Announcing the EigenLayer Whitepaper v1.0

We’re proud to release the first public version of the EigenLayer whitepaper, which you can find here: docs.eigenlayer.xyz/overview/whitepaper

This whitepaper contains the key ideas that the core developers are implementing into the first version of the EigenLayer protocol, which will launch later this year.

At 9am PT (5pm UTC) on Wednesday, February 22, we will be hosting a Twitter Spaces AMA focused on this whitepaper, and everyone is invited: EigenLayer Whitepaper Community Call & AMA

Tweet your questions in advance so we can discuss them together!

In conjunction, we’re excited to launch the EigenLayer Discussion Forum. This forum is intended to host conversations around three main topics:

  • EigenLayer protocol development: Discuss the core restaking protocol, including the restaker user experience, implementation of slashing conditions, and how to participate as an operator.

  • EigenDA (data availability) development: Discover rollups building with EigenDA, or learn how to integrate EigenDA in your own rollup or other project.

  • New middleware R&D: Research and ideas for new middleware to be built on the EigenLayer protocol, including MEV, rollup sequencing, bridging, oracle, and other solutions. All ideas and contributions are welcome.

TL;DR – read the whitepaper, join our Twitter Spaces AMA on 2/22 @ 5pm UTC, and contribute any and all ideas you may have in this discussion forum!

Finally, we’d be remiss not to thank the countless folks with whom we’ve engaged intellectually, either directly or indirectly, and whose ideas, small and large, have made their way into the EigenLayer whitepaper and protocol specification. All innovation depends on prior innovation; we’re grateful to everyone who has helped us get where we are, and look forward to going much further together :ringer_planet::sparkles:

266 Likes

Nice! I love this Eigenlayer.

Btw, I have two questions ser.

  1. We can run A Light Node Bridge at some point ?
  2. Wen Ur Discord Open ser?
47 Likes

Congratulations!

The degree of versatility with which the protocol aims to offer, with staking token models, different slashing distinctions, delegations, services and business models for restakers is incredible.

Looking forward to the Twitter spaces tomorrow!

27 Likes

This is great, another milestone set!

Looking forward to more updates!

19 Likes

Congrats on the release of the white paper! Looking forward to the Discord and burgeoning community!

14 Likes

Bring it on! Proud of you Eigenlayer dev

13 Likes

awesome
my question is what’s the testnet plan? what’s the requirement of the Node or end users?

8 Likes

Thanks for the sensible White Paper, and good luck with your continued development and implementation! My question is not unique: please specify the conditions and requirements to participate in your testnet.

7 Likes

Is there a recap of the Twitter spaces ?

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Hey team! Amazing WP!
Please create a discord server for your community

8 Likes

not that im aware but here is the replay link if that can help :

10 Likes

game changer in etheruem blockchain or for that matter in whole of crypto industry

4 Likes

hey,

am i the only one getting an error page when i try to go on the whitepaper link from this chat ?

4 Likes

No you’re not. We are aware and will fix it first thing. Thanks so much for reporting this! Sorry about that.

5 Likes

It’s working again @sam.omw1!

11 Likes

Congratulations on, and thank you for, releasing the EigenLayer whitepaper publicly. You are proposing fascinating ideas!

Section 3.1 elaborates on the underlying slashing mechanism. Specifically, it states

when the staker withdraws their ETH from participation in Ethereum consensus through EigenLayer, the withdrawn ETH will be slashed according to the on-chain slashing contract of the AVS.

How do you think about extending this mechanism by slashing rewards emitted during validator sweeps? That way, slashing could become effective before Validators exit. I’d be interested in your thoughts. Thanks!

I do also have a minor nitpick below.

There seems to be a typo on Page 15, Line 1: „in EigenLayer a[n]d the EigenLayer protocol“. Sorry.

7 Likes

hey,

in fact, eigenlayer is waiting for a feature from the ethereum protocol it self, this feature is called smart contract triggers withdrawals and this would make possible the fact that as soon as slashing is trigerred on eigenlayer → eigenlayer contracts triggers a withdrawal of that stake instantly and so slash it.

this is how it would look like for ethereum to know when slashing happens on eigenlayer and at the same time improve efficiency, this feature should not be live in shanghai upgrade but maybe will be on eip 4844.

however, initial adoption is expected to come from liquid restaking tho

8 Likes

Thank you, that makes sense. Looking forward to seeing this develop over time.

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Hello comunity I am reallty excited for this project and would like to participate in the testnet if I can speak with someone from the team and give some info would appreciate it
much love.
Great week

2 Likes

Good read, feels like more of a design space then what I originally thought when I heard the idea, very cool! Looking forward to more.

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