This is Why Kraken’s Ink on Optimism Launched Early

Ink, the Optimism-powered L2 blockchain solution from Kraken, went live on mainnet today.

This launch took place dramatically ahead of schedule, citing strong support and enthusiasm from the crypto community. Ink and Optimism are anticipating a fruitful collaboration due to this hype wave.

Ink and Optimism Team Up

According to the announcement today, Kraken expedited the launch of Ink due to millions of testnet transactions and connected wallets, highlighting strong demand. The exchange initially reported that Ink would not launch until 2025. Now that the network is live ahead of schedule, it will progress toward Stage 1 decentralization with permissionless fault proofs in January.

“Today is just the beginning for Ink, and now our boldest work really begins – growing Ink. We’re pushing the boundaries of onchain experiences to unlock new applications and opportunities for builders and users alike. Thank you to the earliest supporters of Ink who have been overwhelmingly positive. We’re Inking the future together,” Andrew Koller, founder of Ink told BeInCrypto.

According to public statements, “demand from builders and support from the community” helped spur this speedy launch. Ink is planning to focus on decentralization and interoperability as it moves forward. Kraken has suffered a few setbacks in the last month, with an $8 million fine in Australia and a shuttered NFT marketplace. Ink, however, is looking positive.

Kraken developed Ink as an L2 on the Optimism Superchain, whose representatives also commented publicly on the launch. The company noted that Ink quickly grew to over 100,000 users after its first announcement, and its testnet also saw dramatic levels of activity and hype.

“Ink’s accelerated mainnet launch is a testament to the strength of the team, the resources dedicated to its success, and the developer community’s massive enthusiasm for the launch. As part of the Superchain, Ink will participate in Optimism. We look forward to working together to attract developers and users to Ink as we bring Ethereum to scale,” said Ryan Wyatt, Chief Growth Officer at Optimism Unlimited.

Meanwhile, Optimism also experienced a few challenges before the mainnet launch. In October, the scaling solution ecosystem was under pressure, and the chain’s OP token suffered price shocks. The ongoing crypto bull market did little for the token’s value, and it has demonstrated underwhelming performance throughout the year.

However, a high-performing Ink launch could significantly bolster Optimism in the long-term.

Moving forward, Ink will be deeply integrated with the Optimism Superchain. In exclusive comments with BeInCrypto, Wyatt claimed that Ink will “participate in Optimism governance, dedicate revenue back to the Collective, and support core development of the OP Stack.” From these statements, both firms seemingly expect an extended and fruitful partnership.