BNB Chain Completes OpBNB 'Fourier' Hard Fork, Doubling Block Generation Speed
The BNB chain has successfully completed the "Fourier" hard fork, which halved the block generation time of opBNB, a Layer 2 network. This upgrade aims to improve the user experience by increasing transaction confirmation speeds, and is considered a strategic move to reduce latency, a critical issue for decentralized finance (DeFi) services.
The BNB chain development team announced that this hard fork was implemented on the mainnet at 3:00 AM UTC on January 7th. Following the upgrade, the block generation time was reduced from 500 milliseconds to 250 milliseconds, and Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao also confirmed that the network upgrade was completed smoothly.
opBNB is a Layer 2 scaling solution leveraging OPstack, the open-source framework of Opimism (OP). This upgrade is expected to significantly improve the perceived speed of latency-critical decentralized applications such as DeFi, games, and social apps. Prior to the hard fork, node operators were instructed to upgrade to compatible clients such as op-node v0.5.5 and op-geth v0.5.9.
Fourier is part of opBNB's ongoing performance improvement roadmap. In September 2024, the Fjord upgrade adjusted the Layer 1 fee calculation structure, and in August of the same year, the Wright upgrade introduced a gasless transaction feature to enhance usability. Recently, among Layer 1 networks, the BNB chain has significantly outpaced NEAR Protocol and Solana in terms of monthly active wallets, with approximately 56 million active addresses.
Token response after upgrade is 'calm'
Since the upgrade, the BNB token has shown a gentle upward trend. At the time of the upgrade, BNB was trading at around $917 (approximately 13.3 million won), up approximately 1% over the past 24 hours. While the weekly increase is approximately 6% and the past two weeks have reached 10%, the monthly increase is somewhat limited at 2%.
While BNB has risen more than 25% year-to-date, it has recently been overtaken by Ripple (XRP) in terms of market capitalization. XRP recently surged from around $1.86 to near $2.30, pushing its market cap above $138 billion, while BNB's market cap has fallen to $126 billion.
Ethereum Joins the Speed Race as Industry-Wide Expansion Race Continues
The BNB chain's Fourier upgrade aligns with the broader blockchain industry's push for Layer 2 scaling. Ethereum implemented the Fusaka hard fork in December 2025, improving data availability and reducing Layer 2 costs. Vitalik Buterin noted that the introduction of PeerDAS, a real-time scaling technology based on ZK-EVM, is shifting the Ethereum scaling paradigm.
The BNB chain is also gaining competitiveness by improving processing speeds across Layer 1 and Layer 2. Based on its high-speed processing, low fees, and active user base, it is strengthening its presence in the blockchain infrastructure market.
🔎 Market Interpretation
The BNB chain's reduced block generation speed goes beyond a simple technical upgrade; it aligns with a major market trend toward user-centric response speed optimization. This is seen as an attempt to maintain a user base while widening the gap with competing chains.
💡 Strategy Points
Fourier represents more than just a short-term speed improvement. Given its connection to the previous Wright and Fjord upgrades, the BNB chain is actively implementing a long-term L1-L2 integration strategy. For developers and dApp operators, this speed improvement could serve as a means of preventing defections from competing platforms.
📘 Glossary
- opBNB: A layer 2 expansion solution for the BNB chain, introducing technology based on the Opimism OP Stack.
- Hard fork: A process that fundamentally changes the blockchain protocol, potentially resulting in a network split.
Block Generation Time: The time it takes for a new block to be created and transactions to be recorded. The shorter the time, the faster transactions are processed.
💡 Want to know more? AI-prepared questions for you:
A. The key point is that the block generation cycle has been reduced from 500 milliseconds to 250 milliseconds, halving transaction confirmation speed. This measure enhances the user experience, tailored to the DeFi ecosystem, which demands fast transaction speeds.
A. opBNB is an L2 expansion network for the BNB chain. It leverages Optimism's OP stack to provide high throughput and low fees, targeting DeFi, games, and social apps.
A. The shorter the time it takes for a transaction to be included in a block and confirmed, the shorter the user wait time and the higher the perceived performance. This is essential for latency-sensitive applications.
A. While BNB still holds a high market share, Ripple (XRP) has recently surged, surpassing it in market capitalization. Against this backdrop, the BNB chain's technological upgrades are attracting even more attention.
A. Rather than a simple price rebound, it's more likely to contribute to strengthening the "fundamentals" in the long term, including improving chain competitiveness, attracting developers, and promoting dApp expansion. The market will gradually evaluate this.
TP AI Precautions
This article was summarized using a TokenPost.ai-based language model. Key points in the text may be omitted or inaccurate.
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