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Layer 3s are app-specific rollups built on top of L2s that offer custom gas tokens, dedicated throughput, custom precompiles, and compliance isolation. Arbitrum Orbit uses the Nitro stack with AnyTrust or Rollup mode. OP Stack uses op-deployer for configuration. Real-world examples: XAI (gaming), Degen Chain (social), and various Coinbase Base ecosystem L3s.
Why Build an L3 Instead of Deploying on L2 Directly
- Custom gas token: Your app's own token pays for gas (not ETH), creating utility and reducing user friction for crypto-newcomers.
- Dedicated throughput: No competing for blockspace with other L2 applications — your L3 only processes your application's transactions.
- Custom precompiles: Add specialized cryptographic operations (specific to your use case) that aren't available on general-purpose chains.
- Compliance isolation: Some enterprises want a dedicated chain for regulatory/compliance reasons, separate from the general public L2 user base.
Arbitrum Orbit (L3 on Arbitrum)
AnyTrust mode: A Data Availability Committee (DAC) of trusted parties attests to data availability, dramatically reducing costs vs posting all data to Ethereum. Tradeoff: requires trusting the DAC (typically 2-of-N honest assumption).
Rollup mode: Full data posted to the parent chain (Arbitrum One), inheriting maximum security but at higher cost than AnyTrust.
OP Stack L3 (Superchain)
Real-World L3 Examples
- XAI (gaming L3 on Arbitrum): Dedicated gaming chain with custom gas economics for player transactions.
- Degen Chain (social/meme L3 on Arbitrum): Built for the Degen ecosystem, processing tipping and social interactions cheaply.
- Various Coinbase Base ecosystem L3s: Multiple projects building app-specific chains on top of Base using the OP Stack.