According to CoinDesk, cLabs, the primary developer of the Celo blockchain, has published a 'Framework for selecting an L2 stack' on its discussion forum. The framework aims to choose a technology provider for Celo's new layer-2 network atop Ethereum. The evaluation is expected to be completed by mid-January, with community feedback on the document invited by mid-December. The Celo community approved the plan to transition to a layer-2 blockchain in July, recognizing that the project would likely thrive better as part of the dominant and fast-growing Ethereum ecosystem than as a lesser, standalone network.
Initially, cLabs named OP Stack from the Optimism ecosystem as the default provider for the new layer-2 network. However, rival teams Polygon and Matter Labs, which supports the zkSync project, have since offered their own proposals to attract Celo's business. Celo currently ranks as the 27th-largest blockchain in decentralized finance, with a total value locked (TVL) of $102 million. The selection process has become a surprisingly competitive proxy battle as teams strive to establish dominant layer-2 ecosystems and secure first-mover advantages.
The new cLabs proposed framework prioritizes simple migration with minimal downtime, low gas fees, and Ethereum compatibility. The document does not mention the ongoing debate between optimistic rollups and ZK rollups, a key design choice that brings significant tradeoffs between operating cost and speed. The cLabs team aims to deliver CEL2 as soon as possible, minimizing implementation risk and favoring projects that have been audited, deployed, and proven in production.