Layer 2

A Layer 2 is a network built on top of a base blockchain — most commonly Ethereum — designed to handle transactions more cheaply and quickly while still relying on the base chain, the Layer 1, for its underlying security.

The core idea is to move the bulk of transaction processing off the congested base chain while still periodically posting data or proofs back to it, so the Layer 2 inherits much of the base chain's security guarantees without needing every single transaction to compete for the same limited block space. Different Layer 2 designs — rollups being the most common approach today — make different trade-offs around exactly how they achieve this, but the practical result for users is broadly similar: gas fees that are a small fraction of what the same transaction would cost directly on the base chain, with faster transaction times to match.

This matters for anyone swapping or transacting regularly, because choosing a Layer 2 over the base chain, when an asset and use case support it, can be the difference between a transaction costing cents versus dollars. For smaller transactions especially, base-chain gas fees can consume a disproportionate share of the value being moved, which makes Layer 2 networks the more practical choice in a lot of everyday scenarios.

Zest supports gas tracking across a wide range of Layer 2 and alternative networks — including Arbitrum, Base, Optimism, Polygon, and others — with a general Layer 2 gas tracker at /tools/l2-gas alongside network-specific trackers, so you can compare current costs before deciding where to transact.

Moving assets onto or off of a Layer 2 typically involves a bridge, the mechanism that transfers value between the base chain and the Layer 2 (or between two different Layer 2s). And because a Layer 2 is still a distinct network with its own block production, the concept of network confirmation still applies — deposits and withdrawals need to be confirmed on whichever chain they're happening on, and withdrawals from some Layer 2 designs back to the base chain can involve a longer security delay than deposits in the other direction, which is worth checking for the specific network and bridge you're using.