Ethereum scaling isn't only about processing more transactions. Sometimes, the real bottleneck is how quickly data reaches every validator. That's why Optimum's recent mainnet launch caught my attention. On October 20, @get_optimum officially brought its mump2p protocol to Ethereum mainnet. The interesting part is that it doesn't require changing Ethereum's consensus or execution layer. Instead, it improves the way blocks travel between nodes using Random Linear Network Coding (RLNC). According to Optimum's early mainnet measurements: - Block propagation is 2–4x faster. - Arrival-time variance is 7.88x lower. - Blocks arrived earlier in 9 out of 10 measurements.