Circle Layer is a high-performance Layer 1 blockchain that is compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). It utilizes a Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) consensus mechanism and aims to provide high transaction throughput and an integrated AI security layer for decentralized applications (dApps). ^{[1] [2]}

Overview

Circle Layer is being developed to address performance limitations and economic challenges for developers in the blockchain industry. The project identifies that the operational efficiency of dApps, especially in high-demand sectors such as gaming and the metaverse, is often constrained by the transaction speeds of underlying blockchain networks. To counter this, Circle Layer employs a DPoS consensus model to increase transaction throughput. ^[2]

A core component of the project's design is its economic model, which aims to create a more sustainable financial ecosystem for developers. Unlike traditional models where transaction fees are primarily directed to miners or network stakers, Circle Layer's model redistributes a portion of these fees to the developers who deploy the smart contracts. This is intended to generate a direct revenue stream for dApp creators based on their application's usage. The platform is built to be fully compatible with the EVM, allowing developers to migrate existing Ethereum-based applications and use familiar tools and programming languages like Solidity. ^{[1] [2]}

History

The development and launch of Circle Layer are structured in a multi-phase roadmap. The initial phase focused on the launch of an ERC-20 token on the Ethereum network to build a community, alongside the development of the core testnet infrastructure. The project's native token, CLAYER, was officially deployed on the Ethereum blockchain, with the contract verified on July 19, 2025. Trading for the token commenced on July 22, 2025. ^{[3] [2]}

The project's roadmap outlines subsequent phases for expansion and mainnet launch:

• Phase 1: Token Launch & Core Infrastructure: Included the ERC-20 token launch, development of a testnet capable of approximately 5,000 TPS, and the implementation of the DPoS consensus mechanism.
• Phase 2: Ecosystem Expansion: Plans include the development of a native bridge and a decentralized exchange (DEX), iOS and Android wallets, and the integration of an "Agentic AI" security layer. This phase also focuses on optimizing the network to reach a target of 50,000 TPS.
• Phase 3: Mainnet Launch: Involves the genesis launch with an initial set of 21 validators, migration of the CLAYER token to the native chain, and the activation of DeFi infrastructure.
• Phase 4: Global Expansion: Sets long-term goals for user adoption and further performance enhancements, targeting over 100,000 TPS. ^[2]

Technology

Circle Layer's client is based on Geth (Go Ethereum) and is written in the Go programming language. Its database is custom-built for the EVM's Merkle Patricia Trie (MPT) data structure, utilizing Linux kernel technologies to enable parallel state access and reduce database access overhead. ^[1]

Architecture and Consensus

The network operates on a Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) consensus mechanism, which is more energy-efficient compared to Proof of Work systems. In this model, token holders delegate their stake to a set of validators who are responsible for creating new blocks and confirming transactions. The testnet operates with a minimum of five active validators, with plans to support up to 21 validators for the mainnet genesis. The architecture is designed to eventually scale to support up to 10,000 validators on the mainnet. This DPoS implementation is a key component of the network's security and performance. ^{[2] [1]}

Performance and Scalability

Circle Layer's testnet has demonstrated performance of approximately 2,000 to 5,000 transactions per second (TPS), with a block time of 3 seconds and transaction finality between 1 and 3 seconds. The project has a stated goal of achieving over 50,000 TPS on its mainnet. To reach this target, the development plan includes several technical optimizations:

• Parallel Transaction Processing: Implementing multi-threaded execution to process multiple transactions simultaneously.
• Optimized Consensus: Enhancements to the DPoS mechanism to achieve faster finality.
• State Sharding: A horizontal scaling technique to distribute the network's computational and storage load.
• EVM Optimization: Custom improvements to the bytecode and execution environment. ^[2]

AI-Powered Security

A planned feature for Circle Layer is an integrated AI security suite. This system is designed to provide an additional layer of protection for dApps and smart contracts on the network. The proposed security features are expected to be introduced in Phase 2 of the roadmap and include real-time AI auditing of smart contracts, automated threat detection, vulnerability scanning, and instant security alerts for developers and users. ^{[1] [2]}

