InterLink Labs Argues for Independent Chains
InterLink Labs explained its decision to build an independent blockchain rather than an Ethereum Layer 2. The firm argues that ongoing upgrades to Ethereum are eroding the relevance of L2s. It cited the need for full control over its network for payments and reserve assets as a key driver for its architectural choice.
- InterLink's core technology is a "Proof of Personhood" consensus mechanism that uses biometric verification, including facial recognition and liveness detection, to create a "Human Network". This ensures that only verified humans can participate as nodes, aiming to eliminate bots and fraudulent accounts. - The company's whitepaper outlines a goal of onboarding 1 billion verified users to create the largest human-centric blockchain ecosystem. This focus on a large, verified user base is intended to support applications requiring trust and fairness, such as bot-free social networks and equitable governance systems. - While building its own chain, InterLink plans for multi-chain interoperability, with its InterLink ID designed to be usable across Ethereum, Solana, and other major blockchains. The InterLink Chain itself is also Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible, allowing developers familiar with Ethereum's tools to build on the network. - The project has a dual-token structure: "$ITLG" for utility and governance within the network and "$ITL" for institutional access. Their roadmap includes plans to list these tokens on major exchanges in late 2025 or early 2026. - InterLink Labs recently reported thwarting a major 51% attack attempt. They stated that their Proof-of-Humanity model, which doesn't allow bot access, was key in defending the network, and that no data was lost or downtime incurred. - The firm is led by CEO Dr. Benjamin Tran, who has over 20 years of experience in M&A and venture management with tech companies like Micron Technology and Fujitsu Microelectronics. The company has its U.S. headquarters in California and operational offices in Asia. - Ethereum's recent "Fusaka" upgrade in late 2025 was designed to significantly empower Layer 2s by making data availability cheaper and more scalable, which contrasts with InterLink's assertion that L2 relevance is eroding. However, some market analysis suggests that as L2s capture more transaction value, it raises questions about value accrual for Ethereum itself.
