Solana Co-Founder Goes Full Hulk on L2s: Why Bother with Them?

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In a stunning display of candor that could make even the most stoic of tech enthusiasts raise an eyebrow, Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko has boldly declared that layer-2 (L2) solutions are about as useful as a chocolate teapot. Yes, you heard that right! According to Yakovenko, layer-1 (L1) solutions are not just faster, cheaper, and more secure; they’re practically the Usain Bolt of the blockchain world. 🏃‍♂️💨

“They aren’t slowed down by a glacially moving L1 data availability stack, or have to compromise security with complex fraud proofs and upgrade multisigs,” he quipped, presumably while shaking his head at the thought of L2s. One can only imagine the eye-roll that accompanied this statement. 🙄

In a moment of sheer humility, Yakovenko also mentioned that Solana generates a “measly” amount of data—roughly 80 terabytes per year. That’s right, folks, just a casual 80 terabytes. It’s like saying you only ate a “few” cookies after polishing off the entire box. 🍪

Solana is Competing with Every L2

Earlier this month, he went on to suggest that users could simply “skip creating a valueless L2 and just launch a token.” Because, you know, why bother with all that extra work when you can just throw a token into the ether and hope for the best? Sounds like a plan! 💸

Yakovenko has also claimed that Solana is in a fierce competition with “every” Ethereum L2. However, he was quick to clarify that this doesn’t extend to the Ethereum mainnet. Because, of course, why would you want to compete with the big leagues? 😏

Multiple L2s are Redundant

In a moment of profound insight, the Solana co-founder expressed his belief that having multiple L2 solutions is about as necessary as a third pair of socks. “There is no point to multiple L2s. If a single L2 can handle parallel execution, then it can use up all the blobspace and run every use case,” he stated back in January. It’s almost as if he’s suggesting that we should all just get along and share the blockchain playground. 🏖️

Ethereum’s L2 Crisis

Meanwhile, Ethereum’s quarterly transaction revenue has taken a nosedive, plummeting by a staggering 95% from its all-time high in the fourth quarter of 2021. Ouch! That’s like finding out your favorite restaurant has closed down—devastating! 😱

Last year, Yakovenko didn’t hold back, describing L2s as “parasitic” when they start siphoning off priority transactions from the base layer. It’s a bold claim, but then again, when you’re in the blockchain game, you’ve got to be ready to throw some shade. 🌥️

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2025-03-23 21:30