Ethereums Interop Layer is live on testnet, a step toward letting people use Layer 2 (L2) rollups as if they were one network. The goal: move tokens, mint NFTs, and trade across L2s without switching networks or trusting separate bridges.
Why this matters
Today, Ethereums L2 world is fragmented. Users juggle multiple networks, gas tokens, and bridges. That adds cost, confusion, and risk. Bridge hacks have been some of cryptos largest losses. If the Interop Layer works, everyday activity could feel like using a single chain, with fewer hoops and fewer third-party services in the middle.
Whats new in the design
A post from Yoav Weiss of Ethereums Account and Chain Abstraction team outlined how the Ethereum Interop Layer (EIL) aims to unify the user experience across rollups.
- One interface for many L2s: Wallets and apps build once and reach any compatible rollup.
- No manual network switching: Cross-rollup actions happen from one place.
- Fewer custom integrations: Dapps dont need to wire up to every L2 separately.
Marissa Posner from the Ethereum Foundations product team said the initial version targets any EVM-compatible rollup that settles to Ethereum L1 and exposes a canonical bridge. In simple terms, if an L2 already works like Ethereum and posts its data back to Ethereum, its likely eligible.
How youll use it
Wallets will connect through an Interop Layer software kit (SDK) or a coming token standard called ERC-5792. Two common wallet types will hook in differently:
- ERC-4337 smart wallets (account abstraction) add a multichain validation module.
- EOA wallets (the classic MetaMask-style accounts) can delegate using EIP-7702 to a compatible module from the Ethereum Foundation.
For users, that could mean sending a token on one L2 and receiving it on another in a single flowwithout thinking about bridges or RPC endpoints.
Whats available today
The team says EIL is open for public testing on testnet as of November 18. A mainnet rollout will follow feedback, audits, and more testing. To kickstart experiments, the group is offering $6,000 in bounties at ETHGlobal Buenos Aires (Nov. 2123).
Early participants include Ambire, which has EIL in its public codebase and plans mainnet support, and a demo app called Stitch, a live cross-chain dapp aggregator.
How it compares
Many projects chase the same goal of chain abstractionmaking many networks feel like one. Cosmos uses IBC for chain-to-chain messaging. Optimisms Superchain vision links OP Stack chains under one umbrella. Cross-chain routers like Chainlink CCIP and other messaging layers focus on moving data and value between networks. EILs angle is Ethereum-native: it leans on EVM standards, rollup settlement on Ethereum, and wallet-level changes to simplify the path across L2s.
What this could change
- Better UX: Fewer clicks and fewer networks to manage should lower the barrier for newcomers.
- Lower integration cost: Wallets and apps maintain one connection point instead of many.
- Security posture: Relying less on ad-hoc bridges may reduce a major source of exploits, though formal audits and time in production will be crucial.
Open questions
- Adoption: Will major wallets and top L2s add support quickly?
- Standards: Can ERC-5792 and EIP-7702 gain broad buy-in?
- Edge cases: How does it handle failed transactions or congestion across multiple rollups at once?
The market backdrop
Ethereum remains the largest smart contract platform, with more than $72.5 billion in total value locked in Decentralized Finance (DeFi), according to DefiLlama. Ether (ETH) trades near $3,000 with a market value around $364 billion. A smoother path across rollups could help more of that activity shift to L2s, where fees are lower and apps are growing.
What to watch next
- Developer traction during the testnet phase and at hackathons.
- Security reviews and audit reports before mainnet.
- Announcements from major wallets, exchanges, and leading rollups about planned support.
If EIL reaches mainnet with broad adoption, using Ethereum across many L2s could feel as simple as tapping a single send buttonexactly the kind of experience crypto needs to go mainstream.