Astar Evolution: Phase 1

Unleashing the Potential of Soneium

As the web3 landscape continues to evolve, we at Astar Network (Astar Foundation) are committed to staying at the forefront of our mission - Connect You to Web3. Today, we are thrilled to announce the next step in our journey: the transitioning of Astar zkEVM to Soneium, an Ethereum L2 chain developed by Sony Block Solutions Labs - a joint venture between Sony Group and Startale. This is a move designed to align with our mission of bringing web3 to the masses and creating more tangible value for our community than we were able to do with Astar zkEVM. Astar Evolution consists of 2 phases and for this part, we explain more about the first act of this evolution.

This announcement marks the beginning of Phase 1, a strategic initiative to integrate Astar Network more closely with Soneium, leveraging the strengths of both ecosystems to drive forward our vision. More information about Phase 2 can also be found throughout the article.

The Vision Behind Soneium

It is not just a transition; it represents a strategic alignment with Sony Group, a global technology leader with vast experience in entertainment, gaming, finance, and consumer electronics. By transitioning our Astar zkEVM to Soneium L2, we are positioning ourselves to tap into Sony's extensive user touchpoints, bringing web3 technologies to a broader audience than ever before and creating an ecosystem around the ASTR token that can go beyond our expectations.

Sota Watanabe, CEO of Startale, Founder of Astar Network: "As the founder of Astar Network, the values of Astar and its community are our top priorities. To expand our ecosystem and accelerate mass adoption on-chain, we believe transitioning Astar zkEVM into Soneium L2 is the right step forward. As Phase 1 of Astar Evolution, we are unifying Astar zkEVM into Soneium Layer 2. Note that Astar Evolution Phase 2 is coming.”

The Exciting Future of Astar Ecosystem and Its Assets

The development and growth of the Soneium L2 will have direct positive impacts on the Astar ecosystem and its assets. Specifically, below are six key pillars where Soneium's growth can contribute to Astar.

1. Value capture through sequencer revenue Startale, a core contributor to Soneium, is dedicated to ensuring that Soneium's value of onchain activities directly benefits Astar and its assets. A substantial portion of the sequencer revenue from the Soneium will be reinvested into the further development of Astar and future products.

2. Expansion of reach and Utility of ASTR through Superchain and Chainlink CCIP Soneium L2 will utilize the OP Stack technology and be part of the Superchain initiative. This means that ASTR, our main asset within Soneium, will be interoperable with other major ecosystems like Base, Optimism, Zora, Mode, and other prominent chains within the Superchain network. This strategic move opens up immense potential for ASTR holders, as they will be able to use ASTR seamlessly across a diverse range of platforms and applications within the Superchain. All this will be powered by Chainlink CCIP to bridge ASTR from Astar Network to Soneium L2 while Astar Foundation will create incentive schemes to reach different audiences and increase the exposure of ASTR.

3. Expanding ASTR Utility and Astar Foundation Initiatives The Astar Foundation, together with its community, will continue to focus on the growth, innovation, and value of the Astar L1. In addition, it will actively seek to broaden the application of ASTR across the Soneium by proposing plans that add further utility to the token which aligns and meets the demand of the majority of holders.

4. Future Rewards for ASTR Holders While we cannot explicitly state it, we are positioning ASTR in such a way that our community and new holders will see the potential benefits of holding ASTR, especially with the potential future initiatives and opportunities within the Soneium during this first Evolution Phase.

5. Liquidity Provision and Incentives We will create joint liquidity pools (e.g., ASTR-ETH, ASTR-USDC) on Soneium’s DeFi platforms, offering high-yield farming rewards to incentivize participation.

6. Staking Programs DeFi Liquid Staking projects are preparing to welcome ASTR users to stake their tokens on Soneium L2, offering rewards and enhancing the utility and value of ASTR.

7. Growth Initiatives Joint campaigns between Soneium and Astar will highlight the benefits of using ASTR within Soneium’s DeFi ecosystem, driving awareness and adoption.

