Are layer 2s good for Ethereum, or are they ‘extractive?’

Has Ethereum been too complacent about fees? It no longer has the “luxury of being a peace-time research project,” said one conference panelist.

Layer 2s have been a great blockchain success story. They’ve reduced congestion on the Ethereum mainnet, driving down gas fees while preserving security.

But maybe they’ve become too successful, drawing chain activity and fee income from the parent that spawned them? At least that’s what some are suggesting lately, most recently at Cornell Tech’s blockchain conference in late April.

Indeed, some think Ethereum should be a little greedier, or at least fight harder for a bigger part of the revenue pie, particularly sequencing fees. 

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