The Avalanche Foundation has revealed its latest initiative, Retro9000, which aims to distribute up to $40 million of tokens retroactively to developers supporting the upcoming Avalanche9000 upgrade.
This upgrade, also known as the Etna upgrade, introduces ACP-77, allowing developers to create their own Avalanche-based L1s without the need to validate the core Avalanche X, P, and C-Chains. This development will significantly reduce hardware requirements and eliminate the 2,000 AVAX staking requirement per validator for launching an Avalanche-based L1.
In addition to these changes, the Etna upgrade includes a dynamic fee system for the X and P-Chains, enhanced random number generation, lower C-Chain fees, and improvements to Avalanche’s EVM compatibility. The Retro9000 program aims to reward developers who are building new Avalanche-based L1 blockchains and essential developer tools on the Avalanche9000 testnet. Projects will be ranked on a public leaderboard based on community voting.
Luigi D’Onorio DeMeo, COO of Ava Lab, expressed excitement about the Avalanche9000 upgrade, stating, “Avalanche9000 is the result of years of development work to create a platform that can support rapid, scalable, and interconnected L1s.” He also highlighted the importance of the Retro9000 program in encouraging developers to participate in building the L1 ecosystem and creating innovative products.