Avalanche has launched Avalanche9000 testnet, the largest upgrade since the mainnet launch. And introduces the Retro9000 program, a grant initiative offering up to $40 million in AVAX tokens to developers

On November 25, 2024, Avalanche has launched its Avalanche9000 testnet called the Fuji testnet, marking its largest upgrade since the mainnet launch.

This upgrade aims to reduce deployment costs by 99.9%, enable interchain communication, and unlock over $40 million in retroactive rewards for developers.

The new testnet will allow developers to create permissionless Layer 1 (L1) blockchains, making it easier and more cost-effective to develop decentralized applications (dApps).

The Avalanche9000 testnet, introducing the Retro9000 program—a retroactive grant initiative offering up to $40 million in AVAX tokens to developers.

This program aims to incentivize the creation and deployment of Layer 1 (L1) blockchains and essential developer tools within the Avalanche ecosystem.

Key Features of Retro9000:

Developer Incentives: Retro9000 rewards developers who build and deploy L1 blockchains or related tooling on the Avalanche9000 testnet. The program encourages public development, community engagement, and the successful launch of projects on the mainnet.

Community-Driven Rewards: Submissions are ranked on a public leaderboard, with community votes influencing the allocation of retroactive grants. This approach fosters transparency and community involvement in the development process.

Reduced Barriers to Entry: The Avalanche9000 upgrade eliminates the need for validators to stake high amounts of AVAX, significantly lowering the cost of deploying and maintaining an L1 blockchain. This change opens opportunities for a broader range of projects to build custom, interoperable blockchains on a proven tech stack.

What is Avalanche 9000?

Avalanche 9000 is an upgrade to the Avalanche blockchain platform, introduced in October 2024.

It aims to simplify and economize the process of creating and deploying Layer 1 (L1) blockchains within the Avalanche ecosystem.

Key features of Avalanche 9000 include:

The upgrade removes the previous requirement for validators to stake 2,000 AVAX tokens, significantly reducing the cost of launching and maintaining an L1 blockchain.

Developers now have greater control over their blockchains, including the ability to select custom gas tokens, implement flexible staking mechanisms, and design unique governance models tailored to specific use cases.

Avalanche 9000 introduces permissionless validation, allowing new L1 blockchains to operate independently of Avalanche’s core chains, thereby reducing operational overhead and simplifying the development process.

Interchain Messaging (ICM) feature enables seamless communication and shared liquidity across different L1 blockchains within the Avalanche ecosystem, fostering interoperability and collective success.

To support the adoption of Avalanche 9000, the Avalanche Foundation has launched the Retro9000 program, offering up to $40 million in retroactive grants to developers building L1 blockchains and essential developer tools on the Avalanche9000 platform.

The Avalanche Foundation's launch of Retro9000 underscores its commitment to fostering innovation and expanding the Avalanche ecosystem by supporting developers in bringing new blockchain solutions to market.