Actively Validated Service (AVS)

TL;DR

• EigenLayer is a protocol built on Ethereum that uses restaking to allow users to extend the utility of their ETH to other applications.

• AVS (Actively Validated Services) are the core of EigenLayer. They are systems that require their own validation processes, such as rollups, data availability layers, and oracles.

• Restaking allows users to earn additional rewards by staking their ETH natively or liquid staking token (LST) on EigenLayer and letting it be used to secure AVSs.

Any protocol or service seeking to utilize pooled security of Ethereum through EigenLayer's restaking mechanism. Bootstrapping decentralized security is time-consuming and likely inferior to the security of the Ethereum network. EigenLayer aims to solve this issue of fragmented blockchain security by establishing a marketplace for decentralized security.

As the 'buyer' of decentralized security, an AVS has to convince operators (or 'sellers' of decentralized security) to secure their protocol. This is done in the form of incentives or yield that the AVS distributes to the operator.

An AVS can range from anything being built on top of EigenLayer, including:

• Data Availability Layers: These AVSs ensure the permanent storage and accessibility of data associated with blockchain transactions. This is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the blockchain ledger.

• Oracles: Oracles provide secure and reliable access to external data feeds for smart contracts, enabling them to interact with the real world.

An AVS can range from anything from new blockchains, data availability layers, virtual machines, oracle networks, bridges, and more.

Automata's Multi-Prover AVS

One example of an AVS that's currently live is the Multi-Prover AVS by Automata Network. To achieve Stage 2 decentralization, rollups need to inherit a system of multiple proofs without the need for a Security Council to intervene.

Multi-Prover AVS enables the addition of a TEE Prover to any decentralized system, particularly a zk-rollup. This enables an independent mechanism to validate state transitions before they are finalized.

When both the ZK Prover and TEE Prover produce the same output, there is greater confidence that the state transitions are valid, given the difficulty in compromising both mechanisms simultaneously.

Conclusion

AVSs can inherit the cryptoeconomic security of Ethereum and can be anything built that's not just restricted to the EVM on Ethereum.