Recently, a group of independent developers launched a new L2 scaling solution called 'Ethereum R1', which uniquely emphasizes no token issuance, no fundraising, and no centralized governance, relying entirely on community donations for support, while also stressing the spirit of 'returning to the essence' of scaling. This plan reflects the community's concerns about the current mainstream L2 increasingly deviating from the spirit of decentralization.
Ethereum R1, which does not follow the traditional L2 route: No private placement, governance tokens, purely relying on donations.
R1 is initiated by a group of developers within the Ethereum ecosystem, but it is not affiliated with the Ethereum Foundation, and was announced on Twitter (X) on May 1, claiming:
‘A universal L2 should be simple, replaceable, without reliance on centralization, and without risk governance.’
The team further criticizes the issues of most current L2s, such as private token distribution, opaque governance, and centralized operations, which makes L2, originally designed for Ethereum scaling, more like a 'new public chain' rather than an Ethereum scaling solution.
After the Cancun upgrade: Mainnet transaction fees plummet by 99%, and the community questions whether L2 is taking away grassroots value.
Looking back to March 2024, Ethereum underwent the Cancun (Dencun) upgrade, significantly reducing L2 transaction fees.
Although this is advantageous for users, it also led to a 99% drop in Ethereum mainnet revenue in September, and by April 2025, the average transaction fee on the mainnet was only about $0.16, reaching a five-year low.
Since Ethereum's transaction fees are dynamically adjusted based on 'usage demand' and 'network traffic', once the mainnet traffic decreases, revenue will greatly shrink, raising many observers' questions:
‘Is the growth of L2 built on the sacrifice of the mainnet?’
(Ethereum Dencun Cancun upgrade completed, multiple L2s correspondingly updated)
Community opinions are polarized, and the debate over L2 scaling solutions continues.
While some question whether this model marginalizes the mainnet, there are also industry professionals who hold a positive view, stating that Ethereum's L2 scaling solutions are actually an advantage:
‘Compared to a single chain bearing all functionalities, Ethereum provides more options through L2, allowing users to choose a scaling solution that suits their needs.’
Is R1 an ideal return or a realistic challenge?
The emergence of Ethereum R1 can be seen as a response to the 'loss of decentralization spirit' in the current L2 ecosystem. It has no tokens, no fundraising, and even no governance structure, operating solely on donations, promoting neutrality, simplicity, and resistance to censorship, thus attracting considerable attention.
But in a capital-driven, token-mechanism-dominated Web3 world, is not issuing tokens a stance of integrity or marginalization? This clash of technology and ideology is just beginning.
This article introduces Ethereum's scaling solution R1! Emphasizing no token issuance or fundraising, the new generation of L2 highlights decentralization and public welfare, first appearing in Chain News ABMedia.
