Lighter Network Grapples with Performance Bottleneck Affecting User Transactions

Recent reports from loracle.hl on December 30 highlight a critical performance issue within the Lighter Network infrastructure. The network’s Prover component is currently unable to keep pace with the Sequencer’s output, creating a significant processing backlog that has disrupted normal operations.

The technical breakdown has manifested in a concerning stall: final block submissions have remained frozen at block number 137759879 for more than four consecutive hours. This prolonged halt represents far more than a routine maintenance window—it has effectively locked users out of executing withdrawal transactions, leaving assets temporarily inaccessible.

The root cause stems from an asymmetry in processing speeds between two critical network components. While the Sequencer continues pushing transactions through the pipeline, the Prover—responsible for verifying and finalizing blocks on the Lighter Network—is struggling to process requests at the required pace. This mismatch creates a bottleneck that cascades into network-wide delays.

For users, the immediate impact is straightforward: no new blocks mean no confirmed transactions. This constraint particularly affects those attempting to exit positions or move funds, as the frozen block height prevents any withdrawal requests from being processed until the Prover catches up with the accumulated transaction queue.