Espresso Network unveils ESP token and 10% airdrop as layer‑2 debate intensifies

Espresso announced a shift to a permissionless proof-of-stake architecture and introduced a native token, ESP, to underpin staking, network security and protocol governance. The tokenomics include a total supply of 3.59 billion ESP and a community airdrop representing 10% of that supply, distributed unlocked to early users and projects integrated with the network. Governance and developer allocations were also outlined, but most non-airdrop tranches are subject to vesting designed to align long-term incentives. Technically, Espresso serves as a confirmation and finality layer for rollups rather than a general-purpose execution environment, aiming to accept rollup outputs and produce rapid, immutable finality. The team reports average finality in the single-digit seconds range, positioning it as substantially faster than the several-minute finality experienced on Ethereum's base layer today. That latency differential is presented as a structural advantage for cross-rollup composability and for applications that require quick settlement across multiple execution chains. The launch arrives as the Ethereum community debates whether improvements to the base layer will reduce reliance on external scaling layers, a discussion that reframes how interoperability and security services are valued. Espresso is betting that demand for specialized finality and coordination will persist even if base-layer performance improves, especially among institutions and consumer platforms seeking tailored rollup solutions. From a security economics standpoint, the token provides a conventional staking model to secure the network and a mechanism to fund ecosystem growth, but details around long-term supply schedule and incentive pacing will determine whether validator and developer behavior aligns with the project's goals. The unlocked airdrop accelerates token distribution and on‑chain engagement but also concentrates immediate circulating supply in a way that could influence early secondary-market dynamics. In the medium term, adoption hinges on two vectors: the willingness of rollup builders to rely on an external finality layer, and Espresso's ability to prove durable security guarantees at scale. The project enters a crowded infrastructure market with a clear technical pitch, but its success will depend on execution, risk management, and how the broader Ethereum roadmap evolves.