How would layer 3 improve upon what layer-2 protocols do, and what barriers does this emerging technology still need to overcome? Tony Cheng of Foresight Ventures explains.

Layer 3 is not a feature add but a fundamental element of the blockchain architecture. It's what makes it scalable, secure, and future-proof.

While layer-2 protocols have been focused on “scalability,” layer-3 protocols would serve a much different purpose, says Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin.

Transport layer protocols, such as UDP (user datagram protocol), sit on top of internet layer protocols (such as IP), and are typically responsible for establishing and dissolving communication ...