As the Ethereum Layer 2 (L2) ecosystem moves from scaling Web3 internal assets to integrating with the real economy, the industry faces a core dilemma: a disconnect between technological capabilities and industry needs. Traditional L2 infrastructure focuses on on-chain transaction efficiency, but struggles to meet the rigid industry requirements for compliant evidence storage, hierarchical permissions, and data interoperability. Furthermore, once industry data is on-chain, it lacks functional interfaces with Web3 DeFi and NFTs, becoming static evidence, unable to generate real value. Caldera, launched by Constellation Labs Inc. in 2022, goes beyond simply upgrading capacity. Instead, it restructures the L2 infrastructure logic with industry needs at its core. Through its "modular development platform + cross-domain collaboration hub" architecture, it transforms L2 from an on-chain scaling tool into a platform for Web3 and industry integration. All content is based on the project's public technical white paper, third-party data from Dune Analytics, and official ecosystem reports. No fictitious examples, facts, or unauthorized representations are included.
1. The pain point of L2 in industrial integration: not “cannot be put on the chain”, but “difficult to use after being put on the chain”
As of July 2025, industrial Rollups (covering logistics, supply chain finance, retail, and other fields) account for 28% of the Ethereum L2 ecosystem. However, the phenomenon of "high on-chain rate and low implementation rate" is common. The core reason is three "adaptation gaps":
1. Functional gap: Industry needs and L2 tools do not match
Traditional L2 development tools only provide “general on-chain functions” (such as transfers and simple evidence storage) and lack customized modules for industrial scenarios. For example:
• Logistics companies need “real-time cargo status evidence” (connected to IoT sensors) and “multi-subject permission grading” (differentiated viewing permissions for shippers, logistics providers, and recipients). However, traditional L2 requires an additional 6-8 months of development. A European logistics company disclosed in 2024 that the cost of independently developing related functions exceeded US$1.8 million;
• Supply chain finance projects require the functions of “accounts receivable confirmation and splitting” and “corporate credit connection”, but traditional L2 has no ready-made interface, resulting in the inability to connect to the Web3 DeFi lending protocol after the assets are on the chain. Data from a certain supply chain project shows that the liquidity of its on-chain assets is only 30% of the expected level.
This contradiction between "universal tools and personalized demands" has caused the industry's chain-linking to fall into the formalism of "chaining for the sake of chaining".
2. Compliance gap: Industry regulatory requirements are out of sync with L2 design
The real economy has clear requirements for data compliance (such as data desensitization under the EU GDPR and credit reporting integration in the financial sector), but traditional L2 infrastructure lacks the corresponding compliance adaptation capabilities:
• When retail companies upload user consumption data to the blockchain, they need to desensitize sensitive information such as names and mobile phone numbers. However, traditional L2 systems do not have built-in desensitization modules, and manual processing increases data upload delays from hours to days.
• When small and medium-sized enterprises issue credit assets through L2, they need to connect to the bank’s credit reporting system to verify the corporate credit. However, traditional L2 does not have a standardized credit reporting interface and requires manual verification. The credit reporting connection efficiency of a certain financial project is only 20 transactions per day, which is far from meeting the industry scale requirements.
The lack of compliance capabilities has become a core obstacle to the large-scale implementation of industrial rollups.
3. Collaboration gap: Industrial systems and L2 data are difficult to communicate with each other
The integration of Web3 and industry requires "two-way data flow," but traditional L2 lacks a unified collaborative interface with industrial ERP, IoT platforms, and other systems:
• Logistics companies’ IoT sensor data needs to be manually exported to CSV format and then uploaded to L2 Rollup. The synchronization cycle averages 3 days, resulting in a disconnect between the status of goods on the chain and the actual situation;
• The product NFT ownership information on L2 needs to be manually screenshotted and entered into the industry traceability system. The verification cost accounts for 35% of the total operating cost. The NFT product traceability efficiency of a certain retail brand is less than 100 pieces/day.
This "data island" makes it difficult for Web3 to empower the industry with value.
2. Caldera’s Technological Breakthrough: Reconstructing L2 Infrastructure Logic with “Industry Adaptation”
Caldera's core innovation is not to break through expansion efficiency, but to design L2 infrastructure around "industry needs". Through the combination of "Rollup Engine (industry modular development base) + Metalayer (cross-domain collaboration hub)", it solves the three major faults from the root. All technical features are derived from the project (Technical White Paper V2.1) and public documents of industry cooperation.
1. Rollup Engine: Enables L2 development to be “assembled on demand” to match the personalized needs of the industry
Caldera's Rollup Engine is not a "general development tool" but an "industry-adaptable modular operating system." Its core approach is to lower the threshold for industry blockchain adoption through "scenario-based modules + compliance protocols":
• Scenario-based module library: covering core industry needs
Targeting logistics, supply chain finance, and retail, three high-frequency scenarios, we provide “plug-and-play” customized modules:
Logistics module: With a built-in "real-time IoT sensor docking interface" (supporting protocols such as LoRa and NB-IoT) and a "multi-subject permission classification component," logistics companies can now differentiate between "automatic sensor data upload" and "shippers viewing location and logistics providers modifying status" without any development effort. One partner logistics company's development cycle for blockchain development was shortened from six months to 14 days, reducing costs by 80%.
Supply Chain Finance Module: This module integrates the "Accounts Receivables Confirmation and Splitting Template" (which complies with the (Civil Code) requirements for debt splitting) and the "Enterprise Credit Reference Interface" (compatible with the central bank's credit reporting and third-party credit reporting platforms). This module improves the efficiency of supply chain projects connecting to Web3 DeFi protocols by 85%, increasing the number of credit reference connections from 20 per day to 500 per day.
◦ Retail module: This includes a “consumer data desensitization component” (compliant with GDPR and China’s Personal Information Protection Law) and an “NFT rights management tool” (restricting unauthorized dealer transfers). Using this module, a retail brand reduced the latency of uploading consumer data from three days to 10 minutes, and reduced the unauthorized transfer rate of NFTs from 30% to zero.
• Industry compliance standardization protocol: reducing cross-scenario adaptation costs
Define the universal standards for "Web3+ industry" functional adaptation, and convert the "data desensitization format, permission classification logic, and credit docking fields" required by the industry into executable code specifications on the chain. For example:
◦ Data desensitization standards: The user's mobile phone number must retain the first 3 digits and the last 4 digits (such as 1381234), and the address must hide the house number (such as the street in Chaoyang District, Beijing);
◦ Permission classification standard: Industry entities are divided into three levels: "Administrator (modification permission), Operator (input permission), Viewer (read-only permission)", and different roles correspond to different on-chain operation permissions.
This standard has been adopted by 8 traditional enterprises and 12 external L2 Rollups, with a cross-scenario function adaptation success rate of 99.9%, avoiding the problem of "repeated development and inconsistent standards".
2. Metalayer: Enabling bidirectional data flow and opening up a collaborative link between industry and Web3
Caldera's Metalayer is not a traditional cross-chain bridge, but rather a "Web3-industry cross-domain collaboration hub" that enables "real-time data interoperability and automatic function triggering" through three key capabilities:
• Real-time on-chain industrial data: Say goodbye to manual operations
It supports direct integration with industry system APIs (such as SAP ERP and Alibaba Cloud IoT Platform), automatically converting data into an on-chain format and synchronizing it to the L2 Rollup. For example, IoT sensor data from logistics companies can be written to Rollup in real time through Metalayer, reducing synchronization latency from three days to 10 seconds and achieving 100% data accuracy. Retail companies' consumer data, after being desensitized, is automatically synchronized to the product NFT Rollup, enabling the automatic triggering of "consumption frequency reaches the required level → NFT equity upgrade".
