Mantle (MNT) Cryptocurrency: Comprehensive Overview
Core Technology and Blockchain Architecture
Mantle (MNT) is a modular Ethereum Layer-2 blockchain designed to scale decentralized finance (DeFi) while enabling real-world asset (RWA) tokenization through institutional-grade infrastructure. Mantle Network aims to be the "Liquidity Chain" to drive capital efficiency in the on-chain economy through modular architecture, data availability solutions, and zero-knowledge proofs.
Modular Architecture
Mantle separates execution, data availability, and settlement for high throughput and low fees. Mantle Network's architecture separates transaction execution, data availability, and transaction finality into modules, meaning that each module can be individually upgraded to adopt the latest innovations.
Optimistic Rollup Technology
Mantle (MNT) operates using an optimistic rollup architecture, which bundles multiple transactions together before submitting them to the Ethereum mainnet. This approach significantly reduces gas fees and increases transaction throughput. This design enables faster transactions (~millisecond finality) and fees ~30% lower than Ethereum mainnet, while maintaining Ethereum's security via optimistic rollups with ZK fraud proofs.
Data Availability Layer
Mantle's DA layer is powered by EigenLayer, which allows for re-staking of ETH on L1 to provide data services to Mantle's L2. DA nodes store a copy of Mantle's transaction data for whenever it is needed. By not relying on Ethereum's L1 for DA, and implementing this more efficient but still secure alternative, Mantle hopes to scale more effectively.
Recent Technical Upgrades
Mantle Network is now the world's largest ZK rollup by total value locked with over $2 billion, having transitioned from an optimistic rollup to a ZK validity rollup using Succinct's OP Succinct technology.
Primary Use Cases and Real-World Applications
Decentralized Finance
Mantle targets institutional DeFi and RWA tokenization through Bybit Integration, where $MNT powers trading fee discounts, launchpools, and yield vaults (e.g., Mantle Vault hit $100M AUM in Jan 2026).
Real-World Asset Tokenization
RWA Tools include tokenized U.S. equities (via xStocks) and compliant stablecoin rails (e.g., USD1). DeFi Partnerships include collaborations with Aave, LayerZero, and Anchorage Digital for custody and cross-chain liquidity.
Liquid Staking and Restaking
Mantle is the first L2 to adopt EigenDA technology and enable ETH restaking via Eigenlayer. The mETH Protocol is a liquid ETH staking and restaking protocol that maximizes yields — widely accepted as collateral in CEXs & DeFi apps, and money markets.
Cross-Chain Infrastructure
Bybit, Mantle, and Byreal announced the launch of Mantle Super Portal, Mantle's native cross-chain infrastructure powering seamless capital movement across ecosystems by expanding $MNT to Solana. Through this integration, users can bridge $MNT from Ethereum to Solana via a unified interface, deploy liquidity into Solana-native DeFi markets on Byreal, and participate in trading and incentive programs on Bybit Alpha.
Founding Team, Key Developers, and Project History
Origins and Rebranding
Mantle was originally developed by BitDAO, one of the largest decentralized organizations (DAOs) founded in 2021. Though structured as a DAO with an emphasis on community governance and guidance, much of BitDAO's funding came from the Bybit centralized exchange. This support endowed BitDAO with a treasury from which to fund development—second in size (excluding its own tokens) only to the Ethereum Foundation's treasury.
In May 2023, a BitDAO governance proposal passed with nearly 100% support. It took one of BitDAO's community's main ventures—a layer 2 scaling solution for Ethereum called "Mantle", whose testnet launched only four months earlier—and made it the official new brand.
Key Contributors
There is no single founder of Mantle Network. Early key contributors to the initial proposal that introduced Mantle Network include jacobc.eth and Ben Zhou.
Development Timeline
Mantle's testnet launched in January 2023. In May 2023, BIT merged with Mantle and rebranded as MNT. The mainnet launched on July 17, 2023, alongside a $200M ecosystem fund.
Tokenomics: Supply, Distribution, and Mechanics
Token Supply
The circulating supply of Mantle is 3,252,944,055 tokens and the total supply is 6,219,316,794 tokens. The total supply is the max amount of tokens to ever be in circulation, including those that are still locked.
