Rob Habermeier, co-founder of Polkadot, recently introduced an innovative proposal called “Plaza.” This new system framework aims to integrate the functionalities of parachains into a single chain, with the goal of enhancing network scalability. According to Habermeier, this unification can address significant usability challenges faced by users and developers due to the current fragmentation.
The “Plaza” system will not only streamline asset and smart contract management but also enhance interactions between various decentralized applications (dApps) and liquidity providers through minimized fees and more effective bridges. The foundation for this evolutionary chain is the existing AssetHub, which supports a variety of wallets and tool integrations.
A key point of Habermeier’s proposal is the implementation of Elastic Scaling, which he believes will benefit Polkadot by allowing a single chain to meet increasing demands up to a critical limit. Subsequently, this pressure could be alleviated with the distribution of resources and functionalities. Habermeier expressed this vision enthusiastically, stating, “We must work together as an ecosystem to push a single chain with batteries to its breaking point and only then relieve the pressure by distributing applications, users, and system functionalities. Polkadot has the cores to support all of this at the scale level the world needs. The city needs to grow out from the center, and that center should be the Plaza.”
Additionally, the Polkadot co-founder suggests that “Plaza” could eventually integrate identity and governance functionalities, further expanding the network’s potential. He emphasizes that while transitioning to a new chain may initially impact other parts of the network, the end result would be a stimulus for Polkadot’s continuous expansion.
Habermeier illustrates this vision by comparing “Plaza” to global metropolises, stating, “My vision here is that this will be the New York City, Dubai, London, or Shenzhen of the Polkadot continent, the first megacity of many and a precursor to further expansion. We can implement this plan with enthusiasm, knowing that when Plaza is saturated, Polkadot (or JAM) will have the raw validated computing power needed to handle this expansion.”
The proposal aims to consolidate the following features into a single parachain system, to be evolved from AssetHub and brought to maximum scale:
– Asset issuance [currently in AssetHub]
– Smart Contracts (Rust and EVM via RISC-V/PolkaVM) [Proposed at https://polkadot.polkassembly.io/referenda/885]
– Staking [currently in relay chain]
– Bridge palettes [currently in BridgeHub parachain]
– Almost zero fees (until scale limits are reached)
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed by the author, or anyone mentioned in this article, are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, or other advice. Investing or trading cryptocurrencies carries a risk of financial loss.
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