The Ethereum ecosystem is undergoing a dramatic transition. After many years of considering itself an integral part of the main network, Layer 2 solutions are collectively changing the way they brand themselves. That’s how it is; Vitalik Buterin’s recent statement about Layer 1 (L1) gradually scaling better has forced L2s to "become self-sufficient" and assert their own identity.
From "assistant" to independent stars
In the past, slogans like "Arbitrum is Ethereum" or "Base is Ethereum" became too familiar. However, as Ethereum's technology advances, making transactions on L1 faster and cheaper, the only reason for L2's existence, which is "scalability", starts to waver. #Colecolen
That's the story, instead of seeing this as a threat, the leaders of major projects view it as an opportunity to "mature". Steven Goldfeder (Offchain Labs) candidly changed his tone: "Arbitrum is not Ethereum". This marks the end of the L2 era hiding under the main network and opens the era of independent service platforms, where Ethereum only serves as a secure payment standard.
The real challenge: Building value beyond "cheap fees"
Networks like Base (Coinbase) are holding over 4 billion USD in total value locked (TVL), while Arbitrum holds over 2 billion USD. These are huge numbers, but they cannot sustain themselves if they only rely on the advantage of low gas fees. Jesse Pollak, head of Base, asserts that in the future, L2s must offer more than that.
That's the story, projects will have to compete on reliability, consistency, and the ability to solve real-world problems. Polygon is a prime example as it is making a strong pivot towards the payment sector. The leadership at Optimism has even likened L2s to the "individual websites" of each company – where each party can customize the infrastructure according to their specific needs. $ETH
