Starknet will melt faces... but why?
If you spend time in all Starknet-related spaces (dedicated TG/Discord servers, following all the Starknet schizos, etc.), you’ll hear everywhere that Starknet is about to melt faces.
But why, and how?
Here’s a quick article explaining my vision of why Starknet is currently in its best position ever, as well as the remaining bottlenecks (in my opinion) that we need to address to achieve real adoption.
1️⃣ Starknet is providing the best UX in the game
One of the main bottlenecks to crypto adoption right now is the shitty af UX. I can confidently say that Starknet offers the best UX in crypto on its layer. No, literally.
1-tx for everything: No need to execute 3 transactions to LP on an AMM, 2 to lend, or 2 to swap. Just one transaction is enough to do everything on Starknet.
Pay gas fees in multiple tokens: Starknet is the only chain that natively allows users to pay gas fees in two tokens (ETH and STRK). Additionally,
@avnu_fi's paymaster enables all Starknet dApps (if they integrate it) to let users pay gas fees in even more tokens—over 10 on AVNU and over 5 on @nostrafinance are currently available as gas fee tokens.
Signless fully onchain gaming sessions: Thanks to Session Keys, gamers on Starknet playing @ohayo_dojo-powered games don’t need to sign a single transaction during a gaming session, even when the games are fully onchain.
Gasless onchain gaming: Thanks to Paymasters, gamers playing (again) Dojo-powered games don’t need to pay gas fees while playing (for some games, not all), even when the games are fully onchain.
Passkeys: With @cartridge_gg Controller, gamers can easily create a wallet using Touch ID.
But let’s be critical for a moment: what do we need, in my opinion, to be even better?
1️⃣ zkLogin-like feature: Cartridge Controller is great, but we need this kind of easy onboarding to be available across the entire ecosystem (not just for gamers). zkLogin is an excellent way to onboard new users seamlessly by allowing them to create a wallet using Web2 credentials (Google, etc.).
2️⃣ Better bridge integrations: We need LayerZero integration + Stargate bridge, Hyperlane and Hyperlane-powered bridges (coming very very soon ⏳), Socket integration + Bungee bridge, Across, Jumper, and Mayan.
3️⃣ Improved CEX integrations: Starknet is already integrated with most major CEXs, but we need to enable users to deposit and withdraw to/from Starknet with all (not just 1–2) of the following tokens: ETH, STRK, USDC, and USDT.
4️⃣ Native integration of USDC (via Circle) and USDT
5️⃣ Native integration of EVM wallets (and others?) on Starknet: We already have @keplrwallet (the leading Cosmos wallet). Now we need native integration for MetaMask (Snap is here, but we need full native support), Phantom, and Rabby.
We’ve already tackled the most complicated part with all the Account Abstraction-based features available on Starknet. Now we (SNF/SW) are focusing on delivering these five key elements. Personally (just my POV), I believe most of these will be achieved during 2025.
2️⃣ Stack ready for max scaling
Before 2024, the Starknet stack was a significant bottleneck for builders—slow and extremely expensive to use. Now, the Starknet stack is the most advanced ZK stack on the market, representing a real asset and strength for developers and projects:
Over 800 TPS capacity (likely to exceed 1000 TPS, or even several thousand, by 2025).
Average gas fees: $0.02 (with further optimizations on the way).
Transaction speed: 2 seconds per transaction (with more improvements coming).
And even better news:
This means that projects can now follow the path of leaders like Sorare, dYdX (v1-v2-v3), ImmutableX, and Paradex, who have chosen our tech to become leaders in their respective sectors by leveraging the Starknet ecosystem’s scaling buffet to meet their needs:
✅ Build on the Starknet public chain for maximum composability.
✅ Build your own Starknet appchains as L2s for maximum flexibility and optimization of your own environment.
⏳ Build your own Starknet appchains as L3s to enjoy all the benefits of launching as L2s, but with even lower transaction costs and additional features.
What do we need, in my opinion, to make this even better?
1️⃣ Finally have the L3 building block ready: This is coming very soon (definitely in 2025).
2️⃣ A major project choosing the SN Stack: Once this happens, adoption will take off.
3️⃣ Further optimizations to increase TPS, transaction speed, and lower fees: These improvements are already part of the Starknet roadmap, and optimizations in these areas will continue indefinitely; can't stop won't stop anon.
3️⃣ Full Decentralization soon enough
Starknet is probably the L2 working hardest on security and decentralization.
✅ Leverages Ethereum’s security
✅ Quantum-resistant proving system (STARK)
✅ Migration toward further decentralization as a PoS chain has begun, with the first phase of staking now live
✅ A governance system already in place
✅ The most decentralized stack of all L2s—by far (see screenshot below)
And here’s what’s coming:
⌛ Implementing the Starknet Security Council (SNIP available on the Starknet forum).
⌛ Staking: Currently in Phase 1, with plans to advance to Phase 4 as quickly as possible. Phase 2 is expected in Q2 2025 (SNIP available on the Starknet forum). Just my two cents, but Phase 3 will probably come in Q4 2025, with the final phase in early 2026.
⏳ Leverage Bitcoin security (in addition to Ethereum).
What do we need, in my opinion, to be even better?
Simply implement the three points above.
4️⃣ Unique dApps and features
Our ecosystem is not a copy-paste of others. Starknet dApps offer truly unique features:
Only L2 with a permissionless staking contract
@argentHQ and @myBraavos (most advanced smart contract wallets): Offering unique features such as 2FA, 3FA, daily spending limits, and more.
@avnu_fi (DEX aggregator): Onchain DCA feature.
@LayerAkira (CLOB DEX): Access to deep liquidity from market makers.
@OpusMoney: First DeFi protocol (as far as I know) with real-life insurance for users in case of hacks or issues.
@tradeparadex (Starknet appchain focused on Perp/option trading): Equivalent to Hyperliquid but with unique features like perpetual options trading.
@EkuboProtocol (most advanced AMM in the space): Onchain DCA feature and limit orders.
@vesuxyz (most UX-friendly money market): Multiply feature for easily creating looping strategies in one click.
@strkfarm (yield farming): One-click looping strategies on ETH, USDC, STRK, xSTRK.
@RaizeClub (Prediction market): One-click betting with multiple assets.
@NimboraIntern (L1 yield farming): One-click L1 farming strategies directly from Starknet.
@influenceth (gaming): A game inspired by Ogame, Eve Online, and Stellaris.
@RealmsEternum (gaming): A game inspired by Age of Empires, Civilization, and Travian.
@Blobarena (gaming): A Pokémon-inspired game.
@JokersOfNeon (gaming): The go-to game for poker lovers.
@ForcePrime_io (gaming): A game inspired by Heroes of Might and Magic.
AI agents x Gaming on fire: See this and more exciting developments coming: See this.
What do we need, in my opinion, to be even better?
More liquidity.
More tokens to trade within the ecosystem.
Adding the few basic DeFi dApps we lack, such as a ve(3,3) DEX.
A synthetic trading platform (maybe a solution to easily bring more tokens to trade on Starknet).
Integration of OG DeFi protocols (like AAVE).
5️⃣ Ecosystem growth
In 2024, Starknet is:
Total TVL on its layer: Growing from $140M to ~$1B, a ~600% increase.
DeFi TVL: Growing from $35M to $240M, a ~600% increase.
Developers: More and more developers are exploring and building on Starknet.
User-centric projects: Increasing by 168%, from 72 projects to 193.
2023 ecosystem 👇
Now 👇
What do we need, in my opinion, to be even better? The same points mentioned above:
Facilitate onboarding and accessibility of Starknet.
Better DevX.
zkLogin.
More liquidity.
More tokens to trade within the ecosystem.
Basic dApps that are missing, such as a ve(3;3) DEX.
A synthetic trading platform.
Integration of OG DeFi protocols (like AAVE).
More projets, more builders, more use cases, more more more and more
6️⃣ Roadmap: a crazy and ambitious one
Starknet is likely the L2 delivering the most optimization upgrades in the space. Here’s what’s coming in just the next few months:
Stateful Compression: Blob usage is a major issue and debate within the Ethereum community right now. While most L2s are waiting for Ethereum to increase blob capacity, Starknet has taken a proactive approach by optimizing blob gas usage on its layer: https://x.com/Starknet_OG/status/1880589311726469477. ELI5: Even if blob prices skyrocket, Starknet gas fees will remain much lower than other L2s.
Cairo-Native: Improving Starknet Sequencer performance by 3–5x.
Mempool - Fee Market: Improving user experience on Starknet by allowing users to compete for priority execution of their transactions by the sequencer (the more you pay gas fees, the faster your transaction is executed)
Stwo (Next-Gen Starknet Prover): This new prover will be 1,000x faster than the current Starknet prover, making it the fastest prover on the market. ELI5: Faster and cheaper STARK proofs, great for our Bitcoin-related projects, reducing costs on Starknet, and introducing new unique features like client-side proving.
Staking Phase 2: Bringing more responsibilities to STRK validators and moving closer to full decentralization.
On a longer timeline:
Protocol-level Paymaster: Facilitating the implementation of multiple gas fee tokens natively (in addition to ETH and STRK).
L3: Expanding offerings and options for builders and projects looking to use the Starknet Stack for their needs.
Volition: Allowing Starknet projects to choose their data availability layer—Ethereum for maximum security at higher costs or alternative solutions for cheaper fees but slightly reduced security. This is ideal for use cases like gaming.
Bitcoin scaling: In addition to Ethereum, this brings huge advantages for the Ethereum, Bitcoin, and Starknet communities. More about it here.
And much more.
What do we need, in my opinion, to be even better?
The engineering team at StarkWare is based af, has massive brains and is absolutely cracked (unlike me, a simple retarded guy). They’re working fast and consistently addressing user and developer feedback, so I don’t have any recommendations to add here.
Conclusion
In conclusion, three years of hard decisions have brought Starknet to a point where the Starknet stack is no longer a bottleneck for builders and projects but a true advantage for them.
Once the remaining bottlenecks are resolved—the ones I mentioned in this thread (and most of them will be addressed this year)—the Starknet ecosystem will literally take over.
Not just on Bitcoin, but also on Ethereum.
You are not ready.
NFA, DYOR.
