I just saw a discussion about deposits and withdrawals, where people said that after a certain region raised taxes, many started to wonder how to route through Layer 2.

Honestly though, the whole mainnet versus Layer 2 thing isn’t that complicated, but the math-and-details crowd will think there are lots of small specifics to nitpick.

When I do arbitrage, gas is a hard constraint. Confirmations on the mainnet in those few seconds feel great—especially when the price-gap window opens even a little; it’s gone in a blink. If you bounce across using Layer 2, you might wait for a long time, and by the time it gets done, it’s already too late. But on the other hand, if it’s just ordinary DCA or a small-amount interaction, going through Layer 2 really is worth it. The gas fees you save can stack up and add up to a pretty meaningful amount.

In plain terms: it depends on the amount and how often you do it. For large amounts or time-sensitive cases, the mainnet has no issues, and the cost proportion isn’t that high. For small amounts and frequent operations, don’t go headfirst against gas—pick a Layer 2 with good liquidity, and the experience won’t be bad either.

Anyway, don’t blindly copy big-name strategies—people have money to burn. For regular folks, just do the math on your own numbers and you’ll have a clear picture.

Sometimes I’m also pretty annoyed that, when withdrawing to the mainnet, that one step can still slow you down for a bit. 🤷‍♂️