Stake OP

1. What Is Optimism (OP)?

Optimism (OP) is a layer-two blockchain on top of Ethereum. Optimism benefits from the security of the Ethereum mainnet and helps scale the Ethereum ecosystem by using optimistic rollups. That means transactions are trustlessly recorded on Optimism but ultimately secured on Ethereum. Optimism is one of the biggest scaling solutions for Ethereum with over $500 million in TVL. It is home to 97 protocols, the biggest being Synthetix (SNX), a derivatives exchange, Uniswap (UNI), a DEX, and Velodrome (VELO), an AMM. Users can begin their journey on Optimism by adding the chain on their Metamask and bridging tokens like ETH to the L2. On May 31, 2022, Optimism conducted a highly anticipated airdrop of its OP token.

2. Who Are the Founders of Optimism?

Optimism is led by the Optimism Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to growing the Optimism ecosystem. Similar to Ethereum, Optimism aims to become a fully decentralized public good that is not profit-oriented. Optimism is completely funded by donations and grants, and pledges to produce infrastructure that promotes the growth and sustainability of public goods.

3. What Makes Optimism Unique?

Optimism is designed around four core tenets: * Simplicity * Pragmatism * Sustainability * Optimism Optimism aims for the minimum number of moving parts while building a layer-two solution for Ethereum. In practice, this means using proven Ethereum code and infrastructure when possible. Optimism thus aims to keep its code as simple as possible and work directly with existing codebases. The ecosystem further emphasizes pragmatism and is driven by the real-world needs and constraints of its own team and the users engaging with the ecosystem. Hence, Optimism aims to build iteratively and implement features like EVM equivalence gradually. Optimism's design process is built around the idea of long-term sustainability and not taking shortcuts to scalability. That is why it uses optimistic rollups and takes advantage of the consensus mechanism of Ethereum to scale the network. Blocks are constructed and executed on the L2 (Optimism), while user transactions are batched up and submitted to the L1 (Ethereum). The L2 has no mempool, and transactions are immediately accepted or rejected. This guarantees a smooth user experience while ensuring security through the Ethereum consensus mechanism. Transactions are submitted to Ethereum without direct proof of validity and can be challenged for a certain period of time (currently seven days). After that, a transaction is considered final. That is why withdrawals from Optimism to Ethereum take seven days to complete.

4. How Many Optimism (OP) Coins Are There in Circulation?

Optimism aims to create an ecosystem, where value is generated for its three constituencies: * Token holders receive value through the productive re-deployment of sequencer revenue. * Contributors and builders receive value from retroactive public goods funding. * Users and community members receive value from ongoing airdrops and project incentives. In short, demand for OP block space generates revenue, which is distributed to public goods, which drives more demand for blockspace. That is why Optimism's token allocation looks as follows: * Ecosystem fund (25%): split between the governance fund (5.4%), the partner fund (5.4%), the seed fund (5.4%), and unallocated (8.8%). * Retroactive Public Goods Funding (20%) * User airdrops (19%): split into a first airdrop of 5% and subsequent airdrops yet to be announced. * Core contributors (19%): people who help bring the Optimism Collective from concept to reality * Investors (17%) The initial token supply is 4,294,967,296 OP tokens, at an inflation rate of 2% a year. In Year 1, 30% of the initial token supply will be made available to the Foundation for distribution. After the first year, token holders will vote to determine the Foundation's annual OP distribution budget. The Foundation expects to seek the following annual allocations: * Year 2: 15% of the initial token supply * Year 3: 10% of the initial token supply * Year 4: 4% of the initial token supply

5. How Is the Optimism Network Secured?

Optimism utilizes optimistic rollups. Optimistic Rollups (ORs) can trustlessly record transactions on the second-layer blockchain and broadcast periodic merkle roots of the transactions to the first-layer blockchain. External validators verify these merkle roots, which delays withdrawing funds from layer-twos running on optimistic rollups (usually by one week).

6. Where Can You Buy Optimism (OP)?

OP is available on Binance, Huobi, KuCoin, Gate.io, Bybit and Coinbase.

7. Related Pages:

Check out Polygon (MATIC) — another layer-two blockchain for Ethereum. Check out Avalanche (AVAX) — an EVM-compatible layer-one blockchain. Read our deep dive into tokenization and Ethereum scaling. Get the latest crypto news and latest trading insights with CoinMarketCap Alexandria.

8. What is Blockchain?

Blockchain is a decentralized and distributed ledger technology that securely records transactions across multiple computers in a verifiable and permanent way. It forms the underlying technology for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and enables transparency, security, and immutability.

9. What is Cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual form of currency that uses cryptography for security. It operates on decentralized networks, typically based on blockchain technology, and facilitates secure and transparent peer-to-peer transactions.

10. What is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is the first and most well-known cryptocurrency, created in 2009 by an anonymous person or group known as Satoshi Nakamoto. It operates on a decentralized peer-to-peer network and is used for secure, transparent, and censorship-resistant transactions.

11. What is the difference between Bitcoin and Altcoins?

Bitcoin is the original and most widely recognized cryptocurrency, while altcoins refer to any other cryptocurrencies besides Bitcoin. Examples of altcoins include Ethereum, Ripple (XRP), Litecoin (LTC), and many others.

12. What is Staking?

Staking involves participants locking up a certain amount of cryptocurrency in a wallet to support the operations of a blockchain network. It is commonly associated with proof-of-stake (PoS) and delegated proof-of-stake (DPoS) consensus mechanisms, where participants receive rewards for helping secure the network.

13. How Can I Stake Cryptocurrency?

To stake cryptocurrency, you typically need to choose a platform or network that supports staking. Transfer your tokens to a compatible wallet, follow the staking instructions provided by the platform, and lock up the desired amount of cryptocurrency. Once staked, you may start earning rewards.

14. What Are Staking Rewards and How Are They Calculated?

Staking rewards are incentives provided to participants who lock up their cryptocurrency to support the network. The amount of rewards varies and is influenced by factors such as the network's inflation rate, the total amount staked, and the specific rules of the staking protocol.

15. Can I Unstake My Cryptocurrency at Any Time?

The ability to unstake and withdraw your cryptocurrency depends on the specific staking protocol and network. Some platforms may have lock-up periods or unbonding periods during which your staked tokens are inaccessible. Always check the terms and conditions of the staking service.

16. What are the Risks of Staking?

Staking comes with risks, including the potential loss of staked funds if a participant behaves maliciously or fails to fulfill their responsibilities. Market volatility can also impact the value of staked tokens. It's crucial to thoroughly research the staking protocol and understand the associated risks.

17. Can I Lose Money by Staking?

While staking is designed to be a rewarding activity, there is a risk of losing money, especially if the value of the staked cryptocurrency decreases or if the staking protocol encounters security issues. It's important to consider both the potential rewards and risks before participating in staking.