- February Launch Date: We're most likely 1 week out from Fraxtal launching! Sam K has dropped a "7" several times in chat now and we're guessing the correlates with February 7 as the launch day. While nothing official is out, we've heard multiple times that launch was for end January, and so it being moved a week into February makes sense for a new launch time.
- General-Purpose Chain with Scaling: Kazemian describes Fraxtal as a general-purpose blockchain, similar to other layer-2 solutions like Arbitrum or Polygon. The scope of Fraxtal is likened to that of established rollup solutions like Arbitrum, Optimism, and zkSync. However, it's not just an application-specific chain (appchain); it's a comprehensive technology stack with a broader ambition than other rollups currently launching appchains.
- Modified OP Stack and Superchain Compatibility: The initial version of Fraxtal Kazemian described as a modified OP stack execution environment compatible with superchains, facilitating the deployment and development of decentralized applications. A superchain is a blockchain capable of connecting or interacting with multiple other blockchains, often to leverage their unique features or to enhance interoperability. He said its expected to be cheaper and faster than most rollups due to data availability (DA) and infrastructure modifications. While Fraxtal might use Celestia in the future, Kazemian said they are working on their own DA solution.
- Long-term Roadmap to Become a Base Layer zk L1: In the long term, Fraxtal aims to evolve into a base layer zero-knowledge Layer 1 (zk L1), where various types of chains can commit state. The end goal is for many chains to push their root hashes and DA pointers to Fraxtal. Fraxtal would serve as the execution environment for the ecosystem and dApps, similar to Celestia's thin Layer 1 but focusing on root hash states and DA pointers. Fraxtal is designed to be compatible with multiple stacks or execution environments, including OP, Polygon CDK, Arbitrum, and Cosmos, as long as they include a Fraxtal module in the client specification. Kazemian envisions a hybrid rollup model where data availability can be optionally outsourced to the Ethereum mainnet.
- Gas Token Flexibility: Fraxtal will use both frxETH and FRAX as gas tokens, which means that both of these assets will be unstaked and the extra yield will be passed on to sfrxETH and sFRAX holders.
- Split Governance and Gas: While frxETH and FRAX will be used as gas tokens on Fraxtal, governance on the other hand will be controlled by veFXS. This separation will be key for long term growth, as network profits will flow back to veFXS, while increased network usage would drive more frxETH to be deposited on Fraxtal.
- Blockspace incentives: This is a brand new type of incentive structure that will reward users, apps, and devs for using the network. The rewards will be paid out in veFXS. So if you are a keen developer who builds an amazing app on Fraxtal that lots of people use, you will not only earn app revenue, but also blockspace incentives that will increase profitability and align the app for long term growth with Fraxtal.
- Special FXS Gauges: Cryptovestor thought of this one, that there will be special gauges deployed that will govern the amount of blockspace rewards or will be used for special incentive campaigns.
- BAMM: Potentially the most innovative DeFi advancement to be released in 2024. This new borrowing facility built on top of locked liquidity pools will open new avenues for lending and allow Frax to draw on liquidity to backstop the protocol. Sam K said BAMM will launch within 1-2 months of Fraxtal going live.
- Day 1 App Launches: We've heard of three public announcements of projects that want to deploy on Fraxtal Day 1: Curve, Ra (a DEX created by the Ramses Exchange team) and Real World Abs (memecoin). There are several other launch partners who we know of that will announce soon, so make sure to subscribe to Flywheel and follow Sam's thread for more info.
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