Somnia, a Layer-1 blockchain designed for apps that need high-speed, reliable performance, has announced a set of Devnet test results that may change what people expect from blockchain technology. The team revealed that, under conditions meant to mirror everyday use, the network handled up to 1.05 million ERC-20 token transfers per second (TPS).
High Throughput: 300,000 NFT Mints and 50,000 Trades Per Second
Somnia also showed off the ability to mint 300,000 NFTs each second—digital collectibles tracked on the blockchain—while maintaining an average block time of just 100 milliseconds.
In another highlight of the Devnet, Somnia managed 50,000 Uniswap trades per second across 100,000 accounts, mimicking real-world usage. Uniswap is a decentralized exchange protocol used for swapping tokens, so pushing 50,000 trades every second suggests Somnia can handle huge spikes of activity without slowing down.
Each test was carried out across 100 different nodes in multiple regions, all running on powerful hardware with as many as 32 virtual CPUs and 120GB of RAM. Network delays remained below one second, around 900 milliseconds, while the system processed about 50 “Gigagas” per second—a measure of how much data can be handled for executing blockchain transactions.
Cutting-Edge Technology Under the Hood
Somnia’s architecture, developed by Improbable, relies on a custom EVM compiler and advanced compression methods to keep things running fast and cheap. EVM stands for Ethereum Virtual Machine—basically the part of the blockchain that processes smart contracts. With a custom EVM, Somnia fine-tunes how transactions are processed to hit high speeds.
A highlight here is IceDB, a specialized database with read-and-write speeds measured in nanoseconds (15 to 100 ns). That’s extremely quick, helping keep transaction costs below a penny.
In explaining the remarkable numbers in the Devnet test, Paul Thomas, Somnia’s Founder and CEO, said, “Our technology is designed to support the demanding requirements of high-performance dApps while maintaining exceptional performance and cost-efficiency, and these impressive results validate our approach.”
He added, “These results have exceeded our expectations, showcasing Somnia’s ability to push past the usual limitations of blockchain technology. We’re opening the door to a new era of fully on-chain applications where speed and scalability are no longer barriers for developers.”
Public Testnet and What Comes Next
Somnia’s next big move is launching a public testnet so developers and community members can see firsthand how these speeds hold up in a broader setting. Early adopters will be able to experiment with building gaming platforms, social networks, or finance apps right on the chain—without worrying about slow transaction times or pricey fees.
Looking ahead, the team says it will keep improving Somnia’s core technology. Focusing on both speed and affordability hopes to spark a wave of new on-chain experiences that were previously impossible due to the limits of older blockchains. If the Devnet results are any sign, Somnia could be setting a whole new pace for Web3 innovation.