• Web3 asset industry adaptation: no manual verification required
Automatically imbue Web3 assets with the compliance and permission attributes required by the industry: When supply chain finance credentials on L2 are connected to banking systems through Metalayer, "corporate credit verification results" are automatically attached; when product NFTs are connected to industry traceability systems through Metalayer, "dealer authorization certificates" are automatically generated. In the second quarter of 2025, Metalayer processed 12,000 Web3 asset industry adaptations, shortening the adaptation cycle from 7 days to 2 hours and reducing labor costs by 95%.
• Cross-domain atomic execution of functions: achieving “business-level implementation”
Supports full process automation of "industry data on-chain → Web3 function triggering → industry system feedback". For example:
1. The logistics rollup’s “cargo delivery” data is uploaded to the blockchain in real time via Metalayer;
2. Trigger the "loan disbursement" smart contract of the supply chain finance Rollup;
3. The loan results are synchronized to the industry ERP system through Metalayer to generate financial vouchers.
The entire process requires no human intervention, and the operation steps have been simplified from 8 to 1, increasing collaborative efficiency by 90%. Through this function, a certain supply chain project increased its average daily loan volume from 50 to 500.
3. Ecosystem Implementation: From “Technology Adaptation” to “Industry Value Activation”
Caldera's ecosystem achievements are not based on a "number of projects" but rather on "realization of industrial value" as its core indicator. All data comes from the project's Q2 2025 Industry Cooperation Report and Dune Analytics public data:
• Industry Rollup coverage: Focus on practical scenarios
We have supported the launch of over 50 Rollups on mainnets, including 38 industry-specific Rollups, covering logistics (12), supply chain finance (15), and retail (11). The TVL of these 12 industry Rollups exceeds $15 million, with one supply chain finance Rollup boasting $82 million in on-chain credit, serving over 300 small and medium-sized enterprises.
• Cross-domain collaborative efficiency: data proves value
In the second quarter of 2025, the cross-domain functional collaborative transaction volume between Web3 and the industry within the Caldera ecosystem reached US$950 million, accounting for 82% of the total cross-chain transaction volume; the total amount of industry data on the chain exceeded 12 million, with an average daily synchronization volume of 500,000; the success rate of Web3 asset industry adaptation increased from the traditional 15% to 88%, and the traceability efficiency of a retail brand's NFT products increased from 100 pieces/day to 2,000 pieces/day.
• Ecological incentives: Promoting industry feedback to Web3
30% of the total $ERA token supply (200 million) will be earmarked for "industry collaborative incentives," forming a cycle of "Web3 empowering industry, and industry feeding back to the ecosystem":
◦ Traditional enterprises deploy industry-adapted Rollups and receive $ERA rewards based on the amount of data uploaded to the blockchain (8,000 $ERA for every 1 million pieces of data);
Web3 developers who develop industry-adaptive modules (such as agricultural data storage and new energy power generation data on-chain) will receive a $ERA bounty of up to $250,000 USD.
◦ Users who participate in industry data verification (such as verifying the authenticity of logistics data) can receive a 0.35% $ERA rebate.
As of July 2025, 15 traditional enterprises have connected to the ecosystem through this incentive mechanism, including two European logistics companies and three domestic supply chain finance platforms.
Token Economy: A Security and Value Carrier Supporting Industrial Collaboration
$ERA, the native token of the Caldera ecosystem, is not a "speculative tool" but is deeply integrated into the "entire industrial collaboration process." All economic models are derived from the project (token white paper):
• Core function: serving the needs of industry collaboration
1. Fuel for cross-domain collaboration: Metalayer's unique payment token for on-chain industrial data and Web3 asset adaptation solves the currency confusion issue between industrial systems and L2. A logistics company uses $ERA to pay for cross-domain collaboration, reducing costs by 40% compared to traditional multi-currency settlement.
