With the unveiling of the Tea Layer 2, Tea introduces a transformative custom network built on the Optimism Stack, pioneering an evolution aimed at redefining how open-source software is sustained and rewarded in the blockchain era. The Tea L2, designed from the ground up in 2025, reflects Tea’s vision to seamlessly integrate developer tools, contribution tracking, and decentralized rewards—nurturing groundbreaking advancements in the open-source economy. Keep reading to learn more about the Tea Layer 2.

What is the Tea Layer 2, built on Optimism?

The Tea Layer 2 is a blockchain created to sustain open-source software, launched as a custom network built on the Optimism Stack. By building on Optimism, Tea inherits Ethereum’s decentralization and security while gaining the scalability and efficiency needed to reward millions of OSS contributors.

Instead of fitting OSS incentives into an existing general-purpose chain, Tea built a Layer 2 tailored for developers and maintainers. With Optimism’s rollup technology as its foundation, the Tea L2 delivers low fees, fast transactions, and robust security — ensuring it can scale with global adoption.

This approach lets Tea combine the reliability of Ethereum, the innovation of Optimism, and purpose-built features for OSS funding directly into the network’s design.

Unique attributes of the Tea Layer 2

Unlike many L2s optimized mainly for DeFi or NFTs, Tea’s L2 is designed for the unique needs of open-source communities. By using the Optimism Stack, Tea integrates seamlessly with Ethereum while introducing OSS-focused primitives.

Features like on-chain project registries, dependency mapping and staking are embedded at the protocol level. This makes OSS projects first-class citizens on the network rather than add-ons through external contracts.

Because Tea’s L2 is OP Stack–based, it is fully EVM compatible. Developers can use the same tools and wallets they already know, while benefiting from Tea’s unique functions like proof-of-contribution scoring, project treasuries, and GPG-based tipping.

5 reasons to innovate on the Tea Layer 2

Why are developers and users flocking to Tea? Let’s examine five great reasons to innovate using Tea:

1. Purpose-built for open source

Every element of Tea’s L2 is designed for OSS. From contribution rewards to governance, the network channels value directly to those who maintain and build.

2. Built on Optimism’s rollup technology

By launching as an OP Stack chain, Tea leverages Optimism’s proven scaling approach to deliver low-cost, high-throughput transactions without compromising on Ethereum security.

3. Low fees and scalability

Optimistic rollups allow Tea to process high transaction volumes at low cost. That makes it possible to issue micro-rewards for small contributions and scale to millions of developers without prohibitive fees.

4. Ethereum-level security with EVM compatibility

Tea’s L2 inherits Ethereum’s battle-tested security model. Because it is EVM equivalent, developers can bring their existing code and workflows directly onto the chain.

5. Aligned with public goods 

Optimism reinvests in public goods through RetroPGF. Tea extends that ethos directly to OSS by rewarding maintainers. Together, they form a values-aligned system where the infrastructure and the software it runs on are both sustained.

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Tea + Optimism = 💪

By launching a custom Layer 2 on Optimism, Tea brings together the best of both worlds: Ethereum security and scalability from the OP Stack, plus OSS-focused features baked directly into the network.

This partnership ensures that the technology, economics, and governance of the Tea L2 all point toward one goal: sustaining the open-source software that powers the internet.

Tea + Optimism = a stronger foundation for builders, maintainers, and contributors — a network designed to reward those who keep the world’s digital infrastructure alive.

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