Swell Transitions to OP Stack for Rollup Development

Swell, a liquid restaking protocol, has announced its strategic decision to switch to the OP Stack to develop its Layer 2 rollup, marking a significant shift from its earlier plans to utilize the Polygon CDK. This move aligns Swell with Optimism's Superchain ecosystem by introducing an optimistic rollup on the OP Stack. 1
Swell previously aimed to create a Layer 2 chain using Polygon’s chain development kit but sees this transition as a strategic move to better fit its goals. Despite moving away, Swell maintains a positive stance on the overarching ecosystem that Polygon is developing.
In collaboration with OP Labs, Swell will join forces with several other major players such as Coinbase’s Base and Kraken’s Ink within the Superchain ecosystem, which collectively aim to lower transaction costs for decentralized applications via optimistic rollups on Ethereum.
A distinguishing change in Swell's approach is the choice to implement ETH as the gas token instead of its previously designed rswETH, demonstrating adaptation to the Superchain’s unified structure. Further, a share of Swell’s sequencer revenue will be directed to the Optimism Collective, a DAO overseeing the ecosystem, ensuring shared benefits across the ecosystem.
Moreover, Swell's rollup proposes to integrate a restaking security model, known as proof of restake, aimed at bolstering security measures within the Superchain. Swell sees this as an evolution of its role, bringing enhanced restaking yields and security contributions to this expansive ecosystem.
Founded in 2023, Swell has rapidly evolved, currently managing over $1.3 billion in total value locked and continues expanding its liquid ETH staking and restaking offerings. It has also been proactive in its community engagement, recently sharing details about its upcoming governance token airdrop.
Swell's embrace of the OP Stack heralds a new chapter that could reshape its impact on Layer 2 solutions.