Avalanche9000: Big Upgrade, Muted Hype
Avalanche9000, otherwise known as the Etna upgrade, went live this week. We consider whether it is likely to revitalize Avalanche's image and help it recapture market share in the L1 sector.
Preview
TLDR
- Avalanche9000, otherwise known as AvalancheGo's Etna upgrade, went live this week. It aims to bring enhanced scalability, lower costs, and new features for developers.
- The upgrade focuses on improving the network's multi-chain architecture (X-Chain, C-Chain, and P-Chain) and consists of a series of approved Avalanche Community Proposals (ACPs) to improve various elements of the network.
- Primarily, the upgrade eliminates the requirement for validators to stake 2,000 AVAX (~$96,000), replacing it with a continuous fee system. This lowers barriers to entry for new validators and L1 chains (previously known as subnets) building on Avalanche.
- Retro9000 is a $40 million retroactive funding program to reward impactful projects building on Avalanche. Unlike upfront funding models, Retro9000 rewards developers after they demonstrate significant value and adoption.
- The technical upgrade is solid, but we speculate on how successful Avalanche9000 will be in boosting Avalanche's market position.
