Fault Proofs Go Live on OP Mainnet

Permissionless fault proofs, a mechanism for ensuring the validity of transactions and a blockchain’s state, are now live on OP Mainnet, bringing the OP Stack to “Stage 1” decentralization, as Vitalik Buterin defined it. Other OP Stack Chains like Base, Mode, and Zora will soon upgrade as well.

What’s the scoop?

• Fault Proof System: The Fault Proof System allows users to withdraw tokens from the networks without trusted third parties like centralized bridges.
• Security Council: The Security Council, also known as a multi-sig, can revert the system to a permissioned state in case of failure or to protect against network attacks.
• Future Goals: Looking beyond Stage 1, the goal is to achieve Stage 2 following Vitalik's framework for gradually decentralizing L2s. The ultimate aim is full decentralization, with the Fault Proof System supporting multiple proof systems and reducing the Security Council's role. New proof systems like Asterisc and Kona will be tested to reach Stage 2 decentralization.

Bankless Take:

Layer 2s have continually caught heat for preaching decentralization from a centralized multi-sig. While some chains are worse than others, Optimism’s evolution to “Stage 1” marks a significant step towards full decentralization while still keeping the training wheels on so that the Security Council can step in if need be. As the Superchain evolves, testing new proof systems like Asterisc and Kona and achieving Stage 2 will be crucial milestones. The path towards full decentralization is challenging, but these developments are promising steps in the right direction.