Aurora is a high-performance, Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible blockchain built on the NEAR Protocol, designed to solve the scalability, cost, and environmental challenges facing Ethereum-based applications. With growing congestion on Ethereum—driving gas fees sky-high and limiting user access—Aurora emerges as a powerful alternative that maintains full compatibility while delivering superior speed, lower costs, and sustainable infrastructure.
Whether you're a developer looking to expand your decentralized application (DApp) or a user seeking affordable and fast transactions, Aurora offers a seamless bridge between Ethereum’s rich ecosystem and NEAR’s next-generation blockchain technology.
What Is Aurora?
Aurora is an EVM-compatible runtime environment deployed as a smart contract on the NEAR blockchain. This unique architecture allows developers to deploy Solidity- and Vyper-based smart contracts without modification, while benefiting from NEAR’s advanced features like sharding, low-latency finality, and proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus.
👉 Discover how Aurora delivers Ethereum compatibility with NEAR's speed and scalability.
Core Components of Aurora
Aurora consists of two foundational components:
- Aurora Engine: An EVM runtime that executes Ethereum transactions natively, supporting tools like MetaMask, ethers.js, and web3.py.
- Aurora Bridge: A permissionless cross-chain bridge powered by NEAR’s Rainbow Bridge technology, enabling trustless transfers of tokens and data between Ethereum and Aurora.
This combination makes Aurora not just a Layer 2 solution but a full-fledged Ethereum-compatible Layer 1 built on a more scalable and sustainable base layer.
Why Aurora Stands Out
1. Gas Fees Up to 1,000x Lower Than Ethereum
One of the biggest barriers to entry in the Ethereum ecosystem is gas cost. On Aurora, users can transfer ERC-20 tokens for less than $0.01—compared to over $5 on Ethereum under typical network conditions (50 Gwei gas price, $3,000 ETH). This dramatic reduction opens DeFi and NFT participation to a much broader audience.
2. High Throughput: Thousands of Transactions Per Second
Aurora leverages NEAR’s underlying architecture to process thousands of transactions per second—approximately 50 times faster than Ethereum 1.0. This throughput ensures smooth user experiences even during peak demand.
3. Fast Transaction Finality (Under 2 Seconds)
Unlike Ethereum’s ~13-second block time (without guaranteed finality), Aurora achieves transaction finality in about two seconds thanks to NEAR’s consensus mechanism. This speed reduces latency and minimizes the risk of frontrunning attacks.
4. Environmentally Friendly Infrastructure
Built on NEAR Protocol—a decentralized, carbon-neutral blockchain using PoS consensus—Aurora provides a green alternative to energy-intensive proof-of-work networks. Developers and users gain Ethereum compatibility without the environmental cost.
5. Horizontal Scalability via Sharding
Aurora inherits NEAR’s dynamic sharding capability. As demand grows, additional Aurora shards can be deployed to scale EVM processing horizontally—an innovation that brings Ethereum’s long-promised sharding vision forward years ahead of schedule.
How Aurora Works: Architecture Overview
Aurora operates as a smart contract on NEAR, giving it direct access to NEAR’s security, scalability, and upgradeability. This design choice brings several advantages:
- Immediate benefit from NEAR protocol upgrades
- Simplified governance and emergency response mechanisms
- Future integration with DAO-based governance using SputnikDAO v2
The system exposes two primary interfaces:
- Execution Interface: Accepts standard Ethereum transactions (signed via MetaMask, etc.), decodes them using RLP, verifies signatures (secp256k1), and executes them in the Sputnik VM.
- Token Interface: Manages token bridging through the Rainbow Bridge, allowing seamless transfer of ETH and ERC-20s between chains.
Certain performance-critical operations are planned to be moved into NEAR’s protocol layer as “precompiles,” ensuring optimal execution speed. For example, an upcoming NEAR upgrade includes an enhanced Math API to support complex EVM computations efficiently.
Seamless User Experience with ETH as Base Token
One of Aurora’s most user-friendly innovations is its use of ETH as the native gas token—not a wrapped or alternative token.
