- Solana’s co-founder believes a well-optimized layer-1 can be faster and more secure than layer-2 solutions.
- Ethereum supports layer-2 scaling while Solana debates its necessity due to security risks and slower data availability.
- Solana’s network faces congestion but upcoming upgrades may reduce the need for layer-2 scaling solutions.
Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko has raised doubts about the necessity of layer-2 scaling solutions. According to him, well-optimized layer-1 technology delivers the required speed, security and cost-performance using only one operational level and without the need for additional layers.
Layer-2 Debate Gains Attention
The discussion started when a blockchain researcher claimed that layer-2 solutions provide better efficiency without requiring new consensus mechanisms. The researcher cited Eclipse, an Ethereum-based layer-2 using Solana’s Virtual Machine, as an example of an optimized scaling method.
Yakovenko countered by emphasizing the advantages of an optimized layer-1. He pointed out that layer-2 solutions often introduce security risks, including fraud proofs and multisig dependencies. He also noted that they rely on a slower data availability layer, which can impact performance.
Concerns Over Blockchain Storage
Scalability concerns extend to blockchain data storage. Yakovenko dismissed worries about blockchain data limits, stating that Solana generates approximately 80 terabytes of data per year. He acknowledged that this amount is too large for individuals to store but manageable for decentralized storage providers like Filecoin. Solana’s ledger remains separate from its state, allowing efficient data management.
Ethereum Co-Founder Takes a Different View
Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin supports scaling through layer-2 solutions. At the Digital Asset Summit, Joseph Lubin asserted layer-2 solutions remain vital to scaling operations. He argued that Ethereum’s security makes it an ideal foundation for roll ups and other scaling methods.
Layer-2 Adoption on Solana
Despite Yakovenko’s stance, layer-2 projects are emerging on Solana. Solaxy, a scaling solution that secured $19 million in funding, processes transactions off-chain before finalizing them on Solana’s mainnet. This approach aims to reduce congestion and improve transaction speeds.
The expansion of decentralized finance and memecoins on Solana has increased network activity. This growth has occasionally led to network congestion and outages. Although Solana’s upcoming Firedancer upgrade is expected to boost throughput to one million transactions per second, some developers believe that layer-2 solutions will still be necessary for long-term scalability.