Author: 19122212.eth, Foresight News
On April 17, the crypto project Converge, jointly released by Ethena Labs and Securitize, released preliminary technical specifications and development roadmap. As an innovative platform that aims to bridge traditional finance (TradFi) and DeFi, Converge focuses on high performance, institutional-grade security, and user-friendliness. It plans to launch the mainnet this year and promote the implementation of large-scale financial applications. This article will analyze Converge's technical specifications, roadmap highlights, and potential impacts in detail.
1. Ethena Labs and financial technology company Securitize jointly created
Converge was jointly created by Ethena Labs and fintech company Securitize. It is positioned as a high-throughput blockchain network that focuses on supporting tokenized real-world assets and DeFi applications. The project aims to attract institutional capital into the crypto ecosystem through technological innovation and compliance design, while providing retail users with an efficient DeFi experience. Its core vision is to break down the barriers between traditional finance and crypto finance and promote the global integration of capital flows and interest rate markets.
Ethena Labs has accumulated rich DeFi experience with the rapid growth of USDe (market value once exceeded 6 billion US dollars, ranking third in stablecoins), while Securitize has deep compliance and technical expertise in the field of asset tokenization. The cooperation between the two gives Converge a unique advantage: it can meet the stringent requirements of institutions for security and compliance, while providing the openness and innovation of DeFi.
2. High-performance EVM chain, USDe and USDtb as gas fees
The Converge network will support both permissionless DeFi applications and permissioned institutional products, achieving the integration of traditional finance and crypto infrastructure on the same chain. Converge's technical architecture is designed around three pillars: performance, security, and user experience. The following is a detailed interpretation of its core technical specifications:
High-performance EVM
Converge uses an architecture based on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) to ensure compatibility with the existing DeFi ecosystem, while achieving ultra-high performance through customized optimization. The network will achieve a native block time of 100 milliseconds when it starts, and a maximum throughput of 100 million gas/second (Mgas/s). The roadmap shows that by the fourth quarter of 2025, the block time will be further shortened to 50 milliseconds, and the throughput is expected to reach 1 billion gas/second (Gigagas/s). This performance indicator far exceeds most existing Layer 1 and Layer 2 networks, and is sufficient to support large-scale financial transactions and complex smart contract execution.
Arbitrum and Celestia Integration
Converge achieves low latency and high scalability by integrating Arbitrum's Rollup technology and Celestia's data availability layer. Arbitrum provides efficient transaction processing and smart contract execution environment, while Celestia reduces network costs by separating data storage and ensures that transaction fees are stable and predictable. This modular design enables Converge to strike a balance between performance and cost, which is particularly suitable for institutional applications.
Stablecoin as Gas Fee
To improve the user experience, Converge chooses stablecoins such as USDe and USDtb as gas fee tokens instead of traditional native tokens with high volatility. This design allows users to estimate and pay transaction fees in units denominated in US dollars, avoiding the uncertainty caused by fluctuations in crypto asset prices. In addition, the network supports the ERC-7702 account abstraction standard, simplifies wallet operations, and eliminates the pain points of ERC-20 token pre-authorization and complex gas management.
Converge Validator Network (CVN)
Converge has introduced a unique validator network (CVN) that uses Ethena's ENA tokens for staking to ensure network security. CVN adopts a permissioned validator model (PoS, permission set) and combines KYC/KYB (Know Your Customer/Business) mechanisms to ensure that validators meet compliance requirements. This design is particularly targeted at institutional users to meet their needs for risk management and compliance. At the same time, the network adopts a two-layer architecture: the core network strictly controls access rights, and the application layer supports optional permissionless interfaces to provide flexibility for developers. In order to participate in CVN, validators must stake Ethena's governance token ENA. The team said that CVN will be launched shortly after the mainnet launch.
Customized G2 Sequencer
Converge uses the G2 sequencer customized by Conduit, combined with the Arbitrum technology stack, to provide efficient transaction ordering and confirmation. This sequencer is a key component to achieve 100 millisecond block times and ultra-high throughput, ensuring the stability of the network under high-load scenarios.
3. The test network will be launched in the next few weeks, and the main network is planned to be launched at the end of Q2
Converge also released a 2025 roadmap that clearly outlines the key milestones from testnet deployment to mainnet launch, which are divided into the following phases:
2025 Q2: Testnet launch
The testnet is expected to be launched in the next few weeks to provide developers with early access opportunities to test network performance, smart contract deployment and user interaction functions. The testnet will focus on verifying the actual performance of 100 millisecond block times and stablecoin gas fees.
2025 Q2: Mainnet launch
Carlos Domingo, CEO of Securitize, said in an interview that Converge plans to launch the mainnet before the end of the second quarter. The mainnet will support both institutional and retail users, with an initial focus on promoting institutional-level distribution of USDe (such as through special purpose vehicles SPV) and the development of DeFi applications.
2025 Q4: Performance upgrade
By the end of 2025, Converge plans to reduce the block time to 50 milliseconds and increase the throughput to 1Gigagas/s to meet the needs of tokenized assets and real-time financial transactions. In addition, the network will introduce more developer tools, such as enhanced account abstraction functions and smart contract templates, to lower the development threshold.
IV. Summary
The launch of Converge coincides with the wave of integration of traditional finance and DeFi. Its high-performance architecture and compliance design give it certain advantages in institutional adoption. For example, Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson said in January 2025 that a clear regulatory framework will promote the integration of TradFi and DeFi, and Converge's KYC/KYB mechanism and permission validator model are a positive response to this trend.
However, Converge also faces challenges. The permissioned validator model may cause the community to worry about the risk of centralization. Although its application layer supports permissionless interfaces, the control of the core network is still concentrated in the hands of a few validators. In addition, the realization of high-performance goals depends on the stability of Arbitrum and Celestia, and any technical bottlenecks may affect the progress of the roadmap.
Converge represents an opportunity that combines technological innovation with real-world application potential. However, its success still needs time to be tested, especially in terms of regulatory environment, technological stability and ecological competition. Converge's performance in the coming year will undoubtedly be worth paying close attention to.
References
1.https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2025/04/16/ethena-securitize-target-q2-mainnet-launch-for-rwa-focused-blockchain-tap-arbitrum-celestia
2.https://www.convergeonchain.xyz/blog-posts/converge-tech-specification-roadmap
3.https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/ethena-usde/