Why This Matters
Most EVM-compatible chains require users to acquire and manage a new native token (e.g., MATIC, BNB). Aurora eliminates this friction by letting users pay gas fees directly in ETH.
Here’s how it works:
- Users sign standard Ethereum transactions using familiar tools like MetaMask.
- The transaction is relayed via an RPC node, which packages it into a NEAR transaction.
- The Aurora contract executes the logic within its EVM runtime.
- Gas usage is calculated in ETH units based on
eth_gasPrice. - The equivalent value in NEAR is burned by the protocol, while ETH is transferred from the user to the relayer as payment.
👉 Learn how Aurora simplifies DeFi access with ETH-based gas payments.
From the user’s perspective: they’re simply paying ETH for gas—no new tokens, no extra steps.
The Road Ahead: Aurora’s Development Roadmap
Aurora continues to evolve with clear milestones aimed at enhancing usability, sustainability, and interoperability.
Summer Milestones
- Full Ethereum 1.0 Compatibility: Minor NEAR protocol updates will ensure 100% parity with Ethereum’s execution environment.
- DAO Governance Launch: A decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) will govern Aurora’s future development.
- Potential Token Launch: A community vote may introduce an Aurora-specific token for governance and incentives.
Fall Enhancements
- Faster Token Transfers: Addressing current delays (up to 16 hours) in withdrawals from NEAR to Ethereum using improved bridging logic.
- Gas Fee Redistribution: Inspired by NEAR’s model, 30% of gas fees could go to contract creators—supporting open-source developers financially.
- Non-Blockchain UX: Introducing human-readable account names and simplified onboarding to hide blockchain complexity from end users.
- ERC-20 Gas Payments: Allow users to pay transaction fees in stablecoins like USDT or DAI—a major step toward mainstream adoption.
2025 Goal: Horizontal Scaling with Sharding
By activating sharded EVM runtimes, Aurora aims to deliver true horizontal scaling for Ethereum-compatible applications—effectively achieving what Ethereum 2.0 promises, years in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Is Aurora a Layer 1 or Layer 2 solution?
A: Technically, Aurora is a Layer 1 blockchain because it runs on NEAR Protocol. However, it functions as an EVM-compatible scaling solution for Ethereum, often referred to as an "Ethereum sidechain" or "Layer 1.5."
Q: Do I need a new wallet to use Aurora?
A: No. Aurora supports all standard Ethereum wallets like MetaMask, Trust Wallet, and any tool compatible with WalletConnect.
Q: Can I move my ETH and ERC-20 tokens between Ethereum and Aurora?
A: Yes. The permissionless Rainbow Bridge enables bidirectional transfers of ETH and ERC-20s with minimal fees and fast confirmation times.
Q: How secure is Aurora?
A: Aurora inherits NEAR’s robust security model through decentralized PoS validation. All transactions are secured by NEAR’s validator network.
Q: Will there be an Aurora token?
A: This is under community discussion. If launched, it would likely serve governance and incentive purposes within the Aurora DAO.
Q: How does Aurora compare to other EVM chains like Polygon or Arbitrum?
A: Unlike many competitors, Aurora uses ETH for gas (not a native token), runs on a sharded L1 (NEAR), and offers faster finality and lower fees—all while maintaining full EVM compatibility.
Final Thoughts: A Bridge to the Future of Web3
Aurora redefines what’s possible for Ethereum developers and users by combining full EVM compatibility with NEAR’s cutting-edge performance and sustainability. It removes financial barriers, accelerates transaction speeds, and prepares the ecosystem for mass adoption through intuitive design and scalable infrastructure.
With its seamless integration with existing tools, eco-conscious foundation, and ambitious roadmap—including sharding and DAO governance—Aurora positions itself as a leading platform for next-generation DApps.
👉 Start building or exploring on Aurora today—and experience the future of scalable DeFi.
By leveraging both Ethereum’s developer momentum and NEAR’s technological edge, Aurora isn’t just another blockchain—it’s a bridge to a more inclusive, efficient, and interconnected Web3 world.
Core Keywords: Aurora blockchain, EVM-compatible chain, NEAR Protocol, low gas fees, ETH gas payment, cross-chain bridge, DeFi scalability, Sustainable blockchain