- Avail, a data availability solution with Polygon (MATIC) roots, is gearing up for launch.
- Several leading Layer 2 chains have committed to integrating the DA solution ahead of its mainnet launch.
- The DA solution has announced a token drop to active users of supported Layer 2 chains.
As the Ethereum Layer 2 ecosystem expands, so does the popularity of data availability solutions.
Over the past few months, a number of popular projects have launched in this category, including Celestia in October 2023 and EigenLayer’s EigenDA in April 2024. Following these projects, Avail, a project founded by Polygon (MATIC) co-founder Anurag Arjun and formerly incubated by Polygon Labs, looks set to be the next to join the fold.
As the project’s mainnet launch approaches, it has now received support from multiple leading Layer 2 chains.
Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon, StarkWare, zkSync Pile in To Integrate Avail DA
On Thursday, April 25, Avail announced that it will be integrated with Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon, StarkWare, and zkSync at launch, bolstering the options for developers building Layer 2 chains using the tech stacks of these teams.
For example, with the DA solution’s inclusion in the Polygon CDK, developers will be able to choose between Avail, Celestia, and NEAR DA. At the same time, Arbitrum Orbit chain developers will be able to select between Avail and Arbitrum AnyTrust’s external DA solution.
DA refers to the guarantee that a network’s transaction information is available for every network participant to verify and maintain the integrity of the network. Layer 2 chains typically ensure DA by periodically sending data to the Ethereum mainnet. However, storage space on the Ethereum mainnet can be scarce and expensive. Enter DA solutions.
DA solutions offer faster and cheaper storage for Layer 2 transaction data. While some argue that DA solutions offer lower security guarantees than the Ethereum mainnet, the faster and cheaper transactions they unlock are particularly useful for payments-focused applications.
Avail’s DA mainnet is expected to go live in the coming weeks. Ahead of the coming mainnet launch, the project has taken a page from the playbook of its competitors, promising a 600 million token airdrop to active users of the aforementioned Layer 2 chains.
Beyond the DA solution, Avail intends to launch an interoperability solution, similar to Polygon’s AggLayer, called Nexus, and a multi-asset staking feature called Fusion.
On the Flipside
- Avail DA has yet to launch on mainnet.
- Avail faces stiff competition from established players like Celestia and Eigen.
Why This Matters
Data availability is one of the most pressing concerns facing Ethereum scalability. Avail is the latest project offering to tackle the problem. The recent support of the project by leading Layer 2 chains highlights significant belief in its prospects.
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