Solana’s Rant Against L2s Feels Like a Distraction | by Chip Mahoney | The Capital | Mar, 2025
You can Simp on SUI if you like, but consider what Coinbase and Kraken are doing behind the scenes
Lately, I’ve been watching Solana’s moves with more skepticism than usual. Not because the tech isn’t fast. Not because there aren’t good developers building on it. But because when a founder starts tearing down everyone else instead of building forward — that’s the moment I start to question what’s really going on behind the curtain.
Anatoly Yakovenko, Solana’s co-founder, just made headlines again. This time, for publicly dismissing Layer 2s. He didn’t just express concern about some risks — he said they’re basically unnecessary. That L2s are slower, less secure, and not even worth using if you just build on Solana. He went so far as to say L2s are a waste, and that the whole concept should be thrown out.
Now, I want you to step back and really think about what that means.
Because in crypto, the loudest person in the room is rarely the one with the most to offer. They’re usually the ones with something to prove.
And lately, Solana seems like a project trying to prove it still matters — not just by improving its network, but by discrediting everyone else.
That’s a bad signal.
Let’s not pretend this is happening in a vacuum.
Solana has been trying to rewrite its reputation after a string of issues. Network outages. A highly criticized smartphone launch. Rumors about centralized validators. There’s always a new distraction, always a new “big thing” that doesn’t land as promised.
So when Yakovenko goes on the offensive, attacking both L2s and even other L1s — it doesn’t come across as confident. It feels like deflection.
It feels like desperation.
Meanwhile, something massive is happening that Solana can’t ignore — but they’ll try to distract you from it.
Coinbase and Kraken are quietly teaming up on what’s being called the “Superchain.” That’s Base and Kraken’s new L2. They’re building for modular infrastructure, permissionless protocols, and chain interoperability. They’re not fighting Ethereum —…
