The Baking Sheet - Issue #183

2024: The Year of Tezos

As 2023 comes to a close, we want to extend our warmest holiday wishes to the Tezos community. May your festivities be filled with joy and reflection. Looking ahead, we're excited about the new opportunities 2024 brings and can't wait to collaborate further with many of you. Here's to a future of continued growth and shared success!

Tezos Oxford 2 Refresher


As the Tezos community watches with bated breath during the holidays, the Oxford 2 proposal has gracefully passed through the first two gates of the Tezos governance gauntlet that ensures the community reached a fair consensus. In a testament to the community's engagement and consensus, the proposal phase and exploration phase were robust displays of participatory governance in action that no other chain can emulate. With 68% of bakers participating and an impressive 80% supermajority favoring the proposal, Oxford 2 is making strides with the confidence of the Tezos community. Cheers to the development teams listening to the feedback, iterating the original Oxford proposal, and injecting the Oxford 2 into the Tezos blockchain.

Now, as it enters the cooldown mode — a contemplative interlude in the governance process — the community and developers alike hold a collective pause. This 14-day period is a moment for reflection, anticipation, and ensuring the upgrade goes smoothly before the final vote. The final voting phase, scheduled for January 25th, 2024, the final voting phase where months of meticulous crafting, debating, and revising culminate in a definitive verdict.

Will Oxford 2 emerge as the new guiding star for Tezos, or will it be back to the drawing board? We predict that it will be a definitive YES, but one thing is for certain: the journey of Oxford 2 demonstrates the strength of on-chain governance and is the primary factor of why Tezos never stops evolving.

What You Need to Know: Oxford 2 in a Nutshell

Before diving deeper, here's a quick summary of what Oxford 2 brings to the table:

- Adaptive Issuance and Staking Mechanism Disabled: Oxford 2 hits pause on these features, ensuring they're fully baked before going live.

- Automated Staking for Bakers: A transition to an easier staking process for bakers, streamlining their operational flow.

- Revised Slashing Penalties: The stakes have changed, with penalties for missteps now more proportionate.

- Timelocks Reintroduced: Enhanced for better security, Timelocks are back to fortify the network's defenses.

- Private Smart Rollups: A new twist in the rollup saga, offering privacy and control for specific applications.

- Quality-of-Life Improvements for Developers: Making life easier for those building the Tezos ecosystem.

Simplifying Complexity: Oxford 2's Magic Touch

Oxford 2's mantra is clear: simplify and secure. In a bold move, the dev teams have put the brakes on Adaptive Issuance and the new Staking mechanism. Why? To ensure that when these features do launch, they're nothing short of perfect. It's like a master chef refusing to serve a dish until it's just right. Meanwhile, bakers (the Tezos kind, not the ones with flour and ovens) get a taste of the future with an automated staking mechanism, designed to make their lives easier and their operations smoother.

The Return of Timelocks: A Security Odyssey

Here's where it gets really interesting. Timelocks are back, and they're stronger than ever. Previously sidelined due to a security Achilles' heel, they've undergone a technological transformation. Imagine a phoenix rising from the ashes, now equipped with a shield and armor. This feature is set to add a new layer of security and functionality to the Tezos protocol, making it as robust as a fortress.

Smart Rollups: The Secret Sauce of Privacy and Efficiency

Oxford 2 also marks a leap in the world of Smart Rollups. Picture this: private Smart Rollups that cater to the growing appetite for data privacy in blockchain applications. It's like having a VIP section in the digital realm, where access is exclusive but the possibilities are endless. These rollups aren't just a feature; they're a game-changer, offering a buffet of options for developers and users alike.

2024: The Year of Tezos


Heading into 2024, it's safe to say Tezos is on a roll! Last year was a blast with Smart Rollups hitting the Mainnet when Mumbai kicked in, taking our scalability game to a whole new level. And guess what? We smashed past the 1M TPS mark, showing the world just how speedy Tezos can be. Mumbai wasn't just about speed though; it sliced the block time in half thanks to a nifty little upgrade called Pipelining. And Nairobi? Oh, it just made everything smoother and cheaper, making sure consensus gets zippy.

On the tech side, data availability tech has been cooking nicely, and DACs are almost ready to serve. Plus, Etherlink, our EVM-friendly rollup, is prepping in the Ghostnet kitchen, almost ready to be served hot on the Mainnet. Looking ahead, 2024 is all about keeping up the momentum, and working hand in hand with the Tezos community to keep pushing the boundaries. So, keep your eyes peeled, it's going to be an exciting ride! For a full technical breakdown, check out Nomadic Lab’s announcement.

Track Tezos Governance on Agora

Bakers and the entire Tezos community, come witness the power of on-chain governance and be part of reaching a consensus. Experience the vibrancy of proposal discussions, debates, and voting milestones right at the heart of the community's forum. Join the action and follow every step of the process at Tezos Agora!

This Week in the Tezos Ecosystem

TZAPAC and EMERGE: Leveling Up on Tezos

Southeast Asia's marketing technology firm, EMERGE, has teamed up with TZ APAC. This partnership aims to supercharge the introduction of Web3 games into the Tezos ecosystem, leveraging each organization's strengths to ensure a smooth transition and robust growth in the gaming sector.

What's the Big Deal?

Here's the scoop: EMERGE and TZ APAC are tapping into each other's treasure troves of expertise, contacts, and tech to catapult promising game studios right into the heart of the Tezos blockchain. Imagine a seamless onboarding ramp, not just for the games but also for the vibrant communities that breathe life into them. That's what we're talking about here.

What You Need to Know:

  • Mission: It's all about making Tezos the go-to blockchain for gamers and developers alike. This partnership is setting up a fast lane for Web3 games to merge onto the Tezos highway.

  • EMERGE's Magic: With an arsenal of marketing strategies and a network that reads like a who's who of the gaming world, EMERGE is all set to champion Tezos as the prime playing field for the gaming community.

  • TZ APAC's Toolbox: Think of TZ APAC as the architects building the foundations for tomorrow's gaming. They're bringing the tools, the resources, and the community spirit to the table.

  • The Win-Win: This isn't just good news for Tezos or EMERGE; it's a victory lap for every developer, gamer, and innovator looking to carve out a niche in the Web3 world.

“With this collaboration, TZ APAC can now rely on a partner that shares the same goal — to empower the gaming community with the relevant tools, resources, and network to succeed. Builders, gamers, and ecosystem partners can stand to benefit from the marriage of full-suite support provided by TZ APAC and the marketing prowess of EMERGE Group,” said Jason Lim, Business Development (Gaming) at TZ APAC.

“We are honored to have been selected by TZ APAC as a strategic partner in support of their global Web3 gaming initiative. The partnership is a testament to EMERGE Group’s dedication and expertise in Web3 gaming, having worked with several big Web3 projects and successfully driving impactful partnerships within the gaming sector,” said Roy Kek, CEO and Co-founder of EMERGE Group.

Now Streaming

TezTalks Radio— Musée d'Orsay

In this week's episode, We dive into the partnership between The Tezos Foundation and the prestigious Musée d’Orsay museum, starting with digital souvenirs by Keru for the Van Gogh exhibition. 

Musée d’Orsay is set to collaborate with artists inspired by the museum’s collection to mint works on Tezos

Now Streaming: