Back

Ronin to Migrate to Ethereum Layer-2 on May 12 Hard Fork

Ronin states that its Layer-2 migration was completed on May 12 after about 10 hours of downtime, ending four years as a sidechain and transitioning the gaming blockchain to an Ethereum-based architecture.

ETH
OP
RON

Fact Check
Every specific claim element is directly corroborated by multiple independent sources. The CoinDesk article (May 11, 2026) and the official @ronin_shield X post both confirm: (1) the May 12 hard fork date; (2) migration from independent sidechain to Ethereum Layer-2; (3) use of OP Stack; (4) approximately 10 hours of network downtime; (5) RON inflation dropping sharply from over 20% to below 1% (a 'sharply lower' characterization that is accurate). The stated motivations of improved security, tokenomics, and scalability are also explicitly confirmed by CoinDesk and corroborated by Crypto Briefing and Wu Blockchain. No conflicting evidence was found across any source.
Summary

Ronin completed its migration to an Ethereum Layer-2 on May 12 through a hard fork executed at block 55,577,490, ending four years as an independent EVM sidechain. The network shutdown lasted about 10 hours, in line with prior guidance. Ronin had said the move was intended to improve security, tokenomics, and scalability through adoption of OP Stack and a Proof of Distribution model. As previously outlined, the upgrade also includes cutting RON inflation from above 20% to below 1% and transferring 90 million RON to the treasury.

Terms & Concepts
  • Ethereum Layer-2: A scaling network built on Ethereum that processes activity off the main chain while relying on Ethereum for settlement or security.
  • OP Stack: An open-source framework used to build layer-2 blockchain networks, originally associated with the Optimism ecosystem.
  • Tokenomics: The economic design of a crypto token, including supply, incentives, utility, and distribution.