Layer 2 News: Major Updates and Breakthroughs You Should Know

Introduction

Layer 2 (L2) has long been heralded as the scaling panacea for Ethereum, but suddenly, things are shaking up—and for good reason. Technical leaps on the Ethereum mainnet are reshaping the role of L2, even as these off-chain systems chase new purpose and relevance. If you blinked, you likely missed some seismic shifts—let’s unpack what’s happening, why it matters, and how L2s are reinventing themselves in this new era.

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The Ethereum Mainnet Muscle-Up

L1 Scaling Power Surges

Ethereum is flexing serious muscle these days. The Glamsterdam upgrade is projected to triple the gas limit—from 60 million to 200 million—unlocking a potential 10,000 transactions per second (TPS) directly on Layer 1 . That’s complemented by features like EIP‑4444 and proto‑Danksharding lowering data storage burdens and transaction costs by an estimated 90%, setting the stage for future throughput that could exceed 100,000 TPS .

Users and Fees Are Migrating Back

As L1 becomes faster and cheaper, user behavior is shifting. Active addresses on Ethereum’s mainnet rose from about 7 million to 15 million, while L2 usage has nearly halved—for example, from roughly 58 million to 30 million monthly users . Meanwhile, transaction fees have plummeted; in one instance, average gas fees dropped over 99% from a peak of more than $50 during the 2021 DeFi peak to just around 44 cents in early 2026 .

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Vitalik Buterin’s Wake-Up Call

The Rollup-Centric Vision Needs Rethinking

On February 3, 2026, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin delivered a paradigm shift: the idea that L2 rollups are “branded shards” of Ethereum no longer makes sense now that L1 itself has scaled significantly . He stressed that L2s relying on multisig bridges and centralized sequencers fail the test of true decentralization, and that “If you create an EVM that can process 10,000 transactions per second, but its connection to L1 is achieved through a multisig bridge, then you are not scaling Ethereum” .

The Market Reflects Uncertainty

This shift isn’t theoretical—it’s financial. L2 tokens dropped between 15% and 30% in January 2026, reflecting investor unease as Ethereum’s mainnet storms ahead .

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Layer 2 Projects Respond and Reinvent

Specialization Beats Generic Scaling

L2 teams are quick to pivot. Instead of chasing raw throughput, many are embracing specialization:

• Optimism: Co-founder Karl Floersch acknowledges delays around decentralization—withdrawal challenges, fragmented tooling, slow trustless proofs—and sees them as catalysts to build more modular, flexible systems .
• Arbitrum: Steven Goldfeder argues throughput is still vital—it’s handled peak loads above 1,000 TPS, and an Ethereum environment hostile to rollups could push big players to build their own Layer 1s .
• Base: Under Jesse Pollak, Base is focusing on account abstraction, privacy, and mainstream consumer apps—stepping beyond simply cheap and fast .
• StarkWare (Starknet): Already matching Buterin’s ideals, Starknet supports ZK-native rollups with high-performance ZK-EVM precompiles that mainstream L1 can’t match .

Technical Roads to Trust and Security

• Starknet achieved “Stage 1” decentralization—defined by Buterin—and stands as the largest ZK-rollup by Total Value Locked (TVL), though Stage 2 (fully trustless governance) remains the ultimate goal .
• Consolidable projects like Linea, zkSync Era, and Taiko are pushing technical boundaries: Linea targets sharded ZK-rollup designs scaling toward 100,000 TPS; zkSync Era is optimizing batch proofs and extending its throughput roadmap to micro-fee levels; and Taiko emphasizes sequencing via L1 for full decentralization and Ethereum equivalence .

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Why It Matters: Industry Implications

Ecosystem-wide adaptation now hinges on L2s’ ability to evolve strategically rather than compete with Ethereum’s core capacity. Buterin highlights that native rollup precompiles—built into the base protocol and verified by Ethereum validators—might become the new way forward .

Meanwhile, improving interoperability remains crucial, with initiatives like the Ethereum Interoperability Layer (EIL) aiming to make all L2s feel like one coherent Ethereum experience .

On the technical frontier, academic and industry research adds fertile innovation:

• CrowdProve suggests decentralized community-based proving for ZK rollups can match centralized performance using commodity hardware .
• New schemes for data availability, like “proof of download” and “proof of storage,” protect historical data and curb collusion .
• Even sequencer security can be reinforced—proposals for decentrally attested TEEs promise stronger integrity without compromising compatibility .

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The Takeaways

• Ethereum’s mainnet is stronger than ever—dramatic scaling upgrades are shifting user preference back to L1.
• The “rollup as branded shard” vision is outdated. L2s must evolve into specialized, value-add ecosystems—not just cheaper extensions.
• Layer 2 teams are responding: pursuing true decentralization, usability, niche use cases, and advanced cryptographic integrity.
• Tech innovations—from native rollups to interoperability solutions—are redefining how L2s serve users and developers in a mature Ethereum.

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Conclusion

Ethereum’s evolution is forcing a reckoning: L2s can’t stay in the shadows—they must innovate or fading into irrelevance. As mainnet scaling eclipses rollup-focused roadmaps, L2s are branching into distinct territories—gaming, privacy, mainstream user experiences, developer tools, advanced security. What’s clear is that the next generation of Layer 2 isn’t about matching Ethereum—it’s about complementing it with unique strengths. Watching this play out is not just interesting; it’s pivotal for blockchain’s future landscape.

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FAQs

What’s the “rollup-centric” roadmap that Vitalik says is outdated?

It refers to the 2020 strategy where rollups were envisioned as Ethereum’s primary scaling path, acting like branded shards that inherit security from the mainnet.

Why is Ethereum Layer 1 suddenly scaling so well?

Upgrades like Glamsterdam and EIP‑4844 sharply boosted throughput and reduced storage overhead, while gas fees plunged—making L1 more capable and cost-efficient.

What is “Stage 1” decentralization for L2s?

It means rollups operate with limited oversight and use mechanisms like validity proofs governed by smart contracts, though some trusted entities may still intervene in emergencies.

How are L2s trying to distinguish themselves now?

By focusing on specialized capabilities—privacy features, gaming ecosystems, developer tools, account abstraction, app-specific performance—not just transaction cost savings.

What are native rollup precompiles?

These are ZK‑proof verification functions built into Ethereum’s core protocol, allowing L2 proofs to be validated directly by Ethereum’s validator set without external dependencies.

Can L2s and L1 coexist or is L1 making them obsolete?

They can coexist—but only if L2s shift from being low-cost replicas to offering unique, differentiated services that Ethereum’s mainnet doesn’t aim to provide.