Most of the industry's attention is fixed on execution layers — new chains, rollups, consensus mechanisms. We think that's leaving something important underpriced.

The infrastructure governing how data moves across blockchain networks has gone largely unchanged since the earliest peer-to-peer architectures. Those systems were built for secure value transfer. They were not built for what blockchain networks are becoming.

Enter Optimum.

At Varys Capital, we spend significant time analyzing the infrastructure layers that underpin decentralized systems. While much of the industry focuses on new chains, rollups, and applications, one foundational layer remains underdeveloped: how data moves across blockchain networks.

Optimum is building a new networking and memory layer designed to upgrade this core part of blockchain architecture.

Most blockchains today rely on peer-to-peer gossip networks to propagate data between nodes. These architectures were originally designed for secure value transfer, not high-performance distributed computing. As networks grow and transaction volumes increase, they introduce several structural inefficiencies.

Key limitations today include:

• Slow data propagation across validator networks

• High bandwidth redundancy from repeated packet broadcasts

• Rising hardware requirements for validators

• Latency constraints for real-time applications

At the same time, the broader technology landscape is rapidly shifting toward data-intensive systems.

The rise of AI models, autonomous agents, and real-time analytics has dramatically increased the value of data and the infrastructure required to move it efficiently. Modern computing environments depend on the ability to transmit, access, and update information quickly across distributed systems.

Blockchain networks are beginning to support similar workloads. Applications such as on-chain trading infrastructure, AI-driven agents, gaming environments, and decentralized social systems all require fast access to shared state and efficient data propagation.

Yet today’s networking infrastructure was not designed for this level of demand. As a result, many blockchains still behave more like slow replicated ledgers than modern distributed computing systems.

Optimum is addressing this challenge by redesigning how data propagates across decentralized networks.

Incubated at MIT and Harvard, Optimum is building what it describes as the fastest decentralized internet protocol for Web3 — a high-throughput, low-latency networking system powered by Random Linear Network Coding (RLNC).

Rather than broadcasting full packets repeatedly across nodes, RLNC encodes information into fragments that can be reconstructed from multiple sources across the network. This approach significantly improves the efficiency with which data travels through decentralized systems.

The result is a networking layer that enables:

• Faster block propagation

• Reduced network congestion

• Improved bandwidth efficiency

• Lower latency across validator networks

Optimum’s first product, OptimumP2P, replaces legacy gossip networks with a coded propagation protocol designed specifically for blockchain infrastructure.

Beyond networking, Optimum is also building a decentralized memory architecture that improves how applications access blockchain state, enabling faster interaction with on-chain data and supporting more demanding real-time applications.

Despite being an early-stage infrastructure protocol, Optimum has already gained traction among some of the most performance-sensitive participants in the ecosystem.

Early proof points include:

• 20+ Ethereum validators onboarded, including 9 of the top 15 by stake

• Validators securing over $30B in combined TVL

• Integrations with Titan Builder (top Ethereum block builder)

• Integration with BlockRazor, a leading BNB ecosystem builder

• Partnerships with multiple emerging L1 networks including Tether-backed Stablechain

Benchmarks conducted with early validator partners show propagation speeds more than 20× faster than Ethereum’s existing networking layer under stress conditions.

For validators and builders, these improvements translate directly into economic benefits such as faster block inclusion, reduced orphan rates, and improved MEV capture.

At Varys Capital, we believe the next phase of blockchain scalability will be driven not only by improvements in execution environments or consensus mechanisms, but by upgrades to the networking and data layers that power decentralized systems.

At the same time, the rapid rise of AI-driven systems has made data one of the most valuable resources in modern computing. As AI models, autonomous agents, and real-time applications become more integrated with digital infrastructure, the ability to move and access data efficiently becomes increasingly critical.

Blockchain networks are evolving from simple value transfer systems into distributed computing environments where applications, agents, and markets interact in real time. In this context, the speed and efficiency with which data propagates across the network become just as important as the execution layer itself.

Optimum addresses this challenge by upgrading the infrastructure that governs how blockchain networks transmit and access information. By applying RLNC-based propagation and introducing a decentralized memory infrastructure, the protocol significantly improves how data flows across validator networks and how applications interact with blockchain state.

As decentralized systems continue to support more complex and data-intensive applications, we believe protocols that improve data propagation and state access will become critical components of the Web3 stack.

Optimum is building precisely that layer.

Varys Capital invested in Optimum's Series A round.

About Varys Capital

Varys Capital is a global, multi-strategy digital asset fund that invests in and supports early-stage companies building blockchain-enabled businesses. We are a highly differentiated capital partner with a deep understanding of the digital asset ecosystem and a proven track record of success as investors and operators. We provide our portfolio companies with access to capital, expertise, and a network of relationships to help them scale and succeed. Varys Capital was established in 2018 and is headquartered in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and Bangkok, Thailand.

Twitter | Linkedin For more information, visit: https://varys.capital/