Ronin, the gaming blockchain behind Axie Infinity, hard forks today to leave its standalone sidechain and re-launch as an Ethereum Layer 2 built on the OP Stack. The migration triggers at block 55,577,490, expected around 15:00 UTC, and will keep the network offline for roughly 10 hours while validators execute the cutover. Once Ronin reopens, Ethereum will provide settlement and EigenDA will handle data availability, replacing the nine-validator sidechain model the network has run since 2021. The change also slashes RON token inflation from more than 20% per year to under 1% and redirects 90 million RON previously earmarked for staking rewards into the Ronin treasury.
A layer 2 blockchain is a separate network built on top of Ethereum that processes transactions faster and cheaper before settling them on Ethereum’s main chain.
Key takeaways
- Ronin moves from independent sidechain to an OP Stack Ethereum L2 at block 55,577,490, with about 10 hours of network downtime starting near 15:00 UTC on May 12.
- RON annual inflation drops from over 20% to below 1%, a 20-fold cut, after 90 million tokens are pulled from staking rewards into the treasury.
- EigenDA will store transaction data off-chain while keeping it verifiable on Ethereum, with Optimism, Conduit, Boundless, and EigenLayer as core infrastructure partners.
- Ronin replaces passive staking with a “Proof of Distribution” model that pays builders based on TVL, gas usage, and user retention, and shifts governance to token-weighted RON voting.
Published: May 12, 2026, 09:00 UTC
Why Ronin is leaving its own chain
Ronin launched in 2021 as a dedicated sidechain for Sky Mavis’s Axie Infinity, the play-to-earn game that briefly drove daily transaction volumes higher than most Layer 1 networks. The chain ran on a nine-validator proof-of-authority model, a setup that produced cheap and fast transactions but became infamous in March 2022 when North Korea’s Lazarus Group drained $625 million from the Ronin bridge after compromising five of those validators.
Sky Mavis and the Ronin team described the May 12 migration as Ronin “coming home” to Ethereum after four years on a separate gaming chain. The team argued that the security and developer surface of an Ethereum-secured rollup now outweighs the throughput advantages of running an independent EVM chain. Ronin joins Celo and Fraxtal as alt-L1 networks that have already converted to OP Stack rollups, with Mode and several other Superchain entrants pursuing similar paths.
OP Stack architecture and EigenDA
The upgraded Ronin will use Optimism’s OP Stack, the same framework that powers Base, Optimism Mainnet, Worldcoin, and other Superchain rollups. The OP Stack handles transaction execution, sequencing, and proof publication, with finality anchored to Ethereum.
For data availability, Ronin is integrating EigenDA, EigenLayer’s data-availability service that stores transaction data off-chain while keeping it verifiable through Ethereum-restaked operators. EigenDA lets rollups post less data to Ethereum mainnet, which lowers fees and supports the high transaction throughput that gaming workloads require. Conduit, the rollup-as-a-service provider, and Boundless, an Ethereum proving infrastructure provider, are also named partners on the migration.
The architectural change replaces Ronin’s nine-validator sidechain with shared Superchain tooling, including standardized bridges, governance contracts, and developer libraries. Existing Ronin applications, including Axie Infinity, Pixels, and Apeiron, will continue to run on the same chain ID after the upgrade.
What changes for RON holders
The token economic changes are larger than the architecture shift for most RON holders. Annual RON inflation will fall from more than 20% to under 1%, a more than 20-fold reduction. The change comes from redirecting roughly 90 million RON, previously reserved for passive staking rewards, into the Ronin treasury.
Marketplace fees that flow into the treasury also rise from 0.5% to 1.25%, and the treasury will capture net sequencer profits on the new Layer 2. The team will phase out passive staking and the legacy validator system entirely, replacing them with a “Proof of Distribution” model that pays builders based on metrics including total value locked, gas usage, and user retention.
RON governance shifts to token-weighted voting, giving holders a direct role in decisions on buybacks, DeFi initiatives, and treasury allocations. RON traded near $0.11 with a market cap around $86 million heading into the migration, according to CoinGecko data.
The 10-hour downtime window
Network operators have warned that all on-chain activity, including transfers, swaps, and smart contract execution, will halt during the migration. Ronin Shield, the network’s security arm, advised users to avoid initiating cross-chain transactions in the hours leading up to block 55,577,490 and to wait for confirmation from the Ronin core team before resuming activity after the cutover. Bridges and exchanges that support RON, including Binance and KuCoin, were expected to pause RON deposits and withdrawals during the downtime.
Once the network resumes, transactions will settle on Ethereum mainnet, and the OP Stack’s seven-day withdrawal challenge period will apply to assets bridging out to Ethereum. Sky Mavis said standard L2 bridges and faster third-party bridges would be available to users who want quicker exits, similar to the model used on Base and Optimism.
FAQ
When does the Ronin Layer 2 migration go live?
The hard fork triggers at Ronin block height 55,577,490, expected around 15:00 UTC on May 12, 2026. Ronin’s network will be offline for roughly 10 hours while validators complete the cutover. The new Ethereum Layer 2 will run immediately after the downtime ends.
How does the migration change RON token inflation?
Annual RON inflation drops from more than 20% to under 1%, a 20-fold cut. Roughly 90 million RON tokens previously reserved for passive staking rewards will move into the Ronin treasury instead, ending the legacy staking system in favor of a contribution-based model.
Will Axie Infinity and other Ronin apps keep working?
Yes. Axie Infinity, Pixels, Apeiron, and other Ronin-native applications will run on the same chain ID after the upgrade. The OP Stack handles execution while Ethereum provides settlement, so existing smart contracts and user balances carry over without redeployment.
