Ethereum

Arbitrum

Polygon

Chains

2 Chains

<h4>Undoubtedly, Ethereum is the biggest ecosystem.&nbsp;But it’s SLOW And expensive. And generally just crappy to use. And that’s why Layer 2 solutions exist for Ethereum.</h4> 
Whether we like it or not, most of the growth and most of the innovation for EVM is happening at the Layer 2 level. It’s not a bad thing as long as you find a good one that meets your needs. So today, 4 of our top ETH Layer 2 solutions and why we like them so much over most of the others out there. 
<h5>1) ImmutableX (IMX)</h5> 
First today we have <a href="https://www.immutable.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ImmutableX</a>. Now our other 3 choices are more or less “general purpose” Layer 2 chains. That means they are set up for whatever type of app or protocol you have. 
But we believe the most successful Layer 1s and Layer 2s going forward, other than a couple on this list, will be specific purpose chains. Or appchains. ImmutableX is a Layer 2 appchain. And its specialty is games. We’ve talked about appchains a lot here like in this video about Injective, a financial appchain. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> 
 Immutable zkEVM Mainnet Early Access is live! 
 The future of gaming is here with the launch of Immutable zkEVM Mainnet, powered by <a href="https://twitter.com/0xPolygon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@0xPolygon</a>. 
 Immutable zkEVM is an ecosystem that empowers games to thrive. It offers massive scalability, smart contract compatibility, and gas-free… <a href="https://t.co/zSrUOwnsQo">pic.twitter.com/zSrUOwnsQo</a> 
 — Immutable (@Immutable) <a href="https://twitter.com/Immutable/status/1752089273439060465?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2024</a>
</blockquote> 
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Appchains make their tradeoffs in the blockchain trilemma with their specific needs in mind. So for ImmutableX, what does it need to be a great appchain for games? 
<ul> 
 <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Speed.</li> 
 <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Scalability.</li> 
 <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Low Costs.</li> 
 <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Security.</li> 
</ul> 
And which of the big 3 in the trilemma is less important for games? Decentralization. Most games are centralized by the studio that makes them anyway so they don’t care. So <a href="https://www.coingecko.com/en/coins/immutable-x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IMX</a> built out its chain with these needs in mind. And even if you are not a gamer, many of the <a href="https://dappradar.com/rankings/games/chain/immutablex?range=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top games</a> on ImmutableX will be names that you recognize. Games like: 
<ul> 
 <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Gods Unchained.</li> 
 <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Illuvium: Beyond.</li> 
 <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Guild of Guardians.</li> 
</ul> 
All call IMX home. But that’s not all. One of the genuine criticisms of IMX used to be that its restricted supply was creating artificial buying demand. But now that’s no longer true. Almost 70% of the total supply of 2 billion is circulating now. This number still could be higher. But it used to be dangerous when this % was in the 20s. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> 
 Introducing the Capsule Heroes Universe. 
 A groundbreaking PVP Brawler coming soon to Immutable. <a href="https://t.co/ulW57WFfOV">pic.twitter.com/ulW57WFfOV</a> 
 — Immutable (@Immutable) <a href="https://twitter.com/Immutable/status/1754285427371237781?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2024</a>
</blockquote> 
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Now it looks like a normal project and demand for $IMX is real, not artificial. As web3 games grow again, IMX will grow too. It’s a full 400% off of its <a href="https://www.altcoinbuzz.io/?s=bear+market" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bear market</a> low and looks like a good value at its current price of $2 each. 
<h5>2) Polygon (MATIC)</h5> 
You don’t have to have been here long or watched many of our videos to know we are big fans of Polygon. For many of us here at Altcoin Buzz, it’s our personal EVM of choice. It has fast, secure transactions, low costs, and a token we want to hold in <a href="https://www.coingecko.com/en/coins/polygon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$MATIC</a>, soon-to-be $POL. 
Polygon’s innovations to help EVM transactions are many but the most recent from the last 6-9 months is its zk-EVM. This is an EVM-compatible network that’s a rollup with zero knowledge protections for privacy. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> 
 Building in web3 can be hard – that’s why Polygon Village is here. 
