Layer‑2

ETH rallied above $2,100 only to stall as volume and fee revenue cooled — a key test for the ‘high‑value settlement’ thesis and whether Layer‑2 settlement flows can sustain on‑chain monetization.

The Ethereum Foundation’s 2026 ‘strawmap’ lays out seven forks through 2029 that aim to squeeze latency, change finality dynamics, and prepare for post‑quantum realities. This analysis unpacks what those changes mean for L1 throughput, layer‑2s, validator economics, client teams, and long‑term staking dynamics.