Today we’re launching the WeaveVM testnet to the public. This marks the first major milestone in our mission to provide chains and data-intensive dApps with a base layer for limitless onchain storage and affordable high-throughput DA.
WeaveVM is a sovereign EVM network built towards the goal of solving the EVM storage dilemma with Arweave. It gives the coming generation of high-performance chains a place to settle and store onchain data, without worrying about cost, availability, or permanence.
We are already working on partnerships at the app layer, and with L2s like RISE, RSS3 and GOAT Network to lift the barrier that prevents the EVM from achieving broad utility for applications with web2-like throughput.
The release of the public testnet means developers can now deploy dApps and L2s that interface directly with Arweave’s permanent storage, both at the node level and inside smart contracts. Let’s explore the main use cases in depth and learn how to get set up with the chain.
Use cases
High-throughput DA for L2s
The next generation of superpowered rollups are coming, and they’re generating a ton of data. But where is all of that data going to live? WeaveVM provides a high-throughput DA layer, supporting up to 37.5 MBps in Alphanet v0.1 with future projections of 125 MBps on mainnet. This gives the new crop of performance-focused chains a home for their data.
The network achieves this through innovations in reth and hardware acceleration, enabling super high data throughput. At current rates, rollups and EVM networks on rollup.wtf have a total data throughput of 265 KBps – 0.689% of WeaveVM’s data throughput (37.5 MBps in Alphanet). WeaveVM could handle DA for every network and rollup listed, and still have 99.3% remaining capacity.
Permanent ledger archiving (data settlement)
Blockchain networks like Ethereum and rollups face challenges in storing their entire transaction history on-chain. As transaction volumes grow, the cost and complexity of maintaining a complete, permanent ledger increases, leading to issues in transparency and auditability.
WeaveVM integrates with Arweave to provide permanent and cost-efficient ledger archiving. Each block is serialized using Borsh, compressed with Brotli, and then stored on Arweave. WeaveVM maintains an archiving tool to make it simple to push a chain’s entire history to WeaveVM and Arweave.
Reth execution extensions (ExExes) enable Arweave data storage and built-in indexing, ensuring permanent and accessible history for any EVM chain.
Scalable and cost-effective storage for EVM dApps
EVM dApps, particularly those dealing with large datasets like decentralized social networks or content platforms, face prohibitively high storage costs and scalability issues. Storing rich content or large data streams for EVM dApps is not financially feasible with current solutions.
WeaveVM offers scalable and cost-effective storage by using Arweave as a decentralized hard drive. This makes it possible to store large data sets and run web2-like applications without incurring EVM storage fees. WeaveVM’s storage as calldata costs around $0.05/MB, compared with Ethereum’s $450/MB.
Features
Arweave as a permanent decentralized hard drive
Arweave is an L1 network specialised in permanent data storage. WeaveVM is the first EVM chain to use Arweave at the node and smart contract level, solving the storage bottleneck that has long plagued EVM developers and put dApps at risk of centralization.
Bleeding-edge performance
WeaveVM is built on top of Reth – a new high-performance Ethereum client written in Rust. In Alphanet v0.1.0, WeaveVM has achieved a higher gas limit than any production chain – 3x the highest, opBNB, and 50x higher than Arbitrum, according to research from Paradigm.
Read more about WeaveVM’s technical differentiators here.
Access Arweave natively from inside EVM smart contracts
WeaveVM offers native access to Arweave from within EVM smart contracts, unlocking scalable storage for dApp developers. By allowing smart contracts to directly interact with Arweave, WeaveVM removes the need to rely on the EVM directly for storage, which can be cumbersome and expensive. WeaveVM contracts can store and retrieve data directly from Arweave without leaving the EVM development environment, making it easier to build applications that require permanent and tamper-proof storage at scale.
Learn about WeaveVM’s Arweave integrations
Cheaper, faster and more permanent than current high-performance DA alternatives
WeaveVM’s testnet is designed to deliver unmatched cost and performance benefits in DA. At just $0.05 per MB, WeaveVM is not only affordable but drastically cheaper than other options — 15 times cheaper than Celestia ($0.75 per MB), and 27 times cheaper than Base ($1.35 per MB). Cost aside, WeaveVM’s throughput can meet the demand of any high-throughput chain like RISE or MegaETH, with a projected mainnet capacity of 125MB/s.
Using the testnet
Add the network to your wallet
In Metamask, go to settings -> network -> add network -> add a network manually.
- RPC URL: https://testnet-rpc.wvm.dev
- Chain ID: 9496
- Testnet Currency Symbol: tWVM
- Explorer: https://explorer.wvm.dev
Check the network configuration docs here.
Claim Testnet WeaveVM tokens (tWVM) from the faucet
You can claim 0.01 $tWVM (Testnet WeaveVM) from the faucet each day. This will cover a lot of transactions – around 47,000 at base fee!
Use the Explorer
Ecosystem incentives
In the runup to mainnet, we will reward developers deploying on WeaveVM a slice of the ecosystem fund – $350,000 of WVM tokens in phase 1.
We’re focused on onboarding L1s, L2s, and developers with dApp ideas that would be unfeasible on EVM chains that don’t offer limitlessly scalable storage at low cost.
Use the form on the ecosystem page to apply.