EigenLayer

EigenLayer is a restaking collective built on the Ethereum blockchain. It is a set of smart contracts that allows Ethereum (ETH) stakers to validate new software modules within the Ethereum ecosystem. By opting in, stakers allow EigenLayer to impose additional slashing conditions on their staked ETH, thereby extending cryptoeconomic security. EigenLayer enables the validation of various modules, including consensus protocols, data availability layers, virtual machines, keeper networks, oracle networks, bridges, threshold cryptography schemes, and trusted execution environments. It aggregates the security of Ethereum across all modules, enhancing the security of decentralised applications (DApps) that rely on these modules. The EigenLayer protocol also offers stakers the opportunity to earn additional revenue through fee-generating modules.

EigenLayer serves several key purposes:

• Pooled Security: By allowing ETH stakers to restake their assets, EigenLayer provides a new mechanism for pooled security. This extends Ethereum's security to any system integrated with EigenLayer. Modules on EigenLayer are secured by restaked ETH rather than their own native tokens, allowing them to inherit Ethereum's security guarantees. This enables stakers to validate and secure a wide range of modules, from data availability layers to virtual machines and consensus protocols.

• Staging for Innovation: EigenLayer acts as a testing ground for new technologies, such as Danksharding and proposer/builder separation, allowing them to be trialled in various forms before potential integration into Ethereum.

• Marketplace for Security: EigenLayer introduces an open marketplace where Ethereum validators can choose which modules to secure, and module developers can offer incentives to attract validators. This market-driven approach allows validators to allocate their restaked ETH to different modules based on the potential rewards and risks involved.