Reducing Fees and Transaction Times for Scroll Main Bridge Compared to Third-Party Bridges

[RandulaKoralage]

This issue rectifies the concerns regarding the difference in fees and transaction times between the Scroll Main Bridge and popular third-party bridges like Owolto and Orbiter.

Current Pain Points:

Transaction speed: Scroll Main Bridge transactions can take over 20 minutes, significantly exceeding the sub-5-minute times offered by third-party bridges. This speed difference impedes user experience and potentially discourages adoption.

Fees: Main Bridge fees are estimated to be 5-10 times higher than those on third-party bridges, creating a substantial cost barrier for users, especially for smaller transactions.

Desired Improvements:

Reduced transaction times: Investigate and implement optimizations to streamline Main Bridge transactions and achieve timeframes comparable to third-party bridges (ideally under 5 minutes). Lower fees: Analyze and adjust the Main Bridge fee structure to make it more competitive with third-party bridges, attracting more users and promoting wider adoption.

[0xShankar]

Adding option of Using Other L2s like polygon to bridge with scroll.

[0xShankar]

While Scroll offers a promising zkEVM solution, its bridge fees and transaction times currently pose challenges compared to other options. Here are some potential solutions, hope it will helpful

Reducing Fees:

Optimize bridge contracts: Analyze and streamline the bridge contract code to eliminate unnecessary computations and gas consumption. This involves identifying and refactoring redundant operations, leveraging efficient data structures, and exploring alternative algorithms.

Batching transactions: Implement transaction batching mechanisms to group multiple transfers into single transactions. This reduces the overhead associated with individual transactions and lowers overall gas fees.

Layer-3 solutions: Explore integrating layer-3 protocols like State Channels or Validiums within the bridge. These solutions enable off-chain transactions with minimal gas costs, significantly reducing bridging fees.

Fee subsidization: Consider implementing temporary fee subsidies to incentivize early adoption and bridge usage. This can be achieved through partnerships, community initiatives, or a dedicated treasury fund.

Improving Transaction Time:

Leverage optimistic rollups: While Scroll currently utilizes zk-rollups, consider exploring the feasibility of integrating optimistic rollup functionalities within the bridge. Optimistic rollups offer faster transaction confirmation times, potentially improving bridge speed.

Improve validator selection: Optimize the validator selection process within the bridge to ensure efficient transaction processing and minimize confirmation delays. This might involve implementing dynamic selection algorithms based on validator performance and network congestion.

Off-chain communication channels:

Explore establishing secure off-chain communication channels between the bridge and participating wallets. This can expedite information exchange and potentially reduce on-chain transaction requirements, leading to faster bridging times.

Additional Considerations:

Security: Always prioritize security when implementing optimizations. Thoroughly assess the security implications of any proposed changes to ensure the bridge remains robust against potential vulnerabilities.