Ronin, the gaming-centric blockchain known for its $625 million exploit in 2022, officially transitions from a sidechain to an Ethereum layer 2 on May 12, 2026. This upgrade aims to improve security while maintaining high throughput for gaming applications.
The transition leverages Ethereum's security model, using a bridge to connect to the mainnet. Ronin's native token, RON, remains central to the network's operations, including gas fees and staking.
Sky Mavis, the developer behind Ronin, announced the move in early 2026, citing the need for enhanced security after the 2022 hack. The layer 2 solution uses a zero-knowledge rollup architecture to process transactions off-chain while posting proofs to Ethereum.
As of May 12, 2026, the transition is complete, with Ronin now operating as an Ethereum layer 2. Users can bridge assets between Ronin and Ethereum via the official bridge. The network continues to support popular games like Axie Infinity and Pixels.
