# “Unified Ethereum” vs “L2 Ecosystem Competition”: Can we have both?

- Speakers: [Hart Lambur](https://streameth.org/speakers/hart-lambur), [Ben Jones](https://streameth.org/speakers/ben-jones), [Vitalik Buterin](https://streameth.org/speakers/vitalik-buterin), [Steven Goldfeder](https://streameth.org/speakers/steven-goldfeder), [Jesse Pollak](https://streameth.org/speakers/jesse-pollak)
- Channel: [Devcon 7 SEA](https://streameth.org/devcon_7_sea)
- Date: 2024-11-13
- Duration: 56:25
- Watch: https://streameth.org/watch/67345b159dbb7a90e13ea261
- Download: https://vod-cdn.lp-playback.studio/raw/jxf4iblf6wlsyor6526t4tcmtmqa/catalyst-vod-com/hls/127almr1a4zb2kbb/1080p0.mp4

## Description

This panel will dig into the delicate balance of Ethereum's rollup-centric future. We'll talk about the "frenemy" dynamic between competing L2 ecosystems, and how this can lead to a fragmented user experience. We'll strategize on ways to maintain diversity while making interoperability easy for users—including a discussion on the pros/cons of supporting standards like ERC-7683. Can we get the best of both worlds: the innovation and diversity of many L2s, with the UX of a unified Ethereum?

## About the speakers

### Hart Lambur

Hart Lambur is the Co-Founder of Risk Labs, the foundation behind the Across and UMA Protocols. Across is a next-generation bridge designed around the “Intents” model, delivering fast interoperability to unify Ethereum’s fragmented landscape. UMA is a pioneering optimistic oracle, empowering onchain verification of complex, real-world data for prediction markets and other decentralized applications.

### Steven Goldfeder

Steven Goldfeder is the Co-Founder and CEO of Offchain Labs, the original contributor to Arbitrum - the market-leading L2 scaling solution on Ethereum. With a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Princeton University, Steven's expertise spans blockchain technology and cryptography. Prior to Offchain Labs, he was a postdoctoral researcher at Cornell Tech and held internships at Microsoft Research and Google.

### Jesse Pollak

Jesse Pollak serves as VP, Engineering at Coinbase, where he works on Ethereum L1, L2, and new onchain efforts. He is the Creator of Base, a decentralized Ethereum L2 incubated by Coinbase offering a secure, low-cost, builder-friendly way for anyone, anywhere, to build onchain apps. Prior to building Base, Jesse led all of Coinbase’s consumer-facing engineering from early 2017 to middle 2021, including building Coinbase, Coinbase Pro, and Coinbase Wallet.