An Interview With Mantle Network
In an exclusive interview with BitcoinWorld, we got the chance to speak with Joshua Cheong, Product Lead at Mantle
What is the main goal of Mantle Network, and how does it benefit users in the blockchain world?
To give some background, Mantle Network is an Ethereum Layer 2 (L2) scaling solution that fully supports Ethereum smart contracts and tooling – delivering the same functionality as Ethereum but with much cheaper transaction fees. Since our mainnet launch, we have grown to support over 260 decentralised applications (dApps) across all verticals, creating a diverse and thriving Web3 ecosystem.
Mantle’s goal is to bridge the gap between traditional finance and DeFi by building institutional-grade infrastructure. Having witnessed firsthand how traditional banking infrastructure struggles with the rapid pace of digital innovation, we’re building a platform that combines the best of both — the security and familiarity of TradFi with the efficiency and accessibility of blockchain technology.
Our focus is to become the premier liquidity chain for institutional-grade settlement and value transfer. In doing so, we aim to pave the way for next-generation banking in tandem with broader blockchain adoption.
Can you explain what zero-knowledge rollups are and why they are important for Mantle Network?
Zero-knowledge rollups (ZK rollups) represent a significant advancement in L2 technology, particularly for institutional use cases. It enhances scalability and efficiency by bundling multiple transactions off-chain and verifying them with cryptographic proofs to ensure maximum security. For Mantle Network, this technology is transformative.
By transitioning to a ZK validity rollup through Succinct’s SP1, Mantle is able to achieve chain finality in one hour — a 168x improvement over traditional optimistic rollup builds. This is particularly crucial for institutional users requiring fast, secure settlement. The combination of rapid finality and capital efficiencies available through the Mantle Ecosystem creates a conducive environment for large-scale asset movements.
Why did Mantle Network decide to switch from optimistic to zero-knowledge architecture?
While an optimistic rollup build served us well initially as a tried-and-tested scaling solution, the lengthy 7-day withdrawal period created friction for users who require rapid settlement capabilities. Shortening withdrawals would previously require third-party bridges that are much more capital inefficient as they require liquidity pools and high slippage. This is sufficient for retail use cases over small amounts of token value but for a real-world institution that is bringing in large amounts of capital, the architecture reaches a bottleneck as the cost of idle capital for 7 days is not acceptable for any traditional financial institution. Enter ZK scaling architecture, a pivotal upgrade in scaling technologies that use cryptographic proofs to instantly verify transactions, drastically reducing chain finality and improving user experience.
Fast finality through ZK validity proofs, while maintaining the cost efficiency inherent to rollups and Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) equivalence, allows developers to seamlessly leverage existing Ethereum tooling with transaction costs remaining at fractions of a cent.
More importantly, the switch synergistically aligns with Mantle’s vision of creating a liquidity chain tailored for institutional-grade asset settlement and value transfer. Institutions can move capital more efficiently and take advantage of market opportunities as they happen. With our proven expertise in invigorating promising web3 projects and enabling commercial success via extensive resources and support, Mantle’s collaboration with Succinct positions us to set a new benchmark for institutional-grade Ethereum scalability.
How does reducing transaction finality time to one hour make things better for users and developers?
For users, the reduced transaction finality time would mean that they are now able to move their assets between Mantle Network and Ethereum much faster — making trading more efficient, with improved market dynamics thanks to tighter spreads, lower slippage and optimised gas fees. This further broadens asset accessibility across the Mantle Ecosystem, giving users more options and access to Mantle-based assets such as mETH, cmETH and FBTC (valued over $3.7Bn) to proliferate across the wider decentralised finance (DeFi) domain.
As for developers, this translates to a smoother and more reliable operating environment for them to build and iterate their applications on Mantle Network. Improved interoperability opens up opportunities for cross-rollup and multi-chain initiatives, enhancing business economics and scale for sophisticated financial applications.
What role does Succinct’s SP1 technology play in Mantle Network’s upgrade?
Succinct’s SP1 is an open-source technology that creates efficient ZK proofs using programmer-friendly language (Rust language) and instruction set architecture (RISC-V). It is so performant such that upon release, it was multiple magnitudes more performant over the next best solution. Prior to the introduction of SP1, the use of ZK technology for scaling the Ethereum Virtual Machine was both extremely expensive and difficult to work with in-development. It required many compromises either by limiting the scope of the Ethereum Virtual Machine used or accepting a high level of operational costs. SP1 represents a “tipping point” in the industry that makes it possible to operate ZK provers efficiently at scale. If we assume Moore’s law to continue and that GPU/CPU hardware continues to cheapen, it will be likely that the rest of the industry will follow in our footsteps.
How will this upgrade make using Mantle Network faster, cheaper, and more secure?
At Mantle, we believe that continuous innovation is essential to driving the future of decentralized finance and creating a thriving ecosystem for builders and users. As we transition to a zero-knowledge (ZK) validity rollup, this upgrade will significantly enhance Mantle Network’s capabilities, achieving chain finality within one hour — a 168x improvement over existing bridging capabilities. Moreover, with secure 1-hour withdrawals, Mantle Network will enable better swap market spreads, lower slippage, better money markets, improved interest rates, and broader asset availability.
By integrating Mantle Network’s modular architecture, Eigen-DA powered data availability solution, and ZK proofs via SP1, the culmination of advanced scaling technologies keep transaction costs at fractions of a cent, even for complex institutional operations. This further creates a solid foundation for robust security via cryptographic proofs, ensuring institutional-grade security guarantees without compromising performance and efficiency gains.
What does this change mean for developers who want to build on Mantle Network?
For developers, this upgrade creates an optimal environment for building institutional-grade applications. The integration of SP1 technology reduces the complexity and cost of deploying and scaling highly-performant decentralized applications (dApps) while ensuring a seamless developer experience. Moreover, developers stand to benefit from Mantle’s extensive ecosystem support, including our $200M EcoFund, grants and robust technical infrastructure.
With faster transaction finality, lower gas fees, and enhanced security, developers can focus on innovation and functionality rather than operational limitations. Additionally, the network’s adherence to EVM standards ensures full compatibility with existing Ethereum tools and frameworks, enabling developers to leverage their expertise while accessing the advanced capabilities of Mantle Network.
How do you see Mantle Network’s innovations impacting the future of Ethereum and blockchain technology?
Mantle Network’s innovations, particularly through the integration of technologies like SP1, exemplify the transformative potential of Layer 2 solutions in advancing Ethereum’s ecosystem without compromising its core principles. By addressing scalability, cost-efficiency, and security, Mantle accelerates Ethereum’s adoption as the backbone of dApps and financial systems — proving that institutional-scale throughput is indeed possible on ETH-aligned Layer 2s. These advancements set a benchmark for the broader blockchain industry, supporting Ethereum’s roadmap through applied research for proposals like the Beam chain. Beam chain would be an upgrade to Ethereum’s core protocol and uses ZK technology for validators and staking services. By being the largest early-mover of ZK for scalability, we remain future-relevant in the long-term Ethereum roadmap while developing expertise to offer thought leadership for innovation across the broader Web3 industry.
