OP is the native governance token of Optimism, primarily used for protocol governance. Optimism is an Ethereum Layer 2 solution designed to enhance the scalability and transaction throughput of the Ethereum blockchain. The project aims to alleviate congestion issues on the Ethereum network, reduce transaction fees, and improve transaction confirmation speeds.

Optimism employs Optimistic Rollup technology, which is a Layer 2 scaling solution that transfers smart contracts and transactions from the Ethereum main chain to a sidechain. Through blockchain interoperability, it ensures data security and immutability. The core concept of Optimistic Rollup is to execute transactions and smart contracts on the sidechain and then submit their states to the Ethereum main chain, rather than executing them directly on the main chain. This approach significantly reduces transaction pressure on the Ethereum main chain.