native L2s, Ethereum’s relevance could decline, reducing the connection between rollups and Ethereum to mere rhetoric.
Embracing native rollups could position Ethereum as a vital economic zone globally. Koeppelmann called on the community to rethink scalability and governance while adhering to decentralized principles.