Ethereum aims to cut bridge time by 98% to 13 seconds.
Ethereum's customer groups are testing an opt-in fast verification method that will reduce the time it takes for some Layer-2 networks and exchanges to identify mainnet deposits to around 13 seconds.
The proposed Fast Confirmation Rule (FCR) will “reduce the deposit or exchange time from Ethereum L1 to L2s to about 13 seconds, a reduction of 80-98% for most L2s and exchanges,” Ethereum researcher Julian Ma wrote on X.
Most users today rely on canonical bridges, where transfers typically wait for multiple confirmations or completion, a process that can take around 13 minutes. However, many exchanges and L2s do not wait for the deadline, instead relying on “k-deep” authentication rules, which do not provide any formal guarantee. With k-deep authentication, a transaction is considered complete only after k blocks (a number determined by k).
Developers say the rule can be implemented without a hard fork, although client and API integration work is still ongoing. Client groups are already working on implementation, and once deployed, nodes can begin using the protocol without network-wide coordination. Exchanges, L2s and infrastructure providers are expected to integrate it with minor changes.
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How does FCR work?
Instead of counting blocks, FCR solves the delay bridging problem and evaluates validator assertions to determine whether a block is safe to treat as verified.
FCR makes two assumptions: first, the network is fast enough for validator messages to arrive in seconds, and second, no single actor controls more than 25% of Ether (ETH). These limits are set below Ethereum's strict end conditions, but are considered sufficient for most real-world use cases.
“When a node realizes that more security is needed, it waits longer to quickly verify a block. It's a feature, not a bug,” Ma wrote.
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Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin also lent his support to the strategy, saying that under certain network conditions it can “hard guarantee” that a transaction won't bounce back after one slot or 12 seconds.
There is concern among the community.
Not everyone is convinced that FCR will hold up under real-world conditions. X-user Cirx said the model relies heavily on trust assumptions, writing, “Beyond trust is a lot of burden there.”
Another user acknowledged the upside potential, noting that recent validations could greatly improve the user experience, but only if assumptions are consistently maintained in practice. “Can those assumptions hold up under tension?” asked one user.
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