Whitechain, part of the global fintech ecosystem W Group, is relaunching as an Ethereum Layer 2 network that aims to combine blockchain infrastructure with the distribution capabilities of an established cryptocurrency and financial ecosystem. The initiative is backed by W Group, which says it reaches more than 40 million users globally, and by WhiteBIT, a cryptocurrency exchange serving more than 10 million users.

The relaunch positions Whitechain as an exchange-powered, distribution-first Ethereum Layer 2 built on the OP Stack. The OP Stack is the open-source technology stack created by Optimism, the team behind OP Mainnet, and it also underpins Base, the Ethereum Layer 2 incubated by Coinbase that launched in 2023 and has since ranked among the most active L2 networks by transaction volume. Instead of competing only on traditional Layer 2 metrics such as scalability, transaction costs and technical performance, the network is being designed to address a broader challenge for Web3 projects: how to gain users, liquidity and sustained activity after products have been built.

Whitechain is making distribution a core part of its Layer 2 strategy, giving Web3 developers access to the wider reach of the W Group ecosystem alongside blockchain infrastructure. The exchange-affiliated model follows a precedent set by Base, which showed how an exchange's existing user base can be channeled into Layer 2 activity, and it arrives in an Ethereum L2 landscape where dozens of competing rollups and app-chains contend for the same developers and liquidity.

Volodymyr Nosov, founder and president of W Group and founder and CEO of WhiteBIT, said the ability to distribute products increasingly separates successful ecosystems from the rest. He said blockchain infrastructure has become more advanced, but technical capabilities alone do not guarantee adoption. According to Nosov, Whitechain aims to pair a strong technical foundation with the distribution reach of its broader ecosystem to help promising Web3 products grow.

Three-track support structure for Web3 builders

The relaunch is supported by W Group and includes three initiatives designed for projects at different stages of development. The programs are intended to provide funding, technical support, ecosystem exposure and expansion opportunities depending on the needs and maturity of participating teams.

The Builder Program is aimed at early-stage teams developing new products. Eligible projects can receive discretionary funding of up to $300,000 per project, with capital released according to mutually agreed milestones. The program is intended to help teams move from testnet development toward acquiring their first users.

Strategic Ecosystem Deals are intended for established protocols that already have demonstrated total value locked and active user communities. Support will be tailored to individual project requirements and could include smart-contract and liquidity migration support, co-marketing initiatives and direct collaboration with the Whitechain team.

The third initiative, Chain Expansion Support, targets multichain protocols seeking additional users while continuing to operate on their existing networks. The program is expected to focus on incremental user growth and will not require exclusivity, although individual arrangements will remain subject to specific deal terms.

Public testnet and migration opportunities

Whitechain is scheduled to open its public testnet, funding applications and migration track on August 17, creating participation opportunities for Web3 teams ranging from early-stage developers to established protocols and multichain projects.

We’ve been quiet because we were building the upgrade Whitechain deserves! Whitechain is officially evolving from a standalone PoA L1 into an Ethereum L2 powered by the OP Stack. The Whitechain Sepolia Testnet is LIVE today. pic.twitter.com/9DViUDT29y — Whitechain (@Whitechain_io) August 18, 2026

The announcement also marks a change in the network's architecture: Whitechain previously operated as a standalone proof-of-authority Layer 1, and as an Ethereum L2 it will now settle transactions to Ethereum rather than relying solely on its own validator set. The public rollout is intended to let developers evaluate the network and explore potential migration or expansion opportunities before the mainnet launch. By opening multiple participation paths, Whitechain is seeking to attract both new projects and protocols that already have established products and communities.

As Whitechain moves toward mainnet, its planned Day 1 infrastructure is expected to include a native decentralized exchange, oracle and bridge, giving developers core tools for application deployment and liquidity movement within the ecosystem.

These components are intended to provide foundational infrastructure for applications on the network. A native DEX could support trading and liquidity activity, while an oracle would provide applications with external data feeds. The planned bridge is expected to facilitate movement of assets and liquidity across blockchain networks.

Whitechain’s relaunch therefore represents an effort to broaden the traditional Layer 2 value proposition. By combining OP Stack-based infrastructure with access to a large established user ecosystem, the network is seeking to make user acquisition and distribution part of the infrastructure package available to Web3 builders.

The strategy could give projects a path from development and funding to user acquisition, liquidity expansion and multichain growth within a single ecosystem. Near-term milestones that will indicate traction include uptake of the Builder Program's funding track after the August 17 opening, the first Strategic Ecosystem Deals and Chain Expansion Support arrangements announced, and whether the native DEX, oracle and bridge are in place when mainnet launches.