Layer 2 Summer | Weekly Recap

Dear Bankless Nation,

Ethereum’s layer 2 is going to hit crypto like a tidal wave. 🌊

Here’s the setup…

Ethereum on DeFi exploded in 2020…ding! ding! ding! product market fit! 🚨

The problem?

We don’t have enough trustless blocks for our DeFi transactions. Too much demand and not enough supply means high transaction costs. Users priced out. Apps priced out.

So along comes Binance Chain…an Ethereum computer inside a centralized casino. Not ideal, but it works out of the box with DeFi tools. Transaction demand explodes!

Then comes Polygon. Still not a layer 2 yet (remember—layer 2’s are fully secured by Ethereum) but it’s more socially aligned with DeFi and has an ambitious roadmap, including infinite sidechains! Demand explodes even more!

We have the data. People want Ethereum’s DeFi without the massive gas bill and there’s billions locked in Polygon to prove it. (Aave w/ $7B locked alone 👀).

That’s where we find ourselves now as we enter summer 2021.

But by the time you read this Arbitrum will have deployed on mainnet. (We’ve invited them on the show next Tuesday 👀). Arbitrum will be first true layer 2 with full EVM compatibility, making it easy for developers to deploy DeFi apps. I expect it will ship with DeFi apps. We’ll see how Arbitrum fairs on the market, but builders seem excited (Uniswap community begging to deploy on it!).

Then after Arbitrum comes Optimism—July? Many of our favorite DeFi protocols like Synthetix and Uniswap have already committed to deploying on it.

All the while we have Starkware Layer 2 applications like dYdX, immutable X, and DeversiFi gaining steam while Loopring keeps chugging away.

Fire up your block explorers folks.

It’s going to be a fun summer.

But let’s take it a week at a time! Here’s what lined up for next week:

• William’s going to show you how to use Uniswap V3
• We talk to Eric Wall the ALT SLAYER (was he wrong about ETH?)
• David has a piece on the future of work.

Let’s get to the recap.

- RSA

P.S. We’re hiring an elite writer to join our team as an editor! Think you’ve got what it takes? Send in your app.

Recap for the week of May 24th, 2021

🎙️ WEEKLY PODCAST EPISODE

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ACTION RECAP

1. Execute any good market opportunities you saw in Market Monday
2. Save on gas fees with these 6 tips
3. Borrow against your ETH interest free with Liquity
4. Read The Flippening is Inevitable 🔥
5. Share your wildest crypto story

WATCH & LISTEN

1. 🎙️ Listen to Crypto’s Existential Threat | MEV Panel
2. 📺 Watch SotN #47: Gitcoin DAO and GTC | Kevin Owocki
3. 📺 Watch AMA: Robert Lauko of Liquity
4. 📺 Watch Rollup: Uniswap WSJ | Arbitrum Launch | Gamestop NFT

METAVERSAL 🧙‍♂️

1. How to research NFT projects
2. NFT builders aren’t slowing down
3. NFT Liquidity Mining
4. Gamestop 🤝 NFTs

BANKLESS DAO 🏴

1. BanklessDAO Weekly Rollup #4
2. Let’s Gear up for Season 1
3. Brain Dump: Is BANK Money?

Weekly Subscriber Perks 🔥

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• Alpha Alert: Claim your GTC Token
• Exclusive: Debrief Episode for Crypto’s Existential Threat
• Early Access: The Altcoin Slayer | Eric Wall

Launch your own raffle for Bankless Badge holders! Could be good marketing…

📺 Episode 46 of State of the Nation

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