Best Layer 2 Protocols for Optimism

Socket Protocol is the first Chain Abstraction Protocol, offering a modular, extensible, and composable stack that enables chain-abstracted applications. Socket Protocol leverages Modular Order Flow Auctions (MOFA) to allow developers to Compose with any App, Users, and Asset across Chains.

Manta Pacific leverages Celestia and a modified OP stack to deliver a cutting-edge technical infrastructure offering extraordinary scalability paired with low gas fees. Combined with Manta Pacific's universal circuits, Manta Pacific delivers an unrivaled environment for building and deploying ZK applications and dApps. From DeFi to gaming to social, apps deploying on Manta are designed to bring the best experience and value to real users. The Manta ecosystem grants program is designed to explore and grow new and valuable use cases to solve pain points faced by real users. Manta Network’s zkSBTs allow users to verify in a trustless, decentralized manner without exposing any details. zkSBTs such as the zkBAB and zkGalxe passports deliver a seamless on-chain KYC verification without any need to scan passports or enter sensitive personal information.

Unichain is a DeFi-native Ethereum L2, optimized to be the home for liquidity across chains. Unichain is a decentralized finance (DeFi) platform designed as an Ethereum Layer 2 solution, focused on liquidity and cost efficiency. It offers faster, cheaper transactions with 1-second block times and aims to reduce transaction fees by 20x compared to Ethereum. Built on the OP Stack, it promotes scalability, open-source innovations, and future enhancements like Provable Block Building. Unichain targets developers and users in the DeFi space, providing resources for smart contract deployment and liquidity pool creation​. Informed by our experience building the world's largest decentralized trading protocol. Unichain is built on the OP stack. Technical innovations introduced by Unichain are open source, and available for any rollup to adopt. A network of full nodes monitors and verifies the actions of the sequencer, bringing faster transactions and more decentralization to Unichain.

Hemi is a breakthrough modular Layer-2 blockchain protocol that seamlessly merges Bitcoin’s rock-solid security with Ethereum’s versatile programmability by embedding a full Bitcoin node into an Ethereum-compatible EVM, known as the Hemi Virtual Machine (hVM). This architecture allows developers to write Solidity smart contracts that natively access Bitcoin data without relying on bridges or synthetic assets. Using its proprietary Proof-of-Proof (PoP) consensus, Hemi achieves “superfinality,” anchoring transactions in Bitcoin blocks for high integrity and resistance to reorgs, all while maintaining fast finality. Its Hemi Bitcoin Kit (hBK) gives developers the tools to build truly Bitcoin-powered DeFi applications, such as lending, staking, automated market makers, MEV systems, and multi-chain DAOs, using real BTC as collateral or yield sources.