Celo Officially Becomes an Ethereum Layer 2

DAOs Celo Celo Theresa Ejiogu April 2, 2025 0 Comments

As of March 26, 2025, Celo is now operating as an Ethereum Layer 2. This transition represents a significant milestone for the Celo network and a major advancement in its long-standing alignment with Ethereum’s values, vision, and future.

By evolving into a Layer 2 solution secured by Ethereum and built on the Optimism OP Stack, Celo now benefits from Ethereum’s robust security, developer ecosystem, and tooling. This shift also reinforces its role in the broader initiative to scale Ethereum for real-world applications.

Built on Ethereum, for Ethereum

The transition was a strategic decision reflecting a strong commitment to Ethereum’s future.

Celo has moved from being an independent, EVM-compatible Layer 1 to a fully integrated Ethereum Layer 2. Rebuilt using the Optimism OP Stack, it is now secured by Ethereum and leverages EigenDA for scalable and cost-efficient data availability.

This transformation preserves the core attributes that have distinguished Celo—such as fast finality, usability, and a focus on real-world applications—while aligning with Ethereum’s technical standards and long-term roadmap.

Key Highlights of the Upgrade

Ethereum Security – Celo transactions are now anchored to Ethereum, inheriting its well-established consensus and decentralization.
1-Second Block Times – Transactions are processed faster, with near-instant confirmations.
No Regenesis Required – The full chain history has been preserved, ensuring a seamless transition for users, developers, and explorers.
Massive Tech Debt Reduction – Over 365,000 lines of legacy code were removed between Celo’s original client and Ethereum’s geth.
Trustless Upgrade Path – Node operators were able to migrate without resynchronization, using trustless data conversion tools.

With this transition, Celo is now fully integrated as an Ethereum Layer 2—architecturally, within the ecosystem, and in alignment with its mission.

Why This Matters

This upgrade extends beyond performance and scalability; it strengthens alignment with Ethereum’s vision.

By becoming a true Ethereum Layer 2, Celo now:

Adheres to a shared roadmap centered on rollups and modular scalability.
Achieves deeper composability with Ethereum-native applications and protocols.
Enables developers to access the full suite of Ethereum tools and libraries.
Establishes the CELO asset as native on Ethereum, with expanded presence and liquidity through bridging.

The cLabs team has consistently recognized Ethereum as the strongest foundation for web3. With this integration, Celo is now contributing directly to Ethereum’s growth—not as an external participant, but from within its ecosystem.

What’s Next for Celo L2

With the mainnet now live, further development efforts continue:

Developer Support – Focus remains on assisting builders in deploying, optimizing, and integrating with the new L2 architecture.
Community Calls – Weekly calls continue to provide guidance to developers and partners as they onboard and scale.
Path to Stage 1 – Upcoming efforts include the implementation of fraud-proof enhancements, refinement of exit mechanisms, and continued progress toward decentralization as a mature Layer 2.

A Collective Achievement

This milestone was made possible through the dedication and collaboration of the Celo community. From engineers who restructured the client, to validators who upgraded testnets, and builders and partners who stress-tested every phase—each contribution played a crucial role in this achievement.