What is the true outlook for a public chain? Initial design is important, but the key still depends on whether subsequent technological iterations can keep up.

At the end of last year, Dusk completed a major upgrade to the DS L1 network. This upgrade was significant — by optimizing data availability and transaction confirmation efficiency, it increased confirmation speed by a solid 30%, while also cutting node operating costs by 50%. How attractive is this to institutional-grade applications? Just think about securities trading scenarios — instant confirmation means no liquidity issues for intraday trading, and lower node deployment costs can attract more compliant institutions to participate in the network.

It's not just about performance; ecosystem compatibility is also a major focus of the upgrade. The upgraded DS L1 now supports partial compatibility with EVM and has strengthened the integration of zero-knowledge proofs. What does this mean? Compliance DeFi projects on the Ethereum ecosystem can migrate over at lower costs, while still retaining privacy transaction features. This is a tangible benefit for enriching application scenarios and attracting developers.

From an institutional perspective, the strategic layout of this upgrade is very clear. As global institutional funds continue to flow into the crypto market, their requirements for blockchain are becoming more demanding — performance needs to be fast, compatibility strong, security stable, and privacy protected. Dusk’s upgrade addresses these needs one by one: transaction confirmation speed meets the demand for "instant settlement," EVM compatibility reduces migration difficulty, and enhanced privacy and compliance features dispel regulatory concerns.

The proof is in the data — after the upgrade, five European asset management firms have already joined the node network. This is not just talk.

From a technical standpoint, continuous iterative upgrades are becoming the core driver of DUSK’s value growth. This DS L1 upgrade is preparing for the launch of the Dusk VM mainnet in early 2026. When the mainnet is finally launched, the integration of privacy protection and smart contract flexibility will be even stronger, making institutional-grade projects even more attractive.