If you still think the "10,000 TPS" claimed by some L2 networks is impressive, you might have missed the biggest hidden cost in on-chain transactions—MEV (Maximum Extractable Value). On transparent public blockchains, every transaction you make is a glaring "target" for high-frequency trading bots. That's why real Wall Street market makers look down on today's DeFi. How can high-frequency trading thrive in a "dark forest" where everything is exposed? They don't just want speed—they want the confidentiality of traditional dark pools.
This is why Dusk Network has designated the Lightspeed protocol as its strategic focus for 2026. Lightspeed isn't just another ordinary Rollup issuing vaporware tokens—it's a Layer-2 solution specifically designed for high-frequency private transactions.
Current public blockchain scalability seems to have hit a dead end: either sacrifice speed for privacy (like early ZCash), or sacrifice privacy for speed (like most Optimistic Rollups). Lightspeed aims to break this 'impossible trinity.' It combines Dusk's mainnet privacy features with ZK-Rollup technology, moving computation off-chain, achieving speeds comparable to Web2 matching engines. This is crucial for exchanges like NPEX—imagine trying to bring stock matching onto the blockchain; you can't have market makers waiting 15 seconds for confirmation, nor can you allow their quotes to be front-run. Lightspeed's goal is to deliver the seamless experience of centralized exchanges while ensuring the security of decentralized settlement.
But this strategy isn't just about trading—it also includes payments. Dusk plans to launch Dusk Pay in Q1 2026, which may be even more disruptive than trading. Today's corporate payments are awkward: bank transfers are slow and expensive; using USDC/USDT is fast, but competitors can trace your supply chain via on-chain analytics.
Dusk Pay combines compliant stablecoins (like EURQ) with Dusk's privacy technology to create a 'digital cash' experience. Imagine a company paying millions of euros to a supplier—competitors on the blockchain would only see random characters, unable to discern the amount or recipient. Yet, when tax authorities audit, the company can instantly generate a compliant report proving the legitimacy of funds. This **'private to competitors, transparent to regulators'** payment model marks the real beginning of enterprise blockchain adoption—not just for NFT marketplaces.
As Lightspeed scales transaction volume, and Dusk Pay integrates the payment layer, the DUSK token will finally form a complete economic loop. Layer-2 transactions ultimately settle on Layer-1, and these settlements require DUSK. This isn't hype—it's a sustainable ecosystem built around real-world commercial use.#layer
So the next time someone pitches you a high-performance public blockchain, ask them: 'If I place a $100 million order on it, will everyone see it and be able to front-run me?' If the answer is yes, then it will forever remain a playground for retail traders and never become the future of finance.
Disclaimer: The above is for personal research only and should not be considered any investment advice.@Dusk $DUSK #Dusk
