As we move through 2025, Reef Chain is preparing for one of the most significant infrastructure upgrades in its history. Today, I'm excited to share details about our upcoming comprehensive chain upgrade that will modernize Reef's technical foundation and unlock new possibilities for our developer community and users.

Reef has always been committed to bridging the best of Ethereum and Polkadot/Substrate ecosystems. However, our current infrastructure faces some critical limitations that have been hindering the seamless developer experience we want to deliver. Most notably, we've been dealing with unique EVM RPC endpoints and an outdated Substrate framework that makes it difficult for developers to build and deploy applications using standard Ethereum tools like MetaMask, Hardhat, and Remix IDE out of the box. We have had to maintain special versions of Hardhat and Remix specifically for Reef, which is becoming increasingly difficult over time.

This upgrade directly addresses these pain points, while positioning Reef for long-term scalability and innovation.

Antier Solutions has been contracted to upgrade Reef Chain. Antier is a premier blockchain development firm specializing in Substrate architecture and EVM integration. With a proven track record of successful runtime upgrades across multiple blockchain networks, Antier brings deep expertise in the exact technologies Reef Chain is implementing – from pallet-evm integration to full Ethereum JSON-RPC compliance. Their methodical, security-first approach ensures this complex upgrade will be delivered with almost zero risk to existing users, and maximum benefit to the ecosystem.

You can watch Derek explain this update below, or read on for more details.

We’re referring to this undertaking as Project Deep Current. Deep Current is a great codename because it references fundamental changes flowing through the system, ocean currents are powerful but smooth (like runtime upgrades), and it suggests and underlying transformation happening. These are all true for this upgrade, and should unlock many opportunities for developers and users alike.

Our comprehensive upgrade plan with Antier focuses on several key areas:

We're upgrading our Open Runtime Module Library (ORML) and EVM modules to their latest stable releases, including core modules that handle token management, governance, and runtime performance. Think of this as updating the engine of a car – everything will run smoother, faster, and more reliably.

One of the most impactful changes is bringing in missing Ethereum JSON-RPC endpoints. Currently, key endpoints like eth_call, eth_estimateGas, and eth_sendRawTransaction are either broken or missing. Once these are added and wired in, developers will be able to interact with Reef seamlessly using all their favorite Ethereum tools.

We're migrating from the deprecated Currency trait to the modern pallet-assets system, aligning Reef with current Polkadot ecosystem best practices and enabling better multi-asset support.

The upgrade will bring Reef to the latest Polkadot SDK (stable2503-2), ensuring we benefit from the latest optimizations, security improvements, and ecosystem compatibility.

We're incorporating pallet-revive, which decouples Ethereum RPC services from the runtime layer. This makes Reef more modular and easier to upgrade in the future, while ensuring better compatibility with Ethereum tooling.

To ensure the Reef Chain upgrade happens as smoothly as possible, we are structuring the upgrade across the following planned version releases:

• Phase 1: Upgrade to Polkadot-SDK version 0.9.43

• Phase 2: Advance to Polkadot-SDK version 1.0.0 (major breaking upgrade)

• Phase 3: Finalize upgrade to the latest stable Polkadot-SDK version (stable2503-2)

These upgrades are going to be runtime upgrades, wherever possible, to ensure seamless transition. This incremental path reduces risks and ensures seamless integration of the node, runtime, pallet-evm, pallet-revive, pallet-assets, and pallet-balances with Reef’s custom modules.

In this upgrade, we’re ensuring that existing projects do not need to re-deploy. We want to maintain full backward-compatibility so that Reef’s core dApps, dApps built by third-parties like, and centralized exchanges can enjoy continued compatibility for their existing code. If they want to take advantage of new RPC calls and methods, we’ll be here to help them, but it won’t be necessary.

• MetaMask Integration: Connect your MetaMask wallet to Reef without issues

• Tooling Support: Use Hardhat, Foundry, Remix, and other Ethereum development tools natively

• Library Compatibility: ethers.js, web3.js, and other Ethereum libraries will work perfectly

• Simplified Deployment: Deploy smart contracts using the same workflows you'd use on Ethereum

• Faster transaction processing through optimized gas calculations

• Improved storage indexing for better query performance

• Reduced latency across all chain operations

• Easier integration of new pallets and features

• Better compatibility with cross-chain protocols

• Simplified maintenance and upgrades going forward

It will be much easier for wallet developers to add support for Reef Chain, and in most cases you should be able to simply use your wallet of choice like MetaMask, Zerion, Trust Wallet, and any other wallet applications that allow users to add custom networks.

Enhanced stability and performance for DeFi protocols, with better support for complex financial operations and multi-asset interactions.

As developer friction decreases, expect to see more high-quality dApps launching on Reef, expanding the ecosystem's utility and opportunities.

Updated modules include important security improvements and bug fixes, making the chain more robust for all users.

We're taking a careful, phased approach to ensure minimal disruption:

1. Testnet Implementation: All upgrades will be thoroughly tested on our testnet first

2. Security Audits: Comprehensive testing and validation of all new components

3. Community Testing: Developer and community feedback integration

4. Mainnet Deployment: Seamless runtime upgrades to implement changes

The entire process is expected to take approximately 3-4 months, with most upgrades implemented as runtime upgrades to ensure seamless transitions.

This upgrade represents more than just technical improvements – it's about positioning Reef as a premier destination for developers who want the best of both Ethereum compatibility and Substrate's advanced features. With these changes, we expect to see:

• Increased developer adoption and dApp deployments

• Better cross-chain integrations and partnerships

• Enhanced ecosystem growth and innovation

• Improved user experience across all applications

We'll be sharing regular updates throughout Project Deep Current’s upgrade process. Follow our official channels for the latest news:

• Reef on X

• Reef on Telegram

• Developer Discord

This upgrade marks a significant milestone in Reef's evolution. By modernizing our infrastructure and ensuring full Ethereum compatibility, we're not just fixing current limitations – we're building the foundation for Reef's next chapter of growth and innovation.

The future of Reef Chain is bright, and we can't wait to see what our community builds with these enhanced capabilities.

For technical developers interested in the detailed specifications, the complete upgrade proposal is available for review. Reach out to our development team on Discord for more information.