區塊鏈基礎設施的演變為大眾採用鋪平了道路

如果我們在撥號互聯網上停止，我們將永遠不會獲得Netflix，實時遊戲或云計算。

If we had stopped at dial-up internet, we’d never have gotten Netflix, real-time gaming, or cloud computing. The evolution of internet infrastructure paved the way for mass adoption. In the same way, Layer-3s are an inevitable evolution of blockchain infrastructure—removing friction, lowering costs, and making blockchain truly ready for mainstream users. Yet, critics continue to argue that they add unnecessary complexity.

如果我們在撥號互聯網上停止，我們將永遠不會獲得Netflix，實時遊戲或云計算。互聯網基礎設施的演變為大眾採用鋪平了道路。同樣，第3層是區塊鏈基礎架構的不可避免的演變 - 摩擦摩擦，降低成本並使區塊鍊為主流用戶做好了準備。然而，批評家繼續認為他們增加了不必要的複雜性。

This debate about the role of Layer-3s is an active one for us at Horizen Labs. The Horizen DAO has recently passed a vote to join the Base ecosystem—a pivotal governance decision that marks the beginning of Horizen’s transition to Base, Coinbase’s Layer 2 network, as an appchain specialized in privacy-preserving applications. We’re convinced by the Layer-3 thesis and believe that they represent the next evolution in blockchain scalability.

關於第三層的作用的爭論對於我們在水平實驗室中對我們來說是一個活躍的辯論。 Horizen Dao最近通過投票加入基本生態系統，這是一個關鍵的治理決定，標誌著Horizen向Base的開始，Coinbase的第2層網絡，作為專門從事隱私保護應用程序的AppChain。我們對第三層論文表示相信，並認為它們代表了區塊鏈可伸縮性的下一個演變。

Horizen’s move to Base isn’t just about following trends, it’s about recognizing that a more modular, interoperable blockchain stack is the key to driving real-world adoption. We’re not just theorizing; we’re building.

Hixen的轉移到基礎不僅僅是遵循趨勢，還要認識到一個更模塊化的可互操作區塊鏈堆棧是推動現實世界採用的關鍵。我們不僅僅是理論化；我們正在建造。

The History

歷史

For crypto to reach a billion users, transactions need to be fast, cheap, and seamless. Layer-3s aren’t an academic exercise—they’re a practical response to the fact that even Layer-2s aren’t cheap enough for mass adoption. They also optimize for special features that are not currently possible on Layer-1s and Layer-2s—such as enhanced ZK capabilities.

要使加密貨幣吸引十億用戶，交易需要快速，便宜且無縫。第三層不是一項學術練習，他們對以下事實是一種實際的回應：即使是第2層也不足以供大眾採用。他們還針對當前第1層和第2層（例如增強的ZK功能）中目前無法使用的特殊功能進行了優化。

Fundamentally, they address a core problem: If Ethereum (Layer-1) is expensive, Layer-2s help by processing transactions off-chain and only committing final state proofs to Layer-1. Layer-3s take this further by settling on Layer-2s instead of directly on Ethereum, creating a hierarchical model that minimizes costs at each level.

從根本上講，它們解決了一個核心問題：如果以太坊（第1層）很昂貴，則第2層通過處理交易後的鍊鍊，僅對第1層進行最終狀態證明來幫助。第3層通過在第2層而不是直接在以太坊上定位，從而創建了一個層次模型，該模型可最大程度地減少每個級別的成本。

Layer-3s emerged naturally as blockchain architects sought greater efficiencies. StarkWare first outlined the concept in late 2021 under the term “fractal scaling.” Vitalik Buterin explored Layer-3 designs in 2022, suggesting specialized purposes beyond simple scaling. By 2023, major Ethereum scaling teams began implementing Layer-3 frameworks. Arbitrum introduced Orbit for launching Layer-3 “Orbit chains.” Matter Labs released ZK Stack for building zk-rollups as either Layer-2s or Layer-3s. These developments have pushed Layer-3s from theory to practice.

