Weekly Rollup #58
Celestia Blobstream | DP & Data Storage w/ Rollchains | EigenLayer Testnet & Dual Quorum | DYM Issuance + New RollApps | Degen Chain’s + L3s | Anime Chain | Modular March | Week ending March 22nd
👋 Welcome to Modular Media! We cover news, updates, educational content, and more within the modular blockchain ecosystem.
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This week’s issue covers:
Celestia Blobstream is live
Data Publication & Data Storage with Rollchains
EigenLayer Holesky Testnet & Dual Quorum
Dymension Updates: DYM Issuance + New RollApps
Degen Chain’s Early Success + L3s
Anime Chain: A Home for Weebs on Arbitrum
Modular March
More News & Announcements
More Education & Discourse
Before we begin however, we want to thank Fluent for being the title sponsor for Modular March! Fluent is a zkWasm-based Ethereum that is aiming to onboard the 20M developers across the world into web3. They’re live on private testnet today.
📣 News & Announcements
Celestia Blobstream is live
Celestia announced that Blobstream is now live on mainnet, meaning Ethereum rollups will now be able to leverage the data publication solution. While integrations will begin solely with Base L3s, we can expect Blobstream to hit other ecosystems in the near future - in fact, it looks like as we’re now getting ready to post this issue, Celestia has announced a Blobstream integration with Arbitrum as well.
“Blobstream is a one-way data attestation bridge enabling Ethereum L2s and L3s to use Celestia as modular DA”.
In other words, a zk-proof is generated (using Succinct Labs, which was the team that built Blobstream) that proves to the rollup that its data was in fact, published on Celestia. More specifically, this is a ZKP of (Celestia) validator signatures attesting to the validity of data being published on the DP network. & through data Availability Sampling (DAS), anyone will be able to run a light client to make sure validators really did post this data.
According to the team, developers can start integrating Blobstream across different rollup frameworks, meaning we should be expecting OP Stack, Orbit, CDK, and other similar integrations soon - like Bitcoin L2s, which it looks like Mustafa will be speaking more about in May.
You can learn more about Blobstream by checking out this short deep dive we wrote.
Data Publication & Data Storage with Rollchains
The Rollchains team announced that any team that integrates the SDK module will not only have their block data posted to Celestia, but also “permanently archived through KYVE to ensure a full, trustless backup”. & as a reminder, a Rollchain is essentially just a Cosmos appchain that utilizes Celestia for DP.
So as we’ve talked about before, data publication (availability) is completely different than data publication.
TLDR: most DP layers discard their data after 2 weeks, which is where projects like Kyve come in to fill in the gap. & now, you get this bundled experience with Rollchains, where right out of the box you get access to Kyve data storage. As a builder, this removes the hassle of finding your own data storage provider. I wouldn’t be surprised to see RaaS offer something like this, as an added service, as well.
As mentioned in the thread, data storage helps:
validators & nodes sync with the network
historical data can be used to build and enhance features across explorers, and more.
EigenLayer Holesky Testnet & Dual Quorum
Two exciting new updates for the EigenLayer community:
The EigenLayer & EigenDA Holesky testnet is live
The introduction of the new EigenDA feature, “Dual Quorum”
In short, Dual Quorum allows for EigenLayer operators to use different tokens, aside from just staked ETH, to secure AVSs such as EigenDA.
So for example, with this Holesky testnet, users can restake either staked ETH, or now, wETH - & in the future, EL will look to add support for other tokens as well. This means EigenDA and other AVSs will be secured by more than 1 type of token, and benefits of this include:
mitigating volatility risks: You have other tokens to act as a cushion for security, in case ETH or some other token drops in price
expanding security & decentralization: by opening up the staking options, more users can participate in staking.
You can learn all about Dual Quorum here.
Dymension Updates: DYM Issuance + New RollApps
It was quite an eventful week for the Dymension community.
New Reduced Issuance Proposal
From March 25th to March 30th, DYM holders voted to reduce the issuance of DYM tokens.
maximum inflation reduced from 10% to 8%
increasing minimum inflation from 1% to 2%
reduced the goal of DYM bonded (staking rate essentially) from 66% to 50%
Discussions for this proposal first began in February, here.
Introducing Rivalz
One new RollApp we saw unveiled last week was Rivalz, which is building an AI DePIN RollApp.
Rivalz is aiming to build a AI-app ecosystem.
