Blast to wind down Ethereum L2 after costs outpace revenue

Once among Ethereum’s largest layer-2 networks by total value locked, Blast is urging users to move their assets to mainnet ahead of the shutdown. Ethereum layer-2 network Blast is shutting down after its operating costs exceeded the revenue generated by the chain. In a Friday post on X, Blast said it sees no “credible path” to making the network economically sustainable and asked users to withdraw their assets to Ethereum mainnet. “We launched Blast with the goal of building a self-sustaining chain for users and developers,” the team said. “Unfortunately, the economics of operating the chain no longer make sense.” The network will reduce its withdrawal delay to 24 hours, though withdrawals will be temporarily unavailable while Blast unwinds its Lido assets, a process expected to take about a week.