Optimism

A major US exchange captured **$75 million in sequencer revenue** during H2 2025 by operating its own OP Stack chain instead of renting infrastructure. **Key Economics:** - Owning infrastructure = 100% revenue retention - Renting space = revenue goes to the provider - Full control over fee structures and block space allocation **OP Enterprise Benefits:** - Managed deployment and operations - Pre-integrated ecosystem (RPCs, oracles, bridges, indexers, wallets) - Compliance and custody solutions included - Teams focus on product development, not infrastructure management H2 2025 performance across CEX OP Stack chains showed $495M in app revenue, 6B transactions, and $5.5B in smart contracts—demonstrating the financial case for ownership over rental models.

QuickNode has launched its Earn product on OP Mainnet, marking another milestone for the infrastructure provider's expansion on the OP Stack. The deployment brings QuickNode's earning capabilities to Optimism's Layer 2 network, allowing users to access staking and yield opportunities directly on the platform. **Key Points:** - QuickNode Earn now available on OP Mainnet - Continues QuickNode's integration with OP Stack infrastructure - Expands earning options for Optimism users The Optimism team expressed enthusiasm about QuickNode's continued development on their network, signaling ongoing collaboration between the two projects.

**DB Securities is developing STO and real-world asset infrastructure for Jeju using the OP Stack.** The company chose this approach to maintain ownership and control over their infrastructure. This follows Optimism's recent partnership with Toss, South Korea's leading payment platform serving two-thirds of the country's population. Together, they're testing the OP Stack as a foundation for compliant blockchain-based digital finance infrastructure. The moves signal growing institutional adoption of Ethereum scaling solutions in South Korea's financial sector.

**Ink's approach to scaling onchain finance** focuses on integrating blockchain technology into applications users already trust, keeping the underlying chain invisible to end users. **The key to this strategy** is maintaining a reliable settlement layer that can handle high transaction volumes. Ink achieves this by running on OP Enterprise Fully Managed infrastructure. - Enables seamless user experience without exposing blockchain complexity - Provides programmable financial infrastructure for large-scale growth - Ensures dependable performance as transaction volume increases This partnership demonstrates how enterprise-grade blockchain infrastructure can support mainstream financial applications.

**Privacy Boost is now deployed on OP Mainnet and Soneium**, marking a significant step in bringing confidential transactions to the OP Stack. The deployment sets the stage for **Toss to run a won-linked stablecoin trial** reaching approximately 30 million users in South Korea. Toss, which handles financial transactions for two-thirds of South Korea, partnered with Optimism to explore blockchain-based digital finance infrastructure. **Key features of Privacy Boost:** - Encrypts transfers and contract logic while maintaining transaction auditability for compliance - Supports pre-confirmations, enabling private transfers within one second - Provides institutions with privacy while allowing regulators to maintain oversight The three-month proof of concept will test whether the Won can settle onchain while meeting Korea's strict compliance, privacy, and control requirements. This represents a practical test case for **tokenized finance with built-in confidentiality** from the start. More details: [Cointelegraph coverage](https://cointelegraph.com/news/south-korea-toss-partners-optimism-won-stablecoins) | [Optimism blog](https://optimism.io/blog/two-thirds-of-south-korea-runs-its-money-through-toss-now-toss-is-exploring-putting-the-won)

A new **ZK + TEE hybrid mechanism** has been developed that combines zero-knowledge proofs with trusted execution environments. **Key Performance Metrics:** - Proving time: **under 500 milliseconds** - Throughput: **1,800+ transactions per second** - Fast enough to handle real-world payment volumes **How It Works:** Zero-knowledge proofs validate each transaction's legitimacy without exposing the underlying transaction data, maintaining privacy while ensuring security. This hybrid approach represents a significant step toward making privacy-preserving blockchain technology viable for mainstream payment applications.

Citi forecasts the stablecoin market will reach **$1.9 trillion by 2030**, part of a broader projection of $5.5 trillion in tokenized assets. **The privacy problem**: Public blockchains expose all balances, payments, and trades. Asset managers need to verify counterparties meet compliance rules without revealing sensitive data on-chain. **The solution in progress**: Sunnyside Labs, an Optimism core developer, has built confidential payment capabilities into the OP Stack to address this gap. Institutional adoption hinges on solving this transparency-versus-privacy tension. Without confidential transactions, regulated money will stay off-chain.

**Optimism partners with Toss to explore blockchain-based finance in South Korea** Toss, the financial super-app used by over 30 million South Koreans (two-thirds of the population), has signed an MOU with Optimism to test putting the Korean Won onchain. **Key details:** - Three-month proof of concept launching with Optimism, PrivacyBoost, and Toss - Testing a Won-backed stablecoin built on the OP Stack - Focus on meeting Korea's compliance, privacy, and control requirements - Toss handles banking, payments, investing, credit, and taxes for users The pilot will determine whether money can settle onchain while maintaining regulatory standards. If successful, this could establish the OP Stack as infrastructure for compliant digital finance at national scale. [Read the full announcement](https://optimism.io/blog/two-thirds-of-south-korea-runs-its-money-through-toss-now-toss-is-exploring-putting-the-won) | [Cointelegraph coverage](https://cointelegraph.com/news/south-korea-toss-partners-optimism-won-stablecoins)

Centralized exchanges (CEXs) have quietly become significant distributors of onchain activity, according to a new analysis from Optimism. The shift represents a notable evolution in the crypto ecosystem. While decentralized exchanges (DEXs) were designed to eliminate intermediaries, CEXs have adapted by facilitating onchain transactions at scale. **Key developments:** - CEXs now process substantial volumes of onchain transfers and settlements - Traditional exchanges are bridging users to Layer 2 networks and DeFi protocols - The trend challenges assumptions about the CEX vs DEX divide This development suggests the future may involve coexistence rather than competition between centralized and decentralized platforms. CEXs bring regulatory compliance and user familiarity, while enabling access to onchain infrastructure. Read the full analysis: [Optimism Blog](https://www.optimism.io/blog/how-centralized-exchanges-quietly-became-crypto-s-biggest-onchain-distributors)

**Regulatory clarity is accelerating enterprise blockchain adoption in Japan.** Kyle Jenke discusses Mitsui's deployment on OP Mainnet, highlighting how supportive regulatory frameworks are making Japan a key market for institutional crypto adoption. **Key developments:** - Mitsui, a major Japanese conglomerate, has deployed on OP Mainnet - Japan's clear regulatory approach is encouraging enterprise movement into blockchain - The country's crypto accounts surpassed 11 million, demonstrating rapid adoption - Japan's pioneering regulatory framework is fostering safe and sustainable crypto growth The conversation with Genzio Co. emphasizes that when regulators actively encourage adoption rather than create barriers, enterprises respond with concrete deployments and infrastructure investments.