Ethereum Mainnet speed breaks 200 milliseconds! FAST RPC defeats Solana speed myth

The Ethereum infrastructure platform Primev stated that using its “FAST RPC” solution, Ethereum mainnet transactions can achieve a block time of just 200 milliseconds. Its FAST RPC (Remote Procedure Call) allows for pre-confirmation of transactions within 200 milliseconds and inclusion in blocks, enabling transfers from Ethereum and interaction with smart contracts to mint NFTs at a “very fast speed.”

Ethereum Mainnet speed breaks through 200 milliseconds pre-confirmation, subverting perception

Using the new technology of the Ethereum infrastructure platform, Ethereum transactions can be pre-confirmed in a fraction of a second. Pre-confirmation is an early signal from block builders indicating that the transaction may be included in the next block, while block inclusion refers to the transaction being added to the block. The key to this mechanism is that it provides users with near-instant transaction feedback without having to wait for the full block confirmation time.

The standard block time of Ethereum is approximately 12 seconds, which means that traditionally users need to wait at least 12 seconds to confirm whether a transaction has been included in a block. FAST RPC shortens this time to 200 milliseconds, which is equivalent to increasing the confirmation speed by 60 times. This groundbreaking increase in speed allows the user experience of the Ethereum Mainnet to rival that of high-performance Layer-1 blockchains without the need to migrate to Layer-2 solutions.

RPCs like FAST RPC connect cryptocurrency wallets to blockchain nodes, enabling users to send transactions and interact with decentralized applications on the chain. RPCs play a critical role in blockchain infrastructure, serving as the bridge between the user interface and the underlying blockchain. When users initiate a transaction in wallets like MetaMask, they are actually sending the transaction request to Ethereum nodes via RPC.

From the user's perspective, 200 milliseconds can theoretically compete with high-speed Layer 1 blockchains like Sui, where transactions are typically confirmed within 200 milliseconds. This comparison is highly significant, as Sui has always marketed its ultra-fast transaction speed as a core selling point, attracting a large number of performance-driven developers and users. The emergence of FAST RPC means that Ethereum users no longer need to sacrifice the security and maturity of the Ethereum ecosystem for speed.

377 ms actual measurement data and two years of technological accumulation

Murat Akdeniz, the founder of Primev, showcased a live demonstration on X on Monday, demonstrating near-instant ETH transfers via the Ethereum self-custodial wallet MetaMask. He stated that the transfer was pre-confirmed within 377 milliseconds and included in the same block. Although this empirical data is slightly higher than the theoretical value of 200 milliseconds, it still far exceeds the confirmation time of traditional Ethereum transactions.

The actual performance of 377 milliseconds may reflect various variables in a real network environment, including network latency, node processing time, and the response speed of block builders. Even under these adverse conditions, FAST RPC has still achieved sub-second transaction confirmations, demonstrating the robustness of the technology. For application scenarios that require rapid transaction feedback, such as DEX trading, NFT minting, or in-game transactions, this speed enhancement will significantly improve the user experience.

Akdeniz stated that his team has been working for over two years to “enhance Ethereum” speed. This long-term technical accumulation shows that FAST RPC is not a hastily launched product, but rather a result of careful consideration and repeated testing. The two-year development cycle means that the team has resolved many potential technical challenges, including how to establish a reliable pre-confirmation mechanism with block builders, how to handle transaction rollback risks, and how to maintain security while ensuring speed.

Primev's solution can provide faster transaction speeds for users who prefer to stay on the Ethereum Mainnet rather than switch to Ethereum Layer 2 solutions. This positioning is strategically significant as it fills the performance gap between the Mainnet and Layer-2, offering new options for users who are unwilling to bear the fragmentation risks of Layer-2.

FAST RPC and the ecological competition with Infura and Alchemy

The most widely used RPC on Ethereum are the solutions from Infura and Alchemy. Although they are slower than Primev's FAST RPC, they have a larger node distribution and have been tested in real-world scenarios under heavier network loads. Over 400,000 builders connect to Ethereum using Infura built by Consensys, while Alchemy facilitates over $150 billion in transactions annually for more than 100 users worldwide.

These data highlight the challenges faced by FAST RPC. Infura and Alchemy not only have mature technical architectures, but more importantly, they have established a large user base and ecosystem. Developers have become accustomed to the APIs and toolchains of these platforms, and migrating to new RPC solutions requires additional integration work and testing. Additionally, the global node distribution of Infura and Alchemy ensures high availability and low latency, which is an infrastructure advantage that emerging platforms need time to establish.

Nevertheless, FAST RPC has not undergone large-scale testing. This is a reality that any new technology must face; the performance in a laboratory environment may differ from that of large-scale deployment in the real world. Can the network maintain a pre-confirmation speed of 200 milliseconds when hundreds of thousands of users are simultaneously using FAST RPC? Will performance significantly decline during periods of congestion on the Ethereum network? These questions can only be answered through practical application.

However, the speed advantage of FAST RPC may become the key to its breakthrough in the market. For high-frequency traders, MEV hunters, and DApp users who require immediate feedback, the difference between 200 milliseconds and several seconds could mean the difference between successful and failed transactions, profits and losses. If Primev can establish a reputation for reliability and stability while ensuring speed, FAST RPC has the potential to gain a foothold in specific niche markets.

Simple settings but need to lower deposit threshold to reduce barriers to adoption

Primev's solution can be easily integrated by connecting to cryptocurrency wallets like MetaMask or WalletConnect and replacing the RPC of Infura and Alchemy with FAST RPC. This design lowers the technical barrier, allowing users to avoid the need for complex blockchain infrastructure knowledge and simply change the RPC endpoint in their wallet settings.

FAST RPC Setup Steps:

Step 1: Open MetaMask or WalletConnect wallet settings

Step 2: Replace the RPC endpoint from Infura/Alchemy with the FAST RPC address

Step 3: Deposit funds into the Primev “tank” wallet address “0x24A…c2ACf”

Step 4: Start interacting on the chain and enjoy millisecond confirmation speed.

However, users must deposit funds into Primev's “oil tank” wallet address “0x24A…c2ACf” before they can freely engage in on-chain interactions. This requirement could become a barrier to adoption, as it introduces additional trust assumptions and risks of fund locking. Users need to trust that Primev will not misappropriate these funds and that they will be able to withdraw them when needed. This custodial model somewhat conflicts with the decentralized spirit of cryptocurrency, which may cause some autonomy-focused users to hesitate.

The business logic behind the deposit requirements may lie in providing economic guarantees or fee mechanisms for fast pre-confirmation services. Primev may need to establish priority processing agreements with block builders, which require economic incentives. The “tank” model allows Primev to deduct service fees from user deposits or serve as collateral for negotiations with builders. Nevertheless, a transparent fee structure and secure fund custody mechanisms will be key for FAST RPC to gain user trust.