Rivalz is an EVM chain with Celestia undeerneath
Introducing Nebula FI
Nebula Finance is building a liquid staking RollApp on Dymension, which will potentially further incentivize users to stake their DYM.
stake your DYM on Nebula app and receive a corresponding amount of nDYM in return
DYM liquid staking enables:
users to earn the benefits of staking (DYM staking rewards) without having to lock your tokens
the bootstrapping of an ecosystem of defi apps on Dymension
by holding nDYM, you “accrue points”, which will most likely be redeemable for the platform’s native token, NBL
Degen Chain’s Early Success + L3s
If you were logged into CT this past week, then you’ve probably seen a bunch of talk about Degen Chain - so wtf is this?
Degen Chain is a Base L3 chain built with Arbitrum Orbit, which right off the bat is super interesting, as this is an Arbitrum-based chain, deployed on top of an Optimism chain 🤯
& as you can see here below, Degen Chain has had quite a successful launch.
& this hasn’t slowed down - these numbers are as of April 1st:
One of the reasons this was such a successful launch, was because of the fact that it was built around an existing community of meme token holders. Now obviously attracting all these users means nothing if you can’t keep them, but as we’ve seen multiple (multiple) times already, the meme community is a mighty one. Build some cool apps on top and you have a chance - continue as just a meme, and well, probably suffer the same fate as 99.999% of others, and suffer a slow decline.
That said, it does look like Degen Chain is at least working on some stuff:
Nonetheless, this launch has sparked a lot of chatter and debate across CT! From simple questions like “wtf is an L3”, to spicy debate regarding whether or not we even need L3s.
Jared Watts, from Polygon provides a very useful overview of the general debate around the pros & cons.
On one side you have the benefits of:
cheaper fees for users
cheaper onboarding
better interop within your respective ecosystem. (Base L3s have seamless interop with the Base L2, but not so much with Polygon or other ecosystems.
but on the other side:
How can we move on to L3s when L2s aren’t even sufficiently decentralized yet
L3s introduce even more fragmentation issues
&, even as Polygon themselves see it, the idea that L2s are just a way to expand their own revenue share (s/o Jon for the image below)
Regardless, we’re going to see more and more teams across different ecosystems experiment with this stuff. In fact, a team like StarkWare already has L4s on their roadmap, so you can bet Starknet L3s are on their way, probably this year.
I think Dino provides a really good framework we can use for L3s - “verifiable apps”.
Or:
However, this is definitely a topic that needs further exploration, which is why I enjoyed this tweet from DCInvestor:
What do you guys think though? Let us know in the comments!
Anime Chain: A Home for Weebs on Arbitrum
It looks like Arbitrum will be a home for weebs, as AnimeCoin announces that they’ll be building their own Arbitrum Orbit based rollup, to home an ecosystem of anime apps, games, and experiences.
Their first launch partner will be Azuki, which will be building its ecosystem of “anime productions, games, and physical products on AnimeChain, providing a blueprint for other top-tier anime IP to be built onchain”.
More News & Announcements
Modular Cloud is now in private beta
Ritual announces they’ll be building a decentralized AI chain on top of Celestia.
OpenLayer to leverage AvailDA for their own rollup.
Stackr announces BlobDaddy, an open-source lightweight DA aggregator (TLDR: Devs can choose their preferred DP solution when building their own Micro Rollup using Stackr’s SDK).
Ternoa team announces that they’ll be building their Polygn CDK chain, as a validium n Avail. Ternoa is focused on building privacy-enabled solutions.
Introducing Edgeless network, a gas-free Arbitrum Orbit chain utilizing Eigen:Layer restaked security.
Babylon’s BTC staking dashboard (for their testnet) is live.
AltLayer enables ALT staking: MACH, their fast finality layer, will be the first architecture component users can stake their ALT tokens with.
Kinto reaches $10M in TVL. As a reminder, Kinto is building a defi hub using Caldera.
Caldera chains now have access to price feeds enabled by Pyth Network
Metal L2 joins the Optimism Superchain, following their deployment using Conduit.
Conduit enables Custom Domains: “All mainnets and testnets can customize URLs for their block explorer and RPC endpoints”.
Snapchain (RaaS) launches PanGu testnet, a public goods chain built with Polygon CDK.
Looks like MilkyWay’s milkTIA (TIA LST) will be available on Astria.
Join Madara’s Discord server.
Gevulot testnet is live, and it looks like they already have several big name partners lined up, including Polygon, Aztec, and others.
Citrea open sources their final tech component, their core codebase built with Sovereign SDK.
