Offchain Labs & Espresso Systems: Transaction Ordering Technology to Ethereum Rollups
TLDR: We’re partnering with Espresso Systems to bring decentralized and open shared sequencing technology across Ethereum rollups — improving safety, security, and the user experience across networks. Our team is contributing key research and resources towards our previously proposed transaction-ordering policy, Timeboost, and opening the doors to allow any network — including any Arbitrum chain — to adopt Timeboost and integrate directly with the Espresso Sequencer.
Overview
Today, we’re excited to announce that we’ve partnered with Espresso Systems to bring decentralized and open shared sequencing technology to Ethereum rollups. Our teams will undertake joint research and development of Timeboost — a transaction-ordering design we proposed earlier this year — and will also support technical integrations between the Arbitrum technology stack, Timeboost ordering, and the Espresso Sequencer.
Our teams have a shared vision for a decentralized and user-aligned future of shared transaction sequencing on Ethereum rollups. To achieve this vision, we’re supporting Espresso Systems in building a production-ready, open-sourced, and distributed implementation of Timeboost that can be integrated into the Espresso Sequencer. Support for the Arbitrum tech stack will enable any Arbitrum chains to integrate with the Espresso Sequencer and further the implementation of a neutral and open protocol that is compatible with all of Ethereum’s rollups.
Espresso Sequencer and Timeboost
The Espresso Sequencer is a consensus protocol that currently supports proposer-builder separation (PBS), which allows various transaction ordering policies to be implemented at the builder level, such as MEV auctions and rebate protocols like SUAVE. Rollups can choose to implement a builder protocol or, by default, use PBS.
One example of a builder-level policy is Timeboost. For over a year, our research team has been researching Timeboost — a modification to the existing first-come, first-served model (FCFS) that relies on sealed-bid priority gas auction ordering. In essence, this introduces a new feature where transactions can pay a priority fee to get a small “time boost” in the ordering.
Why is this important? The Timeboost system prevents harmful forms of MEV, such as frontrunning and sandwiching, while supporting the ability to internalize harmless, non-disruptive forms of MEV, such as backrunning. Addressing these MEV attacks ultimately improves user experience and critically, Timeboost ensures the timely processing of all user transactions.
Support for all Ethereum rollups
When it comes to shared sequencing and interoperability technology, we firmly believe that it’s important to build neutral and open protocols that can unite all of Ethereum’s rollups and go beyond any single technology stack.
The Espresso Sequencer aims to be a neutral and open protocol that interoperates with all of Ethereum’s rollups. And now, with our guidance, Espresso Systems is prioritizing integration with the Arbitrum technology stack and bringing Timeboost to the Espresso Sequencer. This will add support to any Arbitrum technology chain that chooses to leverage its decentralized, shared sequencer platform including support for distributed Timeboost ordering.
But it doesn’t stop there — we firmly believe that the benefits of Timeboost ordering and shared sequencing should not be limited to Arbitrum chains. We’re working together to bring a production-ready, open-sourced, and distributed implementation of Timeboost that can be adopted by any network and can integrate directly with the Espresso Sequencer. This takes us one step closer by advancing security and interoperability beyond Arbitrum’s technology, bringing us a more interconnected, robust Ethereum ecosystem.
What’s Next?
Our teams will be sharing a roadmap soon for the research and development of the Timeboost builder module and for the ability to integrate the Espresso Sequencer with Arbitrum technology chains.
Follow along with the work @OffchainLabs and @EspressoSys on Twitter, and feel free to learn more:
- Arbitrum Research Forum: Timeboost Proposal
- Check out Ed Felten’s recent talk at MEV-BSC: Transaction Ordering: The View from L2 (and L3)