In summary, ASTR is set to become a pivotal ecosystem token, capturing the growth and success not only of Astar L1 but also that of Soneium. Soneium shows the biggest appreciation for Astar Network, Astar zkEVM, and the Astar community, especially for our early contribution and support for this transition by presenting Astar as a special partner, not just one of the launch partners. We can expect the Astar community and stakeholders to be rewarded well by Soneium for this transition and continuous support for Astar and Soneium to make GM happen.

Let’s Go Mainstream together!

Other Key Benefits

The transition to Soneium L2 is underpinned by several strategic objectives designed to create a win-win scenario for both Astar Network and its community. Here are the core benefits:

1. Leveraging Sony's Ecosystem Sony's extensive reach across various industries provides unique opportunities for the Astar ecosystem through Soneium L2. From gaming to entertainment, finance to consumer electronics, Soneium L2 is set to be at the heart of a multitude of innovative applications, driving adoption and engagement.

2. Community Empowerment Our community has always been at the core of our success. With Soneium L2, we are creating more opportunities for our existing user base, allowing them to be early adopters and key participants in the new projects and dApps that will emerge.

3. Astar Network L2 Innovation By tapping into Astar Network's capabilities on Polkadot and Soneium L2, developers gain the power to build innovative applications that seamlessly bridge these two dynamic ecosystems. This integration allows for innovative applications that combine the strengths of both layers, offering new possibilities for cross-chain functionality and user experiences. To enhance interoperability, we are incorporating Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) and LayerZero between Astar Network and Soneium L2.

This will facilitate seamless cross-chain interactions, enabling developers to create robust and scalable dApps that operate smoothly across different blockchain environments. Both the Astar Foundation and Soneium teams will be looking for impactful innovation on this front. A large and substantial fund will be solely dedicated to bootstrapping these builds and activities. We invite all serious builders/teams to start ideating and watch for news of this after the Soneium L2 launch.

Technical Execution of Transitioning Astar zkEVM to Soneium L2

The transitioning of Astar zkEVM to Soneium L2 will be executed through a carefully planned technical strategy, ensuring minimal disruption and maximum benefit for our users and developers, who are using or building on Astar zkEVM.

Key Steps in the Execution:

1. Release User and Builder Guides When Soneium L2 is launched and the transition period starts, we will create clear guidelines for users and developers about how to migrate everything to Soneium L2. User’s who have bought NFTs with utility or assets released on Astar zkEVM shouldn’t worry about losing them. All main projects on Astar zkEVM have already been informed about the launch of Soneium L2 and the transitioning. We will continue to provide guidance and support to these projects to ensure a seamless migration process.

2. Disable Deposits We will disable deposits to Astar zkEVM across all portals, including our native bridge, Stargate, Bifrost, LayerSwap, Relay.link, and Owlto when Soneium L2 is publicly launched. This will prevent new assets from being bridged to Astar zkEVM, effectively halting any new activity on the chain. Withdrawal functions will have no impact at all, everyone will be able to initiate any withdrawal at any time.

3. Increase Batching/Sequencing Interval To minimize costs, we will increase the batching and sequencing interval for transactions on Astar zkEVM. This adjustment will significantly reduce the operational expenses associated with maintaining the chain.

4. Gradual Closure We will closely monitor the leftover liquidity on Astar zkEVM and decide the optimal time for a complete sunset. This approach ensures that all users have time to migrate their assets and that no assets are left stranded. In case the chain is shut down we will keep the explorer and history available for users tax fillings.

5. Enhance Security Measures By increasing the gas multiplier, we will prevent spam transactions and ensure that only necessary transactions, such as withdrawals, are processed. This measure will help maintain the integrity and security of the chain during the transition period.

6. Community Education and Communication A comprehensive communication plan will be implemented to educate the community about the rebranding process. This includes a detailed guidebook on how to withdraw liquidity, updates on the rebranding timeline, and ongoing support from our team. Everything will be live together with the launch of Soneium L2.