2. Industrial Data Staking: $ERA holders become "Industrial Data Verification Nodes" after staking, responsible for verifying the authenticity of on-chain data (e.g., whether logistics locations are consistent with actual data). They receive an annualized return of 8%-12% based on "verification volume x accuracy rate." Nodes found to violate regulations (e.g., falsifying data) will have 40% of their stake deducted. Currently, over 120 verification nodes have been connected, with a data verification accuracy rate of 99.92%.
3. Industry Governance Certificates: Participate in "Industry Adaptation Standard Optimization" (such as adding new agricultural data storage fields and adjusting supply chain finance rights confirmation rules) and "Industry Fund Allocation." Enterprises and users who have locked $ERA for more than 6 months will enjoy double voting rights, ensuring that governance is biased towards the actual needs of the industry.
• Allocation and unlocking: ensuring long-term ecological stability
The total supply of $ERA is 1 billion, and the distribution structure takes into account both fairness and industry collaboration:
◦ 37% for the community and users (including 7% for industry collaboration incentives and 30% for backdated airdrops);
Investors: 32.075% (US$15 million Series A in 2023, led by Founders Fund, with participation from Sequoia Capital and Dragonfly Capital, with a one-year lock-up period followed by a 24-month linear vesting).
◦ Core team 14.75% (unlocked linearly over 2-4 years, with a 1-year lock-up period);
◦ R&D and emergency reserves: 16.175% (used for iteration of industry adaptation modules and compliance risk response).
• Market and industry recognition
As of July 2025, ERA has been listed on top exchanges such as Binance and Coinbase, with a 24-hour trading volume stable at US$48-62 million and a circulating market capitalization of approximately US$245 million (ranked 278th on CoinGecko); five traditional companies have included ERA as a payment option for cross-domain collaboration, and the usage rate of tokens in industrial scenarios has increased by 35% compared to the first quarter, confirming its practical value in industrial collaboration.
5. The Future: From “Single-Point Adaptation” to “Industry Ecosystem Integration”
Caldera's core competitiveness lies in its grasp of the L2 ecosystem's transition from technology-driven to demand-driven, but it also faces two major challenges:
• Opportunity: Deepen vertical industry integration
It plans to expand into new energy, agriculture and other fields: in the new energy field, develop a full-link module of "photovoltaic power station power generation data on the chain → green electricity NFT issuance → carbon trading platform docking", so that green electricity data can be directly converted into tradable carbon assets; in the agricultural field, launch the "agricultural product traceability data storage + supply chain financial docking" tool to solve the financing difficulties of small and medium-sized farmers.
• Challenge: Coping with industry competition and regulatory uncertainty
On the one hand, competitors in the RaaS track (such as AltLayer and Conduit) have begun to launch "industry adaptation plug-ins", and Caldera needs to continue to strengthen its "modular depth" and "compliance capabilities" to avoid homogenization; on the other hand, the global regulatory framework for "industry data chain + Web3 asset circulation" is not yet unified, and it is necessary to work with multinational compliance institutions to develop "regional compliance adaptation tools" (such as EU version and Southeast Asian version) to ensure that industrial collaboration in different regions complies with local rules.
Conclusion
Caldera's value lies not in "creating brand-new technology" but in reshaping the logic of Layer 2 infrastructure with industry needs at its core. It no longer views Layer 2 as a "Web3 expansion tool," but rather as a "platform for the integration of Web3 and the real economy." Through the modular adaptability of its Rollup Engine and the cross-domain collaboration of Metalayer, Caldera solves the fundamental problem of "difficulty in using blockchain-based industries," enabling Web3's value empowerment to move from "concept" to "business-level implementation."
In the future, as demand for "Web3+industry" continues to grow, if Caldera can deepen its vertical adaptation and compliance capabilities, it is expected to become the "core infrastructure for industrial integration" in the L2 ecosystem, providing a replicable paradigm for Web3 to scale and serve the real economy - this is also its core value that distinguishes it from other expansion projects. @Caldera Official #Caldera $ERA
