From PolyMarket to Hyperliquid: App Chain Is Becoming the New Alpha
The article discusses the trend of successful applications, such as PolyMarket and Hyperliquid, building their own dedicated App Chains. Initially, deploying on established public blockchains is efficient for product validation. However, as applications scale, they face challenges like network congestion, unpredictable fees, and a lack of control over their user experience and economic model. An App Chain allows them to own their infrastructure, optimizing for performance, cost, and value capture.
Yet, the real challenge shifts from the technical ability to launch a chain to overcoming its cold start: attracting users, facilitating seamless asset transfers, and preventing liquidity fragmentation. The piece highlights Caldera as a solution that simplifies chain deployment and, crucially, integrates new chains into an interconnected network from day one through its Metalayer technology. This system reduces onboarding friction and uses its token, $ERA, to align incentives and create a flywheel effect where each new chain strengthens the entire ecosystem.
The key takeaway is that the new competitive advantage (Alpha) is not merely launching an App Chain, but successfully integrating it into a broader network to ensure immediate usability and growth.
marsbit01/24 07:07