By following these technical steps, we will ensure a smooth transition from Astar zkEVM to Soneium L2, preserving the value and utility of the ASTR token while setting the stage for future growth and innovation within the Soneium.

Strategic Initiatives to Drive Value

To ensure the success of Astar Evolution Phase 1, we have outlined several strategic initiatives that will drive value and engagement within the Soneium L2 ecosystem:

1. Liquidity Provision and Incentives We will create joint liquidity pools (e.g., ASTR-ETH, ASTR-USDC) on Soneium’s DeFi platforms, offering high-yield farming rewards to incentivize participation.

2. Staking Programs DeFi Liquid Staking projects are preparing to welcome ASTR users to stake their tokens on Soneium L2, offering rewards and enhancing the utility and value of ASTR.

3. Co-Marketing Campaigns Joint marketing campaigns between Soneium and Astar will highlight the benefits of using ASTR within Soneium’s DeFi ecosystem, driving awareness and adoption.

Technical Roadmap and Milestones for Astar Network

As we advance into the latter half of 2024, our technical roadmap for Astar Network is geared toward achieving significant milestones that will solidify our foundation and drive innovation within the Soneium. Here are the key focus areas for Q3 and Q4:

1. On-Chain Governance Strengthening our on-chain governance framework is paramount. We will integrate the governance model into the Astar runtime, enabling community-driven decision-making. Current governance model is already available in our testnet and will be released later this year on Astar Network. This will ensure transparency and inclusivity, allowing ASTR holders to actively participate in shaping the future of the network and strategies regarding the ASTR token.

2. Polkadot-SDK Uplifting Keeping pace with the latest developments, we will uplift our Polkadot-SDK to incorporate new features and enhancements. This will not only improve the performance and security of our network but also ensure compatibility with the broader Polkadot ecosystem, facilitating smoother cross-chain interactions.

3. Safety and Emergency Handling We are committed to ensuring the security of our network. This includes integrating transaction-pause (tx-pause) and safe-mode pallets to handle emergencies effectively. These features will allow us to pause transactions and switch to a safe mode during critical situations, protecting the network from potential threats.

4. Async Backing Testing and Integration Async backing is a critical feature for enhancing the scalability and efficiency of our network. We will conduct thorough testing and integration of async backing to optimize block production and reduce latency. This will significantly boost the transaction throughput, making the network more responsive and capable of handling higher volumes of transactions.

5. Core Time Testing and Integration Another crucial milestone is the testing and integration of core time improvements. By optimizing core time, we aim to enhance the overall performance and efficiency of our network. This involves fine-tuning the processing times of transactions and blocks, ensuring faster and more reliable operations.

6. New JAM Model Research We will conduct in-depth research into the new JAM model. This innovative approach aims to revolutionize how transactions are processed, potentially reducing confirmation times to mere seconds. The insights gained from this research will inform future upgrades and optimizations, positioning Astar Network at the cutting edge of blockchain technology.

Our new roadmap will be built closer to the Soneium L2 mainnet that is under planning so that Astar acts as a gateway between Polkadot's cross-chain ecosystem and Ethereum with Sony’s power. Above roadmap items are created to gear things up.

Maarten Henskens, Head of Astar Foundation: "At Astar Network, we believe in the power of collaboration. By aligning with Soneium and transitioning Astar zkEVM, we are creating a more robust ecosystem that will drive innovation and adoption in the web3 space. Our commitment to our ASTR holders remains unchanged, and we will leverage Soneium to contribute to ASTR token value. This evolution is a testament to our dedication to delivering tangible value and expanding our reach."

Conclusion

Astar Evolution Phase 1 is a strategic move to ensure that the activities happening in Soneium accrue value to the Astar Network and its token. We are excited about the future and look forward to working closely with our community to achieve our shared vision of a decentralized, interconnected, and innovative web3 ecosystem.

Stay tuned for more updates, and join us in this transformative journey. Together, we will build a future where web3 technologies are seamlessly integrated into our daily lives, driving innovation and creating new opportunities for all.

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