Kinetiq has set Nov. 9 for the mainnet debut of Elysium, a Layer 2 network built around the Hyperliquid ecosystem. The project is positioned as a more expansive venue for trading applications, launchpads, and automated market makers that may need more room than HyperEVM currently offers.
Elysium is being launched as an Arbitrum Orbit chain that settles to HyperEVM. It will use HYPE bridged 1:1 as its gas asset, meaning users will not need a separate native token to pay transaction fees on the network.
Architecture tied to HyperEVM
Kinetiq describes Elysium as a chain designed to extend what can be built around Hyperliquid without changing the core design of HyperEVM. Hyperliquid has kept HyperEVM intentionally constrained with small blocks, a choice aimed at avoiding extra load on HyperCore.
Against that backdrop, Elysium is intended to provide additional capacity for applications such as trading venues, launchpads, and proprietary AMMs, while still anchoring itself to the broader Hyperliquid stack through settlement to HyperEVM.
Key trading integrations will come after launch
The most notable capability attached to Elysium is not expected to be available on the first day. According to Kinetiq’s documentation, the network’s planned HyperCore hooks, which would allow smart contracts to access live HyperCore market data and route orders into HyperCore, are scheduled for a later ArbOS upgrade.
That upgrade is expected roughly a month after mainnet goes live. Kinetiq’s materials also indicate that technical specifications and timing may still change before launch, leaving some implementation details subject to revision.
Initial security model and first apps
At launch, Elysium is expected to operate with a single sequencer ordering transactions. A data availability committee will post compact certificates to HyperEVM, while state verification will be handled by a whitelisted validator set.
Kinetiq has said permissionless fraud proofs via Arbitrum’s BoLD are planned later rather than at the outset. On the application side, the ecosystem page names the DEX Nest as expected to be live from the first mainnet block. Prediction market app Speculate and DEX Dawn are also listed as committed to mainnet, along with launchpads including Montra and Citadel. Kinetiq has also said there is currently no Elysium token and no official points program.
Fee flow could support KNTQ buybacks
Elysium is also set to create a new revenue stream tied to Kinetiq’s token. The project says half of sequencer fees will be directed to open-market buybacks of KNTQ.
That mechanism is notable for Kinetiq because its total value locked is described as sitting more than 60% below its October 2025 peak. The buyback plan links any growth in Elysium activity to direct demand for KNTQ, though the actual impact will depend on network usage after launch.
What comes next
The confirmed next milestone is the Nov. 9 mainnet launch. After that, the main feature to watch is the planned ArbOS upgrade around a month later, when Elysium’s HyperCore-linked smart contract functions are expected to be introduced if the current roadmap holds.
More broadly, Elysium represents a test of whether a dedicated Layer 2 can absorb trading and DeFi demand that does not fit comfortably on HyperEVM, while still feeding successful activity back toward HyperCore.
Source: www.bankless.com