Whitechain Moves to Ethereum Layer 2 on Optimism's OP Stack, Keeping WBT as Gas Token
Key Takeaways
- •Whitechain is migrating from a standalone proof-of-authority Layer 1 operated by WhiteBIT to an Ethereum Layer 2 built on Optimism's OP Stack.
- •The developer mainnet launched on Monday, and the public mainnet launch is scheduled for later in November, marking the first test with real users and applications.
- •User addresses, balances, and smart contracts transfer unchanged in the migration, and WBT continues to serve as the gas token for paying transaction fees.
- •Whitechain runs as its own chain under the OP Enterprise Self-Managed model, receiving Mission Critical support from the Optimism Foundation and technical support from OP Labs.
- •The migration, first announced in August, places Whitechain among a growing set of exchange-backed chains on the OP Stack, such as Coinbase's Base and Kraken's Ink, whose Layer 2s inherit Ethereum's security.
Whitechain Moves to Ethereum Layer 2 on Optimism's OP Stack, Keeping WBT as Gas Token
Whitechain, the blockchain of W Group and sister network to the WhiteBIT exchange, is moving from a standalone Layer 1 to an Ethereum Layer 2 built on the OP Stack with @Optimism. The developer mainnet went live on Monday, and the public launch is planned for later in November.
The chain's balances, contracts and addresses carry over unchanged in the migration, and $WBT remains the gas token. According to Optimism's announcement, Whitechain runs its own chain under the OP Enterprise Self-Managed model, with Mission Critical support from the Optimism Foundation and technical support from its subcontractor, OP Labs.
What Changes and What Stays the Same
@Whitechain_io was previously a proof-of-authority Layer 1 operated by WhiteBIT, a consensus model in which transactions are validated by a limited set of approved operators. Under the self-managed model, the network continues to run as its own chain while building on Optimism's open-source technology.
$WBT, the native token of the WhiteBIT ecosystem, continues to serve as the gas asset used to pay transaction fees on the migrated network.
For users, the practical picture is continuity: the same addresses, balances and contracts they held on the Layer 1 remain in place on the Layer 2, with fees still paid in $WBT.
Background to the Migration
The move was first announced in August. The OP Stack is open-source and MIT-licensed, and it powers Optimism's Superchain, a network of Layer 2 chains that includes exchange-backed projects such as Coinbase's Base and Kraken's Ink. Optimism notes that Whitechain joins a growing group of exchange-backed chains building on the framework.
Ethereum Layer 2 networks built on the OP Stack inherit Ethereum's security, processing transactions on their own chains while posting data back to the Ethereum mainnet.
The public mainnet launch will be the first test of how the new infrastructure performs with real users and applications. With that rollout planned for later in November, it stands as the next milestone to watch as the migration moves from developers to the broader public.
Sources
- CryptoNewsNet — Whitechain Moves to Ethereum Layer 2 on Optimism's OP Stack
- BSC News — Whitechain Optimism OP Stack Layer 2
