Jill Gunter (Espresso) on Helping Rollups Decentralize (EP.492)
Dec 27, 2023
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Jill Gunter, co-founder of Espresso, discusses their mission to help L2 rollups decentralize, the role of sequencers in rollups, trading centralized revenue for decentralization, and the potential of blockchain-based payments.
A decentralized sequencer can enable better interoperability between different roll-ups, driving user value extraction to a minimum.
Roll-up teams are prioritizing user needs, engaging in partnerships, and focusing on sustainable business models.
Leveraging the scalability and cost advantages of roll-ups can revolutionize payments and enhance financial inclusion.
Deep dives
The excitement around Espresso's shared sequencing layer for roll-ups
Espresso is building a shared sequencing layer for layer two roll-ups, aiming to provide increased decentralization and censorship resistance. This shared sequencer can enhance interoperability and break down the walls between different roll-ups. Roll-up teams are showing pragmatism in their business approach, focusing on user experience and addressing scalability challenges. The excitement lies in the potential to unlock innovative applications, particularly in the area of payments. Enabling faster, cheaper, and more seamless transactions on blockchains has the potential to revolutionize the payments landscape and bring mainstream adoption to the technology.
The role of a decentralized sequencer in enhancing interoperability
A decentralized sequencer can enable better interoperability between different roll-ups. Currently, builders of roll-ups face challenges when interacting with multiple sequencers, as their block proposals may not be picked up by all sequencers simultaneously, compromising interoperability. By having a shared sequencer, builders can coordinate and include transactions across multiple roll-ups more seamlessly, creating a competitive market that drives user value extraction to a minimum. A shared sequencer, combined with builder actors, can significantly enhance interoperability across the roll-up ecosystem.
The increasing focus on user needs and realistic approach in roll-up development
Roll-up teams are taking a pragmatic approach in developing their projects, prioritizing user needs, and engaging in partnerships and business development strategies. Interoperability is a valuable proposition that many roll-up teams are targeting. With the growing number of roll-ups, decision-making regarding data availability layers and revenue distribution is becoming crucial. Roll-up teams are looking beyond ideological choices and focusing on sustainable business models that can attract developers and users.
Partnerships and collaborations in the roll-up ecosystem
Espresso is partnering with various roll-up projects, including Off-Chain Labs, alongside working with other roll-up as a service companies. Each partnership entails a unique approach and collaboration. Espresso is actively engaged in technical research collaborations and is eager to work with roll-up teams to align incentives and create compatible systems. Collaborations with the OP stack, optimism, have been particularly promising, contributing to modular sequencer integration and exploring potential future roles for Espresso within the optimism ecosystem.
Excitement around unlocking payments on blockchains
The potential to revolutionize payments by leveraging the scalability and cost advantages of roll-ups and layer two solutions is an area of excitement. Blockchains can offer faster, cheaper, and more secure cross-border and domestic payments, providing a superior alternative to traditional wire transfers and payment processors. Improving payment experiences through blockchain technology can greatly impact mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies and enhance overall financial inclusion.