Features

Circle Layer is designed with several core features to support developers and users:

• EVM Compatibility: The platform is fully compatible with the EVM at the bytecode level, enabling developers to deploy smart contracts from Ethereum or other EVM-compatible chains without code modifications. It supports standard development tools like Solidity, Remix, Hardhat, and Truffle, as well as libraries such as Web3.js and Ethers.js.
• High Performance: The architecture targets high throughput and low latency, with testnet metrics showing 3-second block times and 1-3 second finality.
• Developer Revenue Share: A portion of network transaction fees is allocated to the deployers of smart contracts, providing a direct economic incentive for developers.
• Energy Efficiency: The use of a DPoS consensus mechanism results in significantly lower energy consumption compared to Proof-of-Work blockchains.
• Cross-Chain Support: The roadmap includes plans for a native asset bridge to allow for the mapping of assets from other blockchains, such as ETH and BNB.
• Meta-Transactions: The platform incorporates a meta-transaction function, which can help reduce gas fee costs for users and developers. ^[2]

Products

The Circle Layer ecosystem includes several tools and platforms available for public use:

• Circle Layer Testnet: A publicly accessible test network for developers to build and test applications. The testnet has a Chain ID of 28525. ^[4]
• Testnet Explorer: A block explorer that allows users to view blocks, transactions, addresses, and other on-chain data for the testnet.
• Testnet Faucet: A service that provides users with free testnet CLAYER tokens for development and testing purposes. ^[5]
• Planned Products: The project's roadmap includes the future development of a native bridge, a decentralized exchange (DEX), and mobile wallets for iOS and Android. ^[2]

Ecosystem

The Circle Layer Foundation works to foster growth through developer support and community initiatives. The project provides comprehensive documentation, grant programs, and developer support channels. To further encourage development, Circle Layer hosts hackathons and an accelerator program designed to provide mentorship and resources for new startups building on the platform. The ecosystem supports a wide range of standard blockchain development tools, including MetaMask, WalletConnect, The Graph, and OpenZeppelin. The project maintains an active community on platforms like Telegram and X (formerly Twitter). ^{[1] [6]}

Use Cases

The platform's high throughput and low transaction costs are intended to support dApps in sectors that require high performance and scalability. Potential use cases include:

• Gaming
• Metaverse applications
• Non-fungible token (NFT) platforms
• Decentralized Finance (DeFi) protocols ^[2]

Tokenomics

The native cryptocurrency of the Circle Layer network is CLAYER.

CLAYER Token

The CLAYER token was initially launched as an ERC-20 token on the Ethereum network with the contract address 0x7b5d6a651b5ea2049489123c5959b3d3cdfeee57. Following the mainnet launch, the token is planned to be migrated to the native Circle Layer chain. ^[3]

Utilities and Economic Model

The CLAYER token has several functions within the ecosystem.

• Gas Fees: It is used to pay for transaction fees on the network.
• Staking: Validators must stake CLAYER to participate in the consensus process and secure the network. The minimum stake for a mainnet validator is 100,000 CLAYER.
• Reward Distribution: Gas fees collected from network transactions are distributed to validators as rewards, proportional to their stake.
• Developer Revenue: A portion of transaction fees is redistributed to the developers of the smart contracts that facilitate the transactions.
• Burn Mechanism: The economic model includes a systematic token burn mechanism to create deflationary pressure on the token supply. ^[2]

Governance

Governance on the Circle Layer network is managed through its Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) system. CLAYER token holders can stake their tokens to elect validators, who are then responsible for proposing and validating blocks, as well as participating in network governance decisions. This model allows token holders to have an indirect influence on the network's operation and future development by selecting the validators who represent them. ^[2]

Social Links

• Official website https://circlelayer.com/
• X (formerly Twitter) https://x.com/circlelayer
• Telegram https://t.me/circlelayer