Celo, the mobile-first blockchain, has taken a big step. It's launched its Dango Layer 2 testnet. This move kicks off Celo's plan to join the Ethereum ecosystem.

The decision wasn't made overnight. Celo voters gave the thumbs up last July. They wanted to turn their Layer 1 network into an Ethereum Layer 2 chain.

It took eight months to figure things out. In the end, Celo chose Optimism's OP Stack. This tech will power their Layer 2 network.

With this choice, Celo joins the "Superchain" club. It's now in the same league as Base, Zora, and Mode. These are all Ethereum Layer 2 networks.

What's in it for Celo users? For starters, they can still use USDT and USDC for gas fees. But there's more good news. Bridging tokens between Ethereum and Celo will be a breeze.

Speed is another perk. Celo claims transactions will be zippier. They're talking about a 50% boost in throughput. Block time will drop from 5 seconds to 2 seconds.

Marek Olszewski, CTO at cLabs, shared his two cents. "For most EVM-compatible chains, it's increasingly hard to justify a standalone positioning," he told The Block last year. "Ethereum's scaling roadmap is proving itself."

The Celo team isn't wasting time. They're eyeing a mainnet launch in "early winter 2024".

This move shows Celo's willingness to adapt. It's betting on Ethereum's growing dominance in the blockchain space.

Will this gamble pay off? Only time will tell. But one thing's for sure - Celo's not sitting on its hands.