Some time ago, the crypto world was rocked by great euphoria regarding Layer 2 (L2) solutions, especially in the Ethereum ecosystem. At that time, various L2 projects such as Optimism, Arbitrum, zkSync, and StarkNet were widely discussed because they promised solutions to the problems of scalability and high gas fees on the main network (Layer 1).

The crazy days of L2 were a time when developers, investors, and communities competed to adopt and develop the L2 ecosystem. Many users moved to L2 networks for transaction efficiency, and many also hoped to get incentives or airdrops from these projects. We also saw an explosion of DApps and DeFi activities that began to migrate or even exclusively built on L2 solutions.

However, behind the euphoria, various challenges also emerged—from technical complexity, security issues, to the need for education for new users. Not all L2s managed to maintain their hype, and we began to realize that long-term adoption requires more than just promises of fast and cheap transactions.

This flashback reminds us that in crypto, hype can come quickly, but what survives are projects with strong fundamentals, solid teams, and active communities. L2 remains a critical component of Ethereum’s future, but its approach is now much more realistic and focused on sustainability.