 Enter Village Startup Support, a tailored support program for select founders offering immersive guidance, strategic support, 1:1 mentorship and access to an elite network. 
 After a rigorous selection and vetting… <a href="https://t.co/HLmOh9N7Uz">pic.twitter.com/HLmOh9N7Uz</a> 
 — Polygon (@0xPolygon) <a href="https://twitter.com/0xPolygon/status/1754870577758605458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2024</a>
</blockquote> 
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Polygon is making its <a href="https://twitter.com/0xPolygon/status/1751368915928645812?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1751368915928645812%7Ctwgr%5Ef4b8d94081d29b2d7777c65b46f007fad042dde7%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcoingape.com%2Fpolygon-zkevm-plots-major-upgrade-heres-what-will-change%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">zk-EVM</a> a plug-and-play system. As this tweet says, you can deploy the same code as on Ethereum here. Then, you get both the EVM coverage from Polygon you expect and the enhanced security of the zero-knowledge features. It’s on the Cardona testnet now. And it’s growing in Games too. The top 4 games in Polygon have grown their number of unique active wallets by 183%,&nbsp;165%, 100,000%, and 8700% just in the last 30 days. 
This tells us big launches are happening on <a href="https://www.altcoinbuzz.io/?s=polygon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Polygon</a> as well as fast growth. Three games have completed more than 2 million transactions in the last 30 days, and Smart Cats did 9 million in the last 30 days. That’s some serious testing of a chain’s capabilities, speed, security, and total satisfaction. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> 
 How <a href="https://twitter.com/Eintracht?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Eintracht</a> Frankfurt used Polygon PoS to provide thousands of fans with a digital piece of their own stadium history.<a href="https://t.co/3ftfcAFm7A">https://t.co/3ftfcAFm7A</a> 
 When the German football club’s stadium underwent seat refurbishment, Eintracht saw an opportunity to engage fans with the… 
 — Polygon (@0xPolygon) <a href="https://twitter.com/0xPolygon/status/1753473708927172701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2024</a>
</blockquote> 
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And Polygon is succeeding in all those areas. Which Layer 2 do you use the most? Is it one of these? Or maybe Stacks? Let us know in the comments below. 
<h5>3) Optimism (OP)</h5> 
Third on our list is <a href="https://app.optimism.io/announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Optimism</a>. We have one specific thing we like about Optimism compared to the other L2s. It’s becoming the home of the “create your own Ethereum L2”. Especially for exchanges. One of the profitable ways forward for centralized exchanges will be decentralized chains. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> 
 Drop the .e, it's cleaner. 
 Glad to collab with <a href="https://twitter.com/chaos_labs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chaos_labs</a> <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f91d.png" alt="🤝" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;"> <a href="https://t.co/rrJp7ZiEhn">https://t.co/rrJp7ZiEhn</a> 
 — Optimism (@Optimism) <a href="https://twitter.com/Optimism/status/1753167261500645647?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2024</a>
</blockquote> 
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Coinbase is already doing it with a Base built on Optimism. Binance is too with its <a href="https://www.altcoinbuzz.io/?s=opBNB" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opBNB</a> for BNB Chain. Also built on Optimism. Whether it is due to increased regulations, outlawing, or costs of compliance. All exchanges know that decentralized versions are the long-term answer. And these L2s are starting to earn some good money for their parent exchanges. 
Four of the top 9 in total daily transactions throughout January are ETH Layer 2 solutions. And of the 4, 2 are Optimism-based. Both Optimism and Base are at #8 and #9. Optimism knows it’s becoming “THE” place to build out L2s. So news like this where they are open-sourcing even more tools means this trend will only continue to grow. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> 
 The experimentation going on with <a href="https://twitter.com/farcaster_xyz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@farcaster_xyz</a> is mind blowing. 
 <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/2728.png" alt="✨" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;">The best apps, collaboration, and coordination live on the Superchain.<a href="https://twitter.com/base?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@base</a> has provided the onchainkit including the frame &amp; identity kit: <a href="https://t.co/LcWY1qKMiZ">https://t.co/LcWY1qKMiZ</a> 
