Israeli firm StarkWare has deployed the Quantum Leap upgrade on its testnet, aiming to significantly enhance the throughput of its Ethereum layer-2 scaling protocol, Starknet. The latest version claims to process “hundreds of transactions per second,” representing a 50X improvement over its current throughput. While actual real-world usage is yet to be seen, the upgrade could revolutionize decentralized scaling networks.
Starknet’s Version 12 upgrade introduces enhancements that harmonize the interaction of the sequencer’s code with the Cairo programming language. With an expected “time to inclusion” of under 15 seconds after going live on the mainnet, DApps will be able to confirm transactions on-chain within seconds. During testing, the upgrade has already achieved “triple figures” in transaction processing, as stated by co-founder Uri Kolodny.
L2Beat reports that Starknet currently processes around 1.79 TPS, suggesting a potential 56X or greater improvement in transaction speed through the Quantum Leap upgrade. This performance would surpass other Ethereum layer-2 solutions, including OP mainnet, zkSync Era, Arbitrum One, and even Ethereum itself.
However, it’s essential to note that while impressive, Starknet’s TPS figures still pale in comparison to other networks like Solana and Visa. Capacity and usage are distinct factors, meaning the protocol may not achieve 100 TPS if there is insufficient demand from users. Nonetheless, the upgrade allows for more complex transactions with multiple calls and separate contract logic, resulting in a notable increase in Cairo steps per second.
Addressing the data availability problem faced by ZK rollups, Starknet plans to introduce the Version 13 Volition upgrade. Anticipated by the end of the quarter, it will offer granular control to users, enabling them to store high-value data on Ethereum while less crucial information is stored elsewhere. This step aims to reduce fees by 85%, facilitating low-cost micropayments and fast blockchain gaming.
The Quantum Leap upgrade signifies a groundbreaking moment for blockchains as a whole, showcasing the feasibility of scaling in a secure manner using STARKs (Scalable Transparent Arguments of Knowledge). Federico Carrone, founder of LambdaClass, emphasizes that this release opens up possibilities for new applications on top of blockchains that were previously unimaginable.
StarkWare’s validity proof ZK scaling technology has already facilitated over $1 trillion in transactions, further cementing the potential impact of their layer-2 solution. With the forthcoming implementation of EIP4844 on Layer 1, Starknet aims to lower costs even more, solidifying its position as a leading Ethereum scaling solution.