Echelon Market coming to Movment’s ecosystem: “Unlike most lending protocols, Glen and co are building a cutting-edge messaging aggregator designed for cross-chain money markets. With native integrations with Thala Labs off the bat, Echelon will be a premier lending platform for Move-EVM users.”
Here’s Lumio’s weekly recap of everything you missed, including some technical enhancements, Monetm Wallet side features, such as EVM compatibility, xLumio distribution to new communities, and more.
Here’s everything you missed across the Optimism Superchain this past week including several interesting demo day discussions, and new Optimsim Retro Fund details.
Arbitrum’s Security Council election has concluded. 22 people have been voted on to serve as nominees for the Member Election Phase, and will not be thoroughly accessed by the Foundation. Those who pass this background check will move forward as nominees for election which will begin on April 12th.
Arbitrum Foundation grants program moves to stage 3.
Play AI announces their own gaming chain, which will be built with Polygon’s CDK.
Here’s everything you missed from Fuel this past week, including the addition of onchain randomness, new Thunder NFT marketplace features, along with new Fuelet Wallet features
Here’s everything you missed from Scroll this past week including the reveal of the new technical features that will be implemented with the next Scroll update (support for EIP-4844), added support for Lido’s wstETH taken on the L2 network, plus their proposal to add Compound’s cUSDCv3 token support passes.
Manta Renew Paradigm v2 is live.
Here’s everything you missed from the Mantle ecosystem this past week, including ecosystem updates such as free bridging to Mantle through Owito Finance now, Athena Labs shard rewards by locking MNT, and the Introduction of the Mantle rewards station.
Ethenal Labs announces their ENA token.
Events 📆
Join Citrea, Celestia, & Hyperlane in Dubay on April 17th, for a “Bitcoin Goes Mdular” focused event.
Modular Hong Kong, April 7th, with Celestia, Manta, Polychain, & Movement
AltLayer’s Restaked Rollups day on April 8th in Hong Kong
Radius shares its list of speakers for Modular Harmony.
📚 Discourse & Education
Modular March
Some highlights from another great week of Modular March ✅
Our good friends and partners The Rollup hosted some insightful conversations:
Josh Bowen from Astria to talk all about Shared Sequencing
"Infinite Games for the Modular Future" with Sreeram from EL and others
Ellie Davidson from Espresso to talk their approach to shared sequencing
Our good friend Zero posted two great new papers. For those not subscribed to Modular Media yet, here’s what you missed:
Data Publication: The Bottleneck of Rollup-based Scaling
Virtual Machines: The EVM and Beyond
& although the month has just ended, we still have plenty of Modular March content lined up for the next couple of days!
More Discourse & Education
✍️ @hosseeb deep dives into the three different approaches to decentralized AI inference 🔥
🎙️ Celestia discusses chain abstraction and how it can help L2 fragmentation with Ilia from NEAR, Zaki from Sommelier, Stephane from Frontier Research and Kendall from Proximity
✍️ @mikeneuder explains his evolving thoughts on Ethereum issuance 🧠
✍️ Figment explains what stakers need to know about in anticipation of EigenDA’s launch 💎
💬 @keoneHD explains execution bottlenecks and gas limits, both for L1 and L2 🔥
✍️ @VitalikButerin explores whether validators in the same cluster are more likely than unrelated validators to miss attestations at the same time 🧠
✍️ @VitalikButerin explores where Ethereum goes now that they have blobs
✍️ Cubist explains slashing risks you need to think about when restaking 💎
✍️ @ljin18 explores memecoins as a new GTM strategy
🎙️ EigenLayer discusses decentralized AI with Ritual
💬 @privacy_prophet explains how erasure coding works and how Avail uses it
🛠️ @Nogoodtwts explores building a Proof of Reserves AVS
✍️ @cooper_kunz explores proving marketplaces on the Aztec forum
✍️ Four Pillars breaks down the potential security risks of modular blockchains, including analyses of Eclipse, Espresso and Dymension
🎙️ Layer1 Foundation discusses ZK rollups on Bitcoin with Alexei from Build on Bitcoin, Ian from Espresso and more
🎙️ Bankless discusses all things Blast and Blur, and pioneering points with Pacman
💬 Avail unpacks what makes them unique compared to other DA solutions
🎙️ Cartesi discusses
💬 @0xAsk summarizes the recent Uncommon Core 2.0 episode on Ethereum’s staking endgame
🎙️ Polygon discusses the state of web3 gaming with members of their ecosystem
That's all for this week! Thanks for reading 🧱🎬
& thank you to all of our Modular March sponsors!