 Please share other open source resources.… 
 — Optimism (@Optimism) <a href="https://twitter.com/Optimism/status/1754198725902438729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2024</a>
</blockquote> 
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As Base in particular becomes more successful, more exchanges and other projects too will build out their L2s using Optimism tools. 
<h5>4) Arbitrum (ARB)</h5> 
<a href="https://arbitrum.io/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arbitrum</a> was one of the big L2 stories of 2023. Mostly because it was in 2023 they finally released their $ARB token. And with that, <a href="https://www.coingecko.com/en/coins/arbitrum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ARB</a> is now the #41 project by market value on CoinGecko. So that’s A LOT of value unlocked for users. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> 
 Gm, Happy Monday Arbinauts! 
 For our 40th edition, we highlight ecosystem developments, community news, grant opportunities, and welcome exciting projects launching on Arbitrum this week! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f5de.png" alt="🗞" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;"> 
 Let's dive in! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f9f5.png" alt="🧵" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f447.png" alt="👇" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;"> <a href="https://t.co/ZwtzCEJXmJ">pic.twitter.com/ZwtzCEJXmJ</a> 
 — Arbitrum (<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f499.png" alt="💙" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;">,<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f9e1.png" alt="🧡" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;">) (@arbitrum) <a href="https://twitter.com/arbitrum/status/1754475502612439221?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2024</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
Although Arbitrum is more “general purpose” in its Layer 2 focus than ImmutableX, unlike Polygon and Optimism, it does tend to specialize. Mostly in DeFi, trading, and games. Arbitrum is crushing in TVL compared to its peers. Especially when you take out holding the native token as you see here. 
We know part of this is that DEXes and especially perp DEXes for trading are one of the specialties of Arbitrum. For more than 2 years, GMX traded as a proxy for the Arbitrum ecosystem. It’s still by far the largest protocol using Arbitrum and it’s still a top 150 project today. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> 
 Arbitrum continues to be the powerhouse of DeFi activities amongst L2s. 
 We have processed over $1.5B trading volumes, but 70% of that is just on <a href="https://twitter.com/arbitrum?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@arbitrum</a> ! 
 We are now celebrating a billion dollars in trading volume on Arbitrum network. 
 Thank you to the entire blue chain… <a href="https://t.co/4Iqu8vtrpr">pic.twitter.com/4Iqu8vtrpr</a> 
 — LogX <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1fab5.png" alt="🪵" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;"> | Mainnet LIVE (@LogX_trade) <a href="https://twitter.com/LogX_trade/status/1752960158429552792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2024</a>
</blockquote> 
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With Hegic and Lyra, you can access options almost as well as futures and perps for trading. Almost everything you need for a professional trading setup on EVM can be found in Arbitrum. And for games, <a href="https://www.altcoinbuzz.io/?s=TreasureDAO" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TreasureDAO</a> and other marketplaces are linking up the growing game sector here too. 
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/altcoinbuzz" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-124240" src="https://www.altcoinbuzz.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image-7-1-1-300x37.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 714px) 100vw, 714px" srcset="https://www.altcoinbuzz.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image-7-1-1-300x37.jpg 300w, https://www.altcoinbuzz.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image-7-1-1-1024x127.jpg 1024w, https://www.altcoinbuzz.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image-7-1-1-768x95.jpg 768w, https://www.altcoinbuzz.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image-7-1-1-696x86.jpg 696w, https://www.altcoinbuzz.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image-7-1-1-1068x132.jpg 1068w, https://www.altcoinbuzz.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image-7-1-1.jpg 1197w" alt="Coins" width="714" height="88"></a> 
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Conquering Ethereum’s Limitations: Crypto’s Top 4 Layer 2 Chains

Altcoin Buzz

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