Nethermind's Surge has Officially Launched its Stage 2 Testnet (Hoodi)

Key Highlights:

Stage 2 Security Live: Surge testnet now runs as a fully trustless, Stage 2 rollup
Gigagas Performance: 1 Ggas/sec transaction capacity via Nethermind Client
Ethereum-Native: Uses ETH for gas, with 100% of base fees burned no native token
Validator-Driven Ordering: Transactions sequenced by Ethereum validators, ensuring censorship resistance
Open-Source & Governance-Minimal: Multisig only for upgrade queuing; 45-day notice period

From Research Template to Live Testnet

Developed by Nethermind as a research and experimentation platform, Surge has flipped the switch on its Stage 2 security framework. Unlike most rollups that ramp up decentralization gradually, Surge launched its testnet already in Stage 2, meaning blocks are finalized once proven, with no challenge period or emergency security council. A simple multisig exists solely to queue protocol upgrades, and a mandatory 45-day notice period gives users ample time to exit before any rule changes take effect.

“Surge is Stage 2 from the beginning without dependency on security council/governance. Code is law”, the team explains, underscoring its commitment to trustlessness.

Gigagas Throughput on a Fully Open-Source Stack

At the heart of Surge’s performance is the Nethermind Execution Client, which, in version 1.30.0, demonstrated a Gigagas capability, handling over a billion gas units per second (1 Ggas/sec).

Surge brings this raw power to a fully open-source rollup stack you can run today:

Add to Wallet: Connect your preferred Ethereum wallet to the Surge testnet.
Bridge Hoodi ETH: Move testnet Ether onto Surge via the provided bridge UI.
Experiment: Submit transactions, become a block proposer, or configure ZK provers.

All transactions use ETH for gas; there is no separate L2 token. Moreover, 100% of Surge’s base fees are burned, further aligning incentives with Ethereum’s deflationary ethos.

Surge pioneers “based” architecture by offloading transaction ordering to Ethereum validators rather than relying on a centralized sequencer. This approach inherits Ethereum’s censorship-resistance and security guarantees directly:

Validator-Driven Blocks: Transaction ordering mirrors L1 block production.
No Tiered Proving: A single stage of proof verification finalizes blocks immediately.
Multi-Prover Security: Requires sign-off from any two of three independent ZK proving systems.

By avoiding tiered proving systems or centralized sequencers, Surge delivers liveness and decentralization without compromise.

Getting Started Today

Developers and researchers eager to explore a truly decentralized rollup can dive in immediately:

Bridge UI: https://bridge.hoodi.surge.wtf
Explorer: https://explorer.hoodi.surge.wtf
RPC Endpoint: https://l2-rpc.hoodi.surge.wtf
Documentation: http://docs.surge.wtf
Source Code: http://github.com/NethermindEth/surge

Whether you’re testing new protocol ideas, building high throughput dApps, or benchmarking rollup performance, Surge offers an open, trustless environment reflective of Ethereum’s core principles.

About Surge:

Surge is a research focused rollup template built atop a modified Taiko stack, designed to demonstrate how rollups can achieve Gigagas throughput while remaining fully decentralized. As a technical showcase and reference implementation, Surge invites community contributions and experimentation advancing the rollup centric roadmap without chasing mass adoption or governance token incentives.

If you have any thoughts or feedback that you would like to share, you can write to team@etherworld.co or @ether_world