當區塊鏈架構師尋求更大的效率時，第3層自然出現。 Starkware首先在2021年末以“分形縮放”一詞概述了該概念。 Vitalik Buterin在2022年探索了第3層設計，提出了超越簡單縮放的專業用途。到2023年，主要的以太坊縮放團隊開始實施3層框架。仲裁引入了用於啟動3層“軌道鏈”的軌道。 Matter Labs發布了ZK堆棧，用於構建ZK滾動為2層或3層。這些發展將第3層從理論推向實踐。

Not Everyone Is a Fan

不是每個人都是粉絲

Critics argue several points against Layer-3s: many believe Layer-2 solutions haven’t reached full maturity yet, and making Layer-3s is premature. Some argue they add complexity. But great technology is about making complexity invisible to users—just like the internet did. Some view Layer-3s as redundant, arguing their goals could be achieved by optimizing Layer-2 solutions.

評論家認為對第三層的幾個要點：許多人認為，第2層解決方案尚未完全成熟，製作3層是為時過早。有人認為它們增加了複雜性。但是，偉大的技術是使用戶變得複雜性，就像互聯網一樣。一些將第3層視為冗餘，認為他們的目標可以通過優化2層解決方案來實現。

However, a crucial realization is emerging that makes Layer-3s even more timely: even Layer-2s, built to enable faster, cheaper transactions, might still fall short. In some cases, a Layer-3 can abstract costs even further, ensuring near-zero gas fees. This cost abstraction is vital. Blockchain adoption requires transactions that are nearly free to the end user, and Layer-3s provide precisely this capability.

但是，出現了一個關鍵的認識，使第3層更加及時：即使是為了使更快，更便宜的交易構建的第2層，也可能仍然不足。在某些情況下，第3層可以進一步抽象成本，從而確保接近零的汽油費。此成本抽象至關重要。區塊鏈的採用要求最終用戶幾乎免費的交易，並且第3層提供了此功能。

That brings a chain-abstracted future closer. Ultimately, that is better for onboarding new users, better for liquidity, and better for incentivizing the building of new dApps onchain. When users can transact without worrying about gas fees, adoption accelerates. Developers can build applications that wouldn’t be economically viable on higher-fee networks, and liquidity flows more freely when not constrained by transaction costs. The entire ecosystem benefits.

這使未來的鏈條吸收更加緊密。最終，這對入職用戶來說是更好的選擇，更適合流動性，並且更好地激勵建造新的Dapps Onchain。當用戶可以交易而不必擔心汽油費時，採用會加速。開發人員可以構建在高費網絡上在經濟上不可行的應用程序，而在不受交易成本限制的情況下，流動性會更加自由。整個生態系統受益。

But abstraction isn’t just about cost savings; it’s also about usability and customization.

但是抽像不僅僅是節省成本；這也與可用性和自定義有關。

Customization and Connectivity

自定義和連接性

Layer-3s are also a natural response to the fear of ecosystem isolation. Chains don’t want to be siloed. Standalone Layer-1 blockchains face significant challenges: they must bootstrap their own security, attract users from scratch, and build an entirely new infrastructure. Many “Ethereum killers” like Cardano, Fantom, or Tezos have discovered how difficult this journey can be.

第3層也是對生態系統隔離的恐懼的自然反應。連鎖店不想被孤立。獨立的第1層區塊鏈面臨重大挑戰：他們必須引導自己的安全性，吸引用戶從頭開始，並建立一個全新的基礎架構。 Cardano，Fantom或Tezos等許多“以太殺手”發現了這一旅程的困難。

Layer-3s offer an alternative path where chains can remain connected to established ecosystems while providing better customization options: this is where their true potential lies. Application-specific chains can optimize for their unique use cases, whether it’s zero-knowledge proofs, gaming, DeFi, social networks, or enterprise applications. They can implement custom virtual machines, consensus mechanisms, or privacy features tailored to their needs, all while staying connected to the broader ecosystem, benefiting from its liquidity and security.

第3層提供了一種替代路徑，可以在其中連接到建立的生態系統，同時提供更好的自定義選項：這是它們真正的潛在位置。特定於應用程序的鏈可以針對其唯一用例進行優化，無論是零知識證明，遊戲，DEFI，社交網絡還是企業應用程序。他們可以實施自定義的虛擬機，共識機製或根據其需求量身定制的隱私功能，同時保持與更廣泛的生態系統的聯繫，從而受益於其流動性和安全性。

This blend of customization and connectivity makes these application-specific apps excel at what they do, ultimately benefiting the users.

自定義和連接性的這種融合使這些特定於應用程序的應用程序在它們的工作中表現出色，最終使用戶受益。

A Pathway to Abstraction

抽象的途徑

People may claim that Layer-3s make web3 too complicated, but there’s

人們可能聲稱3層使Web3太複雜了，但是有