From: thepipeline_xyz
Movement Labs is building the first network of Move-based blockchains, with a focus on high performance and security. Rousi, co-founder of Movement Labs, describes their mission as taking modern tech stacks and blockchains to the next level, addressing the limitations of older technologies like the EVM [00:01:04].
The Move Concept
The “Move” concept was originally developed by Facebook’s Diem (formerly DM) project, which invested over a billion dollars in research [00:01:27]. Facebook chose to completely rewrite the language and infrastructure instead of using Solidity or the standard EVM, a decision that Movement Labs views as a testament to Move’s potential [00:13:03]. The Move language is designed for security and performance [00:23:12].
Movement Labs’ Flagship Product: M2
Movement Labs’ flagship product is M2, the first Move rollup on Ethereum, powered by Snow consensus [00:01:40].
Architectural Components
M2’s architecture is a “mashup” of several technologies, sometimes humorously referred to as an “L1.5” [00:05:58]:
- Execution Environment
- Utilizes the Move Virtual Machine (DM VM), which was built by the Diem project and adopted by blockchains like Aptos and Sui [00:03:41], [00:03:48].
- Settlement Layer (Layer 2)
- Settles on Ethereum, leveraging its security and liquidity [00:03:56].
- Data Availability (DA)
- Partners with Celestia to handle data availability, avoiding the high gas fees associated with Ethereum’s DA [00:04:13]. This allows for performance similar to Layer 1s with extremely low gas fees, while maintaining the security and decentralization of Ethereum mainnet [00:04:26].
- Decentralized Sequencer Set
- Movement Labs is developing a decentralized sequencer set that uses Snow consensus (from Avalanche) [00:04:31].
- Snow consensus is chosen for its low hardware requirements, high decentralization (allowing anyone to run a validator from home), and instant finality [00:04:50].
- This system addresses the centralization points common in modern rollups [00:04:36]. Validators are incentivized to maintain network uptime by staking Movement Labs’ native token, which also provides value back to the token [00:05:27].
EVM Compatibility via Fractal
Movement Labs aims for short-term adoption by building backward compatibility for their next-generation technology [00:23:26]. They developed “Fractal,” a transpiler that allows Solidity code (EVM opcodes) to be mapped to Move opcodes and launched on the Move VM [00:23:39]. This makes it feel, work, and look like an EVM from a developer’s perspective (e.g., Remix IDE, Infura compatibility) while utilizing the Move VM underneath [00:27:40].
Although writing directly in Move code offers the highest security, the transpiler inherits many of the Move VM’s proving mechanisms and security benefits, including formal verification [00:26:09]. This approach aims to prevent the billions of dollars lost annually to smart contract hacks, providing a more secure environment for users and institutions [00:24:03].
Addressing Industry Challenges
Movement Labs, alongside other projects like Monad, is focused on solving critical issues in crypto, particularly infrastructure limitations and scalability [00:03:00], [00:06:56].
Scaling and Performance
A key value proposition of high performance blockchains is their ability to handle large user bases without prohibitive gas fees or network crashes [00:02:09]. Current EVM-based systems, like Arbitrum, can become unusable with high demand, leading to inconsistent and high gas fees that deter average users [00:02:26], [00:09:37].
Movement Labs believes that infrastructure is now mature enough to support real-world applications [00:21:12]. Projects like Solana and Movement Labs are pushing boundaries to handle the transactions needed for large-scale applications such as payments and gaming [00:10:25].
Collaboration over Competition
Rousi emphasizes the importance of collaboration within the blockchain ecosystem, particularly at the execution layer [00:15:00]. He notes a shift away from tribalism, with different VM (Virtual Machine) proponents recognizing the value of each other’s research and designs [00:15:27], [00:41:48]. The common consensus is that the “old EVM needs to burn,” fostering a collective goal to move towards next-generation blockchains that can onboard a billion users [00:16:14], [00:02:10]. This collaborative mindset, especially in the bear market, aims to grow the overall pie of blockchain users rather than fighting over existing pieces [00:18:03].
Use Cases and Future Outlook
Movement Labs is excited about advancements in user experience, such as account abstraction and simplified transaction signing, which remove historical barriers to adoption [00:36:33].
They believe that combined with high-performance next-generation chains, this will disrupt industries like payments [00:36:52]. Rousi anticipates significant disruption for services like Western Union due to more efficient cross-border payments offered by crypto [00:35:54].
Beyond finance, Movement Labs is interested in how blockchain technology can be used for “social attention” and “social coordination dynamics” [00:41:10]. The recent “Friend.tech” application, despite its issues, sparked new thinking about how blockchain can be applied beyond traditional order books and games, particularly in social applications [00:42:47]. Rousi remains optimistic that among the many new social dApp pitches, some will break through and unlock new use cases [00:43:03]. Movement Labs is keen to see communities coalesce around these innovations.