The blockchain industry in 2026 can no longer be explained by speed and transaction fees alone. As user experience becomes increasingly abstracted, the distinction between Layer 1 and Layer 2 networks is fading, shifting the basis of competition toward how reliably a platform can support applications that people actually use. Sonic Labs operates as a globally distributed blockchain infrastructure project, focusing on both post-quantum readiness and AI-driven developer environments. In an interview with Korea IT Times, Samuel Harcourt, a core contributor at Sonic Labs, outlines the next phase of the industry through three lenses: the redefinition of the L1–L2 relationship, the shift toward value capture and developer experience, and protocol architecture designed for a post-quantum era. He emphasizes that the question of whether a protocol is “prepared” is no longer a technical detail, but a condition for survival. What follows is a Q&A with Samuel Harcourt. How do you see the relationship between L1s and L2s evolving in 2026, especially as users expect seamless experiences without caring what chain they’re on? End-user abstraction is already here and as it grows, more users won’t even know if they are using an L1 or L2. The more interesting question is what that abstraction means for the economics and design choices underneath it. The L1-L2 relationship was previously framed as a division of labour where L1s provided security and L2s provided throughput. That framing is increasingly difficult to sustain in 2026, where modern L1s, Sonic included, are now delivering finality and throughput that removes the original scaling argument for rollups on that particular chain. Once a base layer can handle an application load directly, the rationale for a dedicated L2 on top of it narrows to specific use cases rather than general-purpose scaling. This means that L1s and L2s are converging on the