Metis paves the way for true decentralization by rewarding decentralized sequencer nodes and users.

Even though decentralization is a key pillar of blockchain technology, Layer 2 (L2) scaling solutions use a single sequencer to construct transactions and put them into blocks for verification. From the user’s perspective, this means lower gas fees and faster finality, but this comes at the huge cost of centralization, which goes against the spirit of Web3.

L2 and rollup environments are currently vulnerable to single points of failure. If a single sequencer goes offline, the entire chain goes down, as we have already seen in Arbitrum. This means a loss of opportunity for users and a loss of trust in the project and technology.

Additionally, a single centralized sequencer exposes the L2 to other vulnerabilities such as frontrunning, transaction censorship, and denial of service. So while centralized sequencers are fast and cost-effective, they carry a higher risk of failure or censorship with one entity taking all the network revenue.

Therefore, the focus is on decentralized sequencers that leverage a network of nodes to randomly order transactions. Distributed sequencers improve performance with higher latency, but are much more secure and resilient. These systems also enable revenue sharing and incentive alignment. This is an innovation that allows regular users to participate and earn rewards.

Thus, in keeping with the blockchain ethos, Metis positions itself as the first layer 2 to run decentralized sequencer (dSeq). After successful community testing of dSeq on testnet, the decentralized sequencer was launched on mainnet earlier this quarter.

Onboarding of independent dSeq clients then began, increasing the reliability and security of Metis’ core infrastructure. Meanwhile, decentralized sequencer nodes get the opportunity to earn rewards in METIS tokens for their role in transaction processing and block production.

Additionally, active participation helps increase the node’s presence within the community and creates possibilities for future collaborations and partnerships.

Several organizations, including Artemis, ENKI, Hashkey Cloud, OKX, and others, have already joined the Metis network and are currently contributing to its reliability, decentralization, and stability. The more nodes and objects that participate in sequencing, the more difficult it is for malicious actors to control or compromise the L2.

At the same time, these nodes earn revenue from transaction fees in addition to receiving rewards from the Metis network for their contributions. The current expected mining reward rate for this node is 20% and will be available for a limited period of initially 12 months, with a total of 34,869 METIS already distributed as rewards (as of this writing).

This is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to contribute to the growth and success of innovative projects and be rewarded in return, creating a win-win situation for everyone.

However, this is just the tip of the iceberg when considering what nodes can achieve by participating in Metis. A few months ago, the project began distributing grants through a new grant system for developers, innovators, and community members to help expand the network. Now, to further increase engagement, Metis has introduced the Distributed Sequencer Reboot Campaign.

Decentralized Sequencer nodes and Liquid Staking Tokens (LST) can now claim rewards, according to the campaign document, which takes a two-pronged approach to enable the Metis Decentralized Sequencer and support future changes to the market and Metis. These performance-based rewards are multi-tiered and offer more benefits. Details on the specific compensation structure will be released in the coming days.

There are also ongoing business development efforts to attract liquidity and node operators from reputable projects by providing incentives and support. After all, large liquidity providers are always looking for better and safer places to store their liquidity. As the bull market continues, Metis is well-positioned to raise interest and capital through its focus on compensation, marketing subsidies, and creating a mutually beneficial ecosystem.

To ensure that this effort is not in vain, Metis bases rewards on performance tiers, with higher tiers “unlocked” when certain performance metrics are reached.

Metis Decentralized Sequencer nodes can earn up to 5,000 METIS per month through successful applications, while nodes with the LST protocol, which provides DeFi opportunities for users and increases network utilization, can earn up to 10,000 METIS per month.

Through attractive incentives, funding and additional benefits, Metis aims to provide participants with enhanced growth and stable foundational support, while expanding the ecosystem by attracting liquidity and new users, including institutions.

Overall, this latest move by Metis demonstrates the project’s commitment to its users and active contributors, who are key to its growth and success. Through these rewarding initiatives, Metis aims to deliver the best value to its users and provide powerful engagement that will push Metis to the forefront of technological innovation, ecosystem expansion, and user engagement.