Actively Validated Services (AVS)

Actively Validated Services (AVS) represents a significant innovation in the Ethereum ecosystem, functioning as a new layer of blockchain infrastructure that allows developers to outsource specific computational tasks or validation logic to node operators in the network. These services provide scalable computational resources and validation capabilities for decentralized applications, extending beyond the execution limitations of traditional blockchains. As an integral component of Ethereum's scaling solutions, the AVS system achieves an efficient, secure, and customizable blockchain service model by integrating decentralized validator networks with economic security mechanisms.

Background: What is the origin of Actively Validated Services (AVS)?

The AVS concept emerged from the convergence of Ethereum's scaling requirements and modular blockchain design principles. As network congestion on Ethereum became increasingly problematic, the developer community began seeking solutions to offload specific computational tasks from the mainchain.

In 2022, Ethereum researchers and the EigenLayer team proposed the concept of reusing the security of Ethereum's staked assets, laying the theoretical foundation for AVS.

As the EigenLayer protocol evolved, AVS gradually took shape as a framework allowing developers to customize validation rules while accessing network-level security guarantees.

This evolutionary process reflects the transition of blockchain architecture from monolithic designs to modular, layered designs, enabling specific functionalities to be implemented and optimized at different levels.

Work Mechanism: How does Actively Validated Services (AVS) work?

The working mechanism of AVS is built on the following core elements:

1. Restaking: Validators can restake their already-staked ETH on protocols like EigenLayer, committing to follow specific validation rules for AVS, thereby providing security guarantees for multiple services simultaneously.

2. Validator Network: Node operators running AVS form a distributed network that executes specific computational tasks such as data availability sampling, risk calculations, zero-knowledge proof generation, and more.

3. Task Allocation and Execution Process:

   • AVS developers deploy smart contracts containing validation logic
   • Validators register to participate in specific AVS and run the corresponding software
   • When validation is needed, tasks are allocated to validator nodes in the network
   • Validators perform computations and submit results
   • The correctness of results is confirmed through consensus mechanisms

4. Incentive and Penalty Mechanisms: Validators are rewarded for providing computational power and hashrate, while incorrect behavior results in slashing of staked assets, ensuring system security.

What are the risks and challenges of Actively Validated Services (AVS)?

1. Security Risks:

   • The restaking model may lead to staked assets being shared across multiple services, increasing single-point-of-failure risks
   • If validators participate in multiple AVS simultaneously, malicious behavior could cause cascading effects across multiple systems
   • Increased possibility of collusion attacks, especially when validator concentration is high

2. Technical Challenges:

   • Validation performance and throughput limitations may affect service quality
   • Complex coordination and priority management of resources across different AVS
   • Need for sophisticated incentive designs to balance computational difficulty and rewards across different validation tasks

3. Economic and Governance Issues:

   • Competition between AVS may lead to uneven distribution of validation resources
   • Service pricing mechanisms are still immature, potentially leading to market volatility
   • Blurred responsibility boundaries make it difficult to determine liable parties when validation fails

4. Regulatory Uncertainties:

   • Different jurisdictions have varying regulatory requirements for computational service providers
   • The legal positioning of decentralized computational services remains unclear

As an emerging technological paradigm, the risk management mechanisms and long-term stability of AVS still require market validation and technical optimization.

Actively Validated Services (AVS) represents a significant advancement in blockchain infrastructure, providing specialized, scalable validation service layers for decentralized applications. By effectively utilizing existing staked assets and computational resources in the network, the AVS model enables developers to build complex applications requiring specific computational power while maintaining sufficient decentralization and security. Although this model still faces technical and economic challenges, it offers an innovative approach to solving blockchain's scalability trilemma and may become a standard component of future modular blockchain architectures. As the ecosystem matures, AVS is expected to drive the emergence of more specialized validation services, significantly expanding the application boundaries of blockchain technology.