Distribution Structure
The Mantle allocation includes Mantle Treasury at 48.98% and Circulating at 51.02%. Mantle Treasury (~49%) is a large pool of tokens managed by the community. It's used to fund projects, create partnerships, offer rewards for providing liquidity, facilitate token swaps, and support programs like mETH and cmETH. It can even be used for buying other assets.
Token Optimization
Through MIP-23 in June 2023, the community voted to reduce fully diluted supply from 9.2 billion to 6.2 billion tokens by sending 3 billion non-converted BIT tokens to a burn address.
Inflation and Vesting
As a part of the conversion from BIT to MNT, all vesting schedules for BIT were accelerated so as not to complicate MNT's supply and demand, and no vesting of MNT was planned.
Consensus Mechanism and Network Security Model
Ethereum-Based Security
By adopting a rollup architecture, Mantle Network is secured by Ethereum. Mantle Network inherits Ethereum's security model. This means it uses Ethereum's validators to check and secure transactions, ensuring they are as safe as those on the Ethereum mainnet.
Multi-Party Computation
Mantle utilises a so-called Multi-Party Computation (MPC) method which helps in limiting the trust risks during protocol execution; it leverages a Threshold Signature Scheme (TSS) to authorise transactions and increase operational flexibility. Its use of Multi-Party Computation (MPC) nodes shortens withdrawal times from 7 days to 1–2 days, enhancing user experience.
Fraud Proof Mechanism
Mantle Network tackles this issue by adopting an approach that directly compiles and verifies fraud proofs using EVM instructions.
Key Partnerships and Ecosystem Integrations
Major Strategic Partners
Mantle Ecosystem is backed by a multi-billion-dollar Treasury, and features a network of established partners and collaborators to support projects from conceptualization to infrastructure support and go-to-market strategies, including Ethena, Securitize and Bybit.
Protocol Partnerships
Mantle Network's partnerships with leading issuers and protocols include Ethena USDe, Ondo USDY, OP-Succinct and EigenLayer.
Ecosystem Fund
The Mantle EcoFund, with a $200M catalyzed capital pool, drives ecosystem growth by backing transformative projects and accessing top-tier deal flow through 20 leading VCs like Polychain and Dragonfly.
Competitive Advantages and Unique Value Proposition
Modular Design Flexibility
Mantle takes a modular approach. Each layer can evolve separately, so developers and the network can keep innovating without breaking everything else. This flexibility gives Mantle a huge edge in long-term adaptability.
Community Governance
Mantle flips the centralized governance model on its head. Governance decisions are made by the community through on-chain votes. Treasury allocations, upgrades, new features, they're all decided by MNT holders.
Developer Compatibility
Mantle solves developer barriers by staying fully EVM-compatible while also offering a low-fee environment. It's easy for Ethereum developers to migrate their apps, and they get better performance without giving up familiar tools.
Institutional Infrastructure
Mantle is the premier distribution layer and gateway for institutions and TradFi to connect with on-chain liquidity and access real-world assets, powering how real-world finance flows. With over $4B+ in community-owned assets, Mantle combines credibility, liquidity and scalability with institutional-grade infrastructure to support large-scale adoption.
Current Development Activity and Roadmap Highlights
Recent Developments
Mantle Network features enhanced core product performance and value accrual, driven by modular integrations like zk proofs via Succinct partnership and the development of RETH and REVM (offering up to 2x improvements over the current Geth client). The network is also evolving its flagship Rewards Station to unlock more sustainable and innovative yield sources for MNT stakers.
Banking and Finance Focus
With core banking and payments infrastructure now live on Mantle, UR will expand its offering to include both traditional and crypto-native financial services, such as fiat-to-crypto on-ramp, yield on idle balances, and access to Mantle-native investment products like Mantle Index Four (MI4) and the mETH Protocol.
Future Roadmap
Mantle Network has several areas of focus: Technology enhancement through further development of the modular architecture; Increased decentralization through plans to decentralize the sequencer and emphasize community governance; Staking improvements through development of the Mantle Liquidity Staking Protocol; Strategic partnerships to enhance interoperability and expand the ecosystem; and Gaming and mini-apps through integration with platforms like Telegram to increase accessibility and adoption.
Market Position
As of January 29, 2026, Mantle ranks #37 by market capitalization with a market cap of approximately $2.72 billion USD and a circulating supply of 3,252,944,056 MNT tokens. The token trades at approximately $0.84 USD with a fully diluted valuation of $5.21 billion USD.
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