Introducing Ethereum R1 — The neutral rollup built for Ethereum

Ethereum R1 has officially launched, introducing a community-first Layer 2 solution that redefines the narrative of rollup development.

Key Takeaways:

A group of independent Ethere contributors have banded together to create a community-first Layer 2 solution, codenamed "R1," in direct response to what they view as the flawed approaches of conventional Layer 2 launches.

The initiative, which is a brainchild of researcher Justin Drake among others, is meant to highlight the necessity for a Rollup integrally resistant to insider-controlled governance.

Since its launch date, R1 has been fully financed through public donations. No token sale, venture capital control or private investment. The open governance of the initiative and elimination of private incentives are intentional in order to bring to the Ether ecosystem a long-term, non-profit-driven alternative to L2s.

Introducing Ethereum R1 — The neutral rollup built for EthereumNo token. No private sales. No governance cult.Just Ethereum values, public funding, and community control.

Why R1 matters & how you can join:https://t.co/87g0t89z8Z

The initiative is a brainchild of a group of independent Ethere contributors who were spearheaded by researcher Justin Drake and purported to stress the necessity for a Rollopu integrally resistant to insider-controlled governance. As Drake and the other contributors saw it, most Layer 2 projects were launching with a strong emphasis on tokens and allocations to investors, which would inevitably lead to a misalignment of incentives.

Since its launch date, Ethereum R1 has been fully financed through public donations. No token sale, venture capital control or private investment. The open governance of the initiative and elimination of private incentives are intentional in order to bring to the Ether ecosystem a long-term, non-profit-driven alternative to L2s.

R1 Launches With Stage 2 Proofs and a ‘Design for Death’ Ethos

The initiative is also fully permissionless and modular and has no proprietary tech stack, branding lock-in or cult-like identity. It is also designed to be replaceable.

Built with longevity in mind, it has a “Stage 2” design in the sense that it comes out of the gate with permissionless proof generation and a long update delay protected by a multisig committee of varied Ethereum stakeholders. The design does away with centralized power nodes such as foundations or multisigs. Rather, a large-scale, open group controls the protocol. Any party capable of abiding by the rules of Ethereum consensus is able to validate proofs and contribute to it, with a maximally decentralized security model.

As Drake explains it, this “design for death” allows for the project to be adapted or even replaced without endangering the Ethereum ecosystem.

“We’re not trying to build an empire or a dynasty. We invite others to build upon what we’ve started, and if they can make something better, we’d be happy to see R1 shut down and their project succeed instead,” Drake said.

The most groundbreaking element of Ethereum R1 is likely to be its financial model. Funded by public interest until 2030, development of the protocol will be financed through base fees until this point. After 2030, fees will be burned, irreversibly removing value instead of extracting it.

This model sharply differs from traditional Rollups in terms of how it is profitable through sequencer charges and token value appreciation. The model of R1 ensures builders and ETH owners are rewarded through shared advancement rather than individual profit.

As discussions take place on community forums and Telegram channels, R1 is inviting developers, app builders and ETH owners to participate in shaping what they believe is Ethereum’s most valid and unbiased L2 direction.