GIWA Testnet Guide: Upbit’s New Ethereum Layer 2 on OP Stack

Upbit’s parent company Dunamu has launched GIWA (Global Infrastructure for Web3 Access), an Ethereum Layer 2 network built on Optimism’s OP Stack.

The GIWA trademark filing and countdown page coincide with the timing of UDC (Upbit Developer Conference) 2025, scheduled for September 9, 2025, at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, fueling widespread industry speculation that the project may be officially unveiled at the conference.

GIWA aims to make Web3 adoption easier for developers and everyday users, featuring ~1-second block times, full EVM compatibility, and low-cost transactions. Backed by South Korea’s largest exchange, the network is positioned to compete with Coinbase’s Base and Binance’s opBNB.

Key Highlights from UDC 2025

Themed “Blockchain, to the Mainstream,” this year’s UDC hosted a high-profile lineup of speakers, including Eric Trump, former U.S. Congressman Patrick McHenry, and executives from Tether and Ripple.

Panel discussions focused on innovation, stablecoin regulation, and institutional adoption, signaling Korea’s ambition to shape the global Web3 landscape.

How to Join the GIWA Testnet

Step 1: Add GIWA Network to MetaMask

• Install MetaMask and create/import a wallet.

• Add the network manually:

  • Network Name: GIWA Sepolia Testnet

  • RPC URL: https://sepolia-rpc.giwa.io/

  • Chain ID: 91342

  • Currency Symbol: ETH

  • Explorer: https://sepolia-explorer.giwa.io/

• Switch to the network.

Source: GIWA GitBook

Step 2: Claim Test ETH

• Visit the GIWA Faucet.

• Enter your wallet address, complete a short Proof-of-Work mining task (2–4 minutes), and claim up to 0.05 test ETH per day.

Step 3: Interact on Testnet

• For users: Send test ETH to another wallet and verify transactions on the explorer.

• For developers: Deploy Solidity contracts via Remix or Hardhat. GIWA supports full EVM compatibility.

• Documentation is available at docs.giwa.io.

Opportunities and Community Speculation

Although no official token plans have been announced, community speculation points to possible airdrops or ecosystem incentives for active testnet users. Previous L2 launches, such as Coinbase’s Base, rewarded early adopters with incentives, fueling expectations that GIWA could follow a similar path.

On X, Korean crypto analyst @baeko_02 observed: “The three exchanges, Binance, Coinbase, and Upbit, are expected to compete for the cryptocurrency ecosystem. I think various ecosystems such as DeFi, DEX, lending, and NFT based on Upbit Layer 2 will emerge soon.”

In a follow-up thread, he suggested that established protocols like Morpho Labs and PancakeSwap, which have already integrated with Coinbase’s Base and Binance’s opBNB, could expand to GIWA as well. He noted that projects backed directly by Upbit’s investment arm may gain a competitive edge within the GIWA ecosystem, in a manner similar to how Coinbase-backed projects thrived on Base.

With Upbit’s massive retail user base, GIWA could quickly bootstrap activity across DeFi, NFTs, and on-chain applications once incentives roll out.

Important: The GIWA testnet is for experimentation only. Do not use real funds. Participation carries no guarantee of rewards or token allocations.