Optimism (OP)

Scale Ethereum. Fund public goods. Stay optimistic.

What is Optimism?

Optimism is an Ethereum Layer 2 rollup that makes transactions faster and cheaper while maintaining Ethereum's security guarantees. The network processes transactions on its own chain and posts compressed data back to Ethereum, achieving significant cost savings without sacrificing the trust model that makes Ethereum valuable.

What sets Optimism apart is its commitment to public goods funding. The protocol allocates a portion of its revenue to retroactively fund projects that benefit the Ethereum ecosystem — a model called Retroactive Public Goods Funding (RetroPGF). This creates a sustainable flywheel where ecosystem growth generates funding for more ecosystem growth.

OP is the governance token used to vote on protocol upgrades and public goods funding allocation. Optimism's governance model splits power between token holders and a "Citizens' House" that votes on public goods funding, creating a bicameral system inspired by democratic governance.

How Optimism Works

Think of Ethereum as a secure but slow post office, and Optimism as a high-speed courier that uses the post office for final delivery confirmation. Transactions are processed quickly and cheaply on Optimism's chain. The results are bundled and posted to Ethereum, where anyone can verify them. If someone spots a problem, they can challenge the result — Ethereum acts as the judge. This "optimistic" approach trusts that transactions are valid by default, only invoking the full security check when needed.

Optimism Ecosystem

Growing DeFi ecosystem with Velodrome, Synthetix, and more
Superchain vision — a network of interoperable OP Stack chains
Retroactive Public Goods Funding for open-source development
Base, Zora, and other chains built on the open-source OP Stack
Bicameral governance with Token House and Citizens' House

Team & Development

Optimism was founded by Jinglan Wang, Karl Floersch, and Kevin Ho. OP Labs leads core protocol development, while the Optimism Foundation stewards governance and ecosystem growth. The OP Stack — the open-source framework powering Optimism — has been adopted by Coinbase (Base), Worldcoin, and others to launch their own chains.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the OP token used for?

OP is used for governance voting in the Token House, where holders decide on protocol upgrades, incentive programs, and treasury allocation. Gas fees on Optimism are paid in ETH, not OP.

What is the Superchain?

The Superchain is Optimism's vision for a network of interoperable Layer 2 chains built on the shared OP Stack. Base, Zora, and other chains are already part of this ecosystem, sharing standards and liquidity.

How do I bridge to Optimism?

You can use the official Optimism Bridge or third-party bridges like Hop and Stargate. Add the Optimism network to MetaMask, bridge ETH from Ethereum mainnet, and start using apps on Optimism.

What is Retroactive Public Goods Funding?

RetroPGF is Optimism's mechanism for funding projects that benefit the ecosystem. Instead of predicting what will be valuable, the protocol rewards projects after they have demonstrated impact — "it's easier to agree on what was useful than what will be useful."

Buy Optimism on Swaps

Compare Optimism prices from trusted providers. Buy OP with credit card, bank transfer, Apple Pay, and 29+ payment methods. Non-custodial — crypto goes directly to